it would seem

that post-deleting is in my nearer future than my move to dc...

~k

changing winds and all

but it doesn't mean i won't let out a giant sigh of relief if the right job doesn't come along...

~k

all signs point east

it would seem that the winds have changed. i'm not sure how, when, or why, but i will go to washington if the right job comes along...

~k

justice

i've spent the morning catching up on the news, reading about and watching republican pundits squrim on the heels of gingrich's claim that scotus nominee sonya sotomayor is a racist. this is unbelievable to me. those who oppose her nomination have an argument that's sunk to claiming it's wrong for a person's background and upbringing to have any impact on their world view and life and judicial decision making.

if you think for one second that growing up female, in the midwest, with a single mom, and being permanently disabled in a tragic accident in high school doesn't impact every decision i've ever made, you're an idiot. and if you think your upbringing hasn't molded who you are and the decisions you make today, you're a fool. and if you think judge sotomayor's life as a the daughter of puertan rican immigrants, living in the bronx projects, with a single mom doesn't impact who she is and opened the eyes through which she'll judge and decide, you're blind. and if you think it shouldn't, you're the racist.

if justice be blind, justice cannot hit the mark.

the end.

~k

meeting in the middle

i went to fresno out of obligation. it was most certainly a self imposed obligation, as i felt it important that i be there. i believe in marriage equality because i believe in equality, the end. i fight for this particular piece because i have to, because if i don't, the fight has one less warrior. and that is unacceptable to me.

because it is unacceptable to me that, in this day and age of america, people can still look at one another and believe they are better than the other because of race, religion, socio-economic background, and sexual orientation. (but i definitely think it's okay to think i'm better than racists, people with closed minds, and those who choose to be dummies.)

but 'meet in the middle' was really boring. there were too many people giving too many speeches that said the same thing over and over and over. and sadly, many of the speakers highlighted the same divisive rhetoric that lost prop 8 in the first place.

despite my criticism, it was a great first effort. setting it up in fresno, "in the middle", at city hall, made a statement that attracted a lot of activists. and i applaud the organizers for making this happen. but next time, an event needs more entertainment, less preachy (see boring) speeches, more booths, more _food_, and when you've asked activists to march for 14 miles, how's about you offer them a small bag of fruit, cheese sticks, and a muffin so they won't die? next time...

the worst (and perhaps best, depending on the direction assumed today) part though, is that it was made abundantly clear yesterday that the LGBT community remains in dire need of new leadership. the good news is that if anyone is paying attention, the new leadership is rising, speaking, and running for office.

i can only hope that the leaders of yesterday who may not yet recognize that their fight has been lost, will open their eyes and step aside for the brave new leadership who sees that more hearts are won with honey than hatred.

~k

a night with the potus

when i showed up at the beverly hilton, my car had to be searched and sniffed out by dogs. and it took five secret service guys, my two friends, and the instruction manual to the car to figure out how to pop the bonnet.

and then i met the president.

the end.

~k

california

my state is looking pretty stupid and sounding pretty weak these days. we are gridlocked financially, on the brink of economic collapse, and the entire political system is in desperate need of a reorganization.

first, there's prop 13. in 1978, the voters of california passed a ballot initiative to cap property taxes. in those first years, californians saved about $530 million per year. imagine what that has cost california these past several years, as home values have skyrocketed while the state coffers saw little to no benefit.

since passing prop 13, californians have voted to spend billions more on pet projects, by that same ballot initiative power. a power clearly too great for the greater public. as opposed as i am to this outlier democracy, at its simplest, the problem with the ballot initiative system is really only two-fold.

first, it generally means that the side with the most money buys the most advertisements, which means that the rich guys in special interests suits are buying laws. and that's because, secondly, the system gives legislative power to dummies, whose emotional connection to the issue is the driving force behind which way we pull the lever.

folks, we elect representatives to read bills, study history, hear both sides. we the voters either see some skewed pieces of propaganda, or we go off and read a 3-paragraph synopsis that makes less sense than memento, and then collectively, we vote to make laws.

let me make this clear, we are not educated enough in all of the intricacies of law, politics, and history to make laws. it is above our voting grade. and dear california, we will be in bankruptcy, and we will take the country with us, if we do not get our act together and fix this broken political system.

now.

~k