They used to worship Allah.
Now, all they have left to worship (legally) and pragmatically is Khamenei... 
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Khamenei's Worshipers
The Catholic Church in Maine
"LEWISTON, Maine -- Two of the five Catholic churches in Lewiston will close by the end of October."
Interesting.
"According to the tally, 7,300 Lewiston residents voted yes on Question 1 and 5,121 voted no."
The perception of marriage as a civil issue didn't make it.
"In 2005, Lewiston went for No on 1 by 53.5% [referendum on nondiscrimination repeal]. In 2009, it was 60-40 Yes on 1. Another way to see the very real change there is that Lewiston’s No vote results in 2005 were 1.5 percentage points less than the state No vote, while in 2009 Lewiston’s No vote was 7 percentage points less than the state’s overall No vote."-Prof Amy Field, (see comment section)
"Descent" of the Day
Andrew Sullivan, today, writes eloquently (as always?):
The truth about civil marriage - why it is the essential criterion [my emphasis] for gay equality - is that it alone explodes this core marginalization and invisibility of gay people. It alone can reach those gay kids who need to know they have a future as a dignified human being with a family. It alone tells society that gay people are equal in their loves and in their hearts and in their families - not just useful in a society with a need for talented or able individuals whose private lives remain perforce sequestered from view.
This is why it remains the prize. And why our eyes must remain fixed upon it.
On a day when we are probably all feeling some solidarity of the close fight, I'll risk taking mild exception to this, even at the additional risk of being called a pinko commie Marxist (a charge that would never stick, except in the alternative Malkin-Universe, maybe - or galaxy? the Malkyway?).
Marriage is key and has its special importance, as described; but it is not alone. People are "defined" by their work too, broadly put. In fact, the key quasi-voluntary civil relationships that dominate most people's waking hours are those that they have through 'the office' or their clients, i.e. work.
This is why ENDA is not peripheral. Workplace nondiscrimination is a key part of full civil inclusion, too.
Clinton, Lack of Judgment, 2009 Edition
Just because he got away with it in Canada doesn't mean it is going to fly in NYC.
Sooner or later, someone is going to ask why he is showing up on stage with a war criminal, right?
The Face of Injustice
If there is a 'hard edge' to be added to campaigns, it centers on injustice.
(
Update: Queerty has the callous quote to go with this picture.
"Islamic Republic" = Cheap Police State
The Stalin of Qom has turned his 'guardianship' into not too much more than a cheap police state.
Three million - three million!!! - 'extra-legal' "police" will be deployed, in defense of the defenders defending themselves.
Clearly, with so many on the payroll, the regime itself has become the cornerstone of social-welfare spending... good grief, what a comedown in such a short time.
Maine, The Day After
A moving statement from the Campaign Director of "No on 1", who ran a campaign with content that everyone could be proud of. You just have to respect that an enormous amount of energy must go into a campaign, even when the ability to 'change minds' appears to be limited on this topic.
FOR THE SHAME OF MAINE
The campaign produced extraordinarily notable moments, many of which will go into liberation history pages, I imagine. Here is one of the more memorable ones, based on its heartfelt message and the wisdom of the years, wisdom that rivals the book-learning of any scripture toting Pharisee.
"Together, we have four children, including the one gay son. All four of our boys were in the service. ...I was born on a potato farm north of Caribou..."
The hardhearted "Yes on 1" campaign, led by NOM, turned ugly, as it had in California's Prop 8, not only because it was the same folks behind it. Fear ads closed their campaign, especially stoking fear over 'teaching homosexuality'. NOM lost their bid to paper-over their finances, but never had to fully disclose them to the voting public, either. One wonders if that legal slight-of-hand isn't worth a court-action on the final vote. Last, blissfully ignoring the trends, which put U-Maine campuses at 80% in favor of gays, for instance, the Catholic Church weighed in, throwing about the weight of their tax-free status as a "charitable organization".
LESSONS LEARNED
The military and a few other groups are disciplined about doing lessons learned. Here, the people involved are just as insightful, often, as any pundit, so I'll be listening.
Clearly, the lessons of the Prop 8 campaign were taken to heart, at least in a large part. That's a big step forward, right? The case is the case, for good or ill. It cannot be successfully slanted, dressed up or dressed down.
Some lessons are not important. A challenge of this particular kind isn't on the immediate horizon, unless NY moves forward with its marriage bill (NJ won't, under new Gov Christie). Most states already have constitutional amendments, many with super-majorities. That's more likely to shape the next 20 years. Still inequality-for-all groups have targeted NY and NJ, and they've followed through in the past.
Gay groups have seldom shown tremendous organizational prowess. There will always be room to improve. I have no comprehensive or authoritative redux, here. My only question about overall strategy is why gay groups didn't organize to collect signatures for their own ballot initiative, once it was clear that the opposition was doing it. An immediate response to an imminent threat. Most people don't know what the heck they are voting in the booth. If you put two questions before them, you split the vote. It's like having two people with the name "Kennedy" on the ticket. Too much wait-and-see early on (overconfidence?), a bit like California? Qien sabe? Given the tactics of NOM, I don't feel compromised suggesting a sly strategy.
Should groups who are building experience fighting NOM develop ways to 'go negative', to raise fear, doubt, and uncertainty of our own?
There are questions about feedback, that I have. After Canada passed equality, opinion polling for equality jumped 1-2%, as best I recall, from what it was before the polling. Does the outcome of these miserable pollings on basic rights solidify people's view? If so, are there important counter-measures, after-actions? For instance, one might want to run a series of "post election ads" of one sort or another, to prevent a solidification, to clear up lingering mis-information, to let people know that the issue is NOT settled.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The sad face of Republican healthcare
The courts' jesters have new jests:
I mean, just look at him. Can you feel the excitement?
After bringing us the do-nothing 109th Congress, they have suddenly found something to do.
It appears that huge bank mergers were such a success that they would like to, as a top national priority, let the same thing occur with insurance companies.
Monday, November 2, 2009
The Politics of General Anxiety Creation
The Republican Anxiety CircleIt's written that fear is the great mind destroyer, and if you read today's Murdoch Street Journal, you might believe it, because this article is so thinly reasoned, factually bereft, and contextless it's ludicrous.
Except I no longer believe it. This missive joins a long stream, all part of a creating a 'mindset', fraught with anxiety, fear, and loathing.
Later, these general anxieties and alienation can become concretized, if the Democrats, Obama, or circumstances allow.
This is why all that can be said of American politics is that the 'loyal opposition' is really mostly just waiting for Obama to have a Lewinsky moment or for any true dilemma to go against him, so they can channel all the energy they've been building up under such pretenses as 'Traditional America is Losing Its Nation', Glen Beck crying bathetically on national television for America, and so forth. They have nothing now; but later, they can trumpet, "See, THIS is what we have been warning you about!".
It's a nasty game. Yet, they talk about public 'service' as if it were laudable and use words like patriotic. What a fraud.
GOP Blowing Smoke on Taxes, "Small Government"
Remember this speech, wherein John McCain promised that the regional Republicans would DO something about earmarks, waste, and spending? 'My friends, I will make them famous ...!', he promised.
What's John McCain been up to? Well, he's proposed internet legislation that would throw consumers to the wolves. He's been out defending property rights, according to his website.
Have you heard any Senator's earmark getting "made famous" by John McCain?
In other words, the Reagan Revolution on taxes, having run its course, is almost all smoke-and-mirrors. The Bush Administration never - never once - made revenues equal expenses.
Jindal's "Mankiw Moment" - A Warning to New Jersey
MORE 'TRICK' THAN 'TREAT'
After having followed Bush in passing out unpaid tax-cut candy, Louisiana's GOP Gov, Bobby Jindal, faced his 'Mankiw moment' a while back, as the state's finances went into the trash barrel, with a distinct revenue problem.
Now, he's proposed cutting back hard on higher education, health care and firing 1,200 state employees (bringing the total to over 3,000).
That's right, for the most part, the GOP's one-way train on taxes is now hitting education, health care, and the ability of the state of even properly handle what work it has to do...
Without the Federal aide coming to his state, Jindal would be looking for another $3+ billion to finance his ideology, over the upcoming years. He seems to suggest that consolidating mental health facilities in New Orleans is somehow more than a drop in the bucket.
In New Jersey, Chris Christie is promising voters an unpaid for tax cut. John McCain is robo calling voters to say that this is the change that New Jersey needs.
Please - we've seen the ending to that movie, already.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Political Milestones, Tin Can Edition
Frank Rich's column is so au point that I couldn't stop laughing.
Add in Andrew Sullivan's caught-on-tape observations.
And people took umbrage when Krugman wrote that grown-ups are back in charge or something similar.
Black Adder Update: Scozzafava has endorsed her non-party rival, the Democrat in the race.
Christianist Watch Update, Party Purges and Purity edition: NOM puts out press release pointing to their $150,00 NY-23 boost as the second largest in the district and lauding Scozzafava's abandonment as a defeat of "the first pro-gay marriage GOP congressman".
Thursday, October 29, 2009
'Save the Children', 2009 version/re-mix
GAYS ARE COMING FOR YOUR CHILDREN!!!
Now that the tactics of the NOM cabal are once again shown to be ... about winning a vote with knuckles, not making a case, I wonder why gay activists didn't have a ballot initiative of their own, to split the vote. Maybe it is forbidden under Maine law? Its slyness would certainly help combat the ugliness of NOM's approach.
Anyway, the response to this ad should be "Leaving our children in darkness". I can think of a pretty hard hitting script. Afterall, schools are places of learning and churches are places of indoctrination.
What you need to know about the Senator from Aetna
"NEW YORK (AP) -- Health insurer Aetna Inc. says its third-quarter profit rose 18 percent on gains in both commercial and Medicare enrollment."
In the middle of a recession ...
It's true.
Guaranteed enrollment is very, very valuable. Are Democrats getting enough for mandating insurance, which is really not at all like car insurance? Could Obama walk away from a bad bill, saying 'no bill is better than a bad bill'?
What's more, the fight over the public option, which is key, is also masking some of the other controversial aspects of the legislation, which seem to be getting less airtime because of the big struggle to not pass out a mandate without getting something really, really valuable in return...
Hate Crimes - The Long War
For the record, the final tally in the Senate, on the pertinent, controlling amendment. Orin Hatch, true to form, submitted his 'more study' proposal, once again. It was defeated.
Voting against are the usual suspects, except Arlen Specter, now D-PA, who voted with the majority.
Senator John McCain joined his freakishly non-mainstream colleague from AZ to vote against. Senator Grassley is on the wrong side, here. Coupled with his stance on healthcare, one wonders if Iowa will continue to be enamored of their l
ongtime warrior Senator...
adding:
"Brief History of the HCPA
Hate crimes legislation was initially introduced in the House and Senate in 1997. During the subsequent 12 years, Congress passed various versions of the HCPA, but was ultimately unsuccessful in advancing the bill for the President’s signature.
This changed during the 111th Congress, when versions of the HCPA were introduced by Representatives John Conyers (D-MI) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) in the House and Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA ), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Arlen Specter (D-PA), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) in the Senate. On April 29, 2009, the House of Representatives passed hate crimes legislation (H.R. 1913) by a vote of 249-175. On July 16, 2009, the Senate voted 63-28 to proceed with hate crimes legislation (S. 909) as an amendment (S. Amdt. 1511) to the Department of Defense (DoD) authorization bill (S. 1390). The DoD authorization bill then passed the Senate with hate crimes legislation attached as an amendment on July 23, 2009.
As part of the final negotiations between the House and Senate, the conferees honored the memory of two victims of hate crimes by naming the hate crimes provision of the Conference Report the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Matthew Shepard was a gay college student who was tortured and murdered in Laramie, Wyoming, and James Byrd, Jr., was an African-American man who was dragged to death in Jasper, Texas.
The final version of the DoD authorization bill, containing the HCPA, passed the House on October 8, 2009 and the Senate on October 22, 2009. The legislation was signed into law by President Obama on October 28, 2009 (Public Law No. 111-84).
The legislation was endorsed by more than 300 law enforcement, civil rights, civic and religious organizations, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, National District Attorneys Association, Presbyterian Church, Episcopal Church, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Young Women’s Christian Association and National Disability Rights Network."The other federal crimes ...
Some commentators appear to have been caught flat-footed, bemoaning the hate crimes legislation enacted to cover, at last, 'sexual orientation'. How?
Well, the senate, spurred by the irksome Senator Sessions, voted overwhelmingly to federalize crime against service members. ...AND any of their property ... OR their family or any of their property.
From the "small government" crowd, crickets, leaving one to conclude, once again, that it really is all about the gay ...
From the so-called "libertarians", who might cast a wary eye on the wide net of 'conspiracy to harm' written in the legislation as a militarization of sorts, crickets.
Monday, October 26, 2009
DADT and Upping the Standing Army in Afghanistan
So, who thinks that any effort next year on Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell will fall by the wayside, if there is a 'right sizing' of the effort in Afghanistan that involves tens of thousands of troops, either from Iraq or from the growth in the U.S. standing army approved under Bush?
As long as there are tens of thousands of troops deployed, there is an 'excuse' in the Senate to delay action ....
This is why "the deal", with the military and/or with the Senate, on DADT should be part of any 'surge' authorization ...
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