Monday, January 18, 2010

Yes, I Am A LIBERAL!

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately and I have come to one conclusion: I AM A LIBERAL!

I believe that one of the most important roles of government is to create a fair playing ground for everyone, regardless of background. It shouldn’t matter if you were born to parents living in a mansion by the lake, or a shack in the Hood. All should have the same opportunity to make it in this country! If that makes me a Liberal, then I am a Liberal!

I believe that the US Constitution provides the same rights to all the People of this great land, regardless of whether or not I agree with anyone’s position on an issue! I may not like what someone is doing, or I may not agree with how someone lives his life, or who someone loves, but he is entitled to the same rights to life, liberty, and happiness as I am! If that makes me a Liberal, then I am a Liberal!

I believe that this country needs to take care of the less fortunate! I do not believe in simple “hand outs,” but if someone’s situation has placed them in a less than optimum position to succeed, we need to give whatever assistance we can! If that makes me a Liberal, then I am a Liberal!

I believe health care in this country is a right, not a privilege of the few! I believe every US Citizen is entitled to affordable, or free, healthcare! There is no reason whatsoever that a country as rich as the US does not provide the necessary health care for it’s people! If that makes me a Liberal, then I am a Liberal!

I have read a lot recently that mainstream America is more like the Sarah Palin’s Rush Limbaugh’s, and and Dick Cheney’s of the world, than the Ted Kennedy’s and Bill Clinton’s, but I say that the majority of Americans believe in justice and equality for all! I believe the majority of Americans feel disenfranchised and have given up hope that what they feel means anything. The majority of Americans doesn’t think they can make a difference.

Yes, I have to admit that I AM A LIBERAL! And I am DAMN PROUD of it too!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

The Battle For Marriage Equality Continues

The fight for marriage equality continued yesterday, this time in California, as a court case challenging the Prop 8 vote banning same-sex marriage in California, began. Geoff Kors, from California Equality, gives his position on the debate.
Essentially what the challenge is trying to prove is that Prop 8 is Unconstitutional. Yes, Federally Unconstitutional. The opponents of Prop 8 who brought this lawsuit, contend that the US Constitution does not allow any single group, racial, religious, or a particular sexual orientation, to be discriminated against. Prop 8 discriminates! Regardless of what the Court in California rules, this will likely be appealed to the US Supreme Court, which could make all state laws forbidding same-sex marriage invalid.
Keep up the fight!

Thursday, January 07, 2010

What A Disappointment!

In November, when Jon Corzine lost the NJ State Governor's race to Chris Christie, the Democrats in the legislature lost their balls! The Democrats have decided to forget about doing what is right and are now more concerned about what they need to do to get re-elected and continue their political careers.
This became evident today when the State Senate voted against marriage equailty in NJ. The Senate, by a vote of 20-14, just one vote short of a victory, defeated the Gay Marriage bill that would have move NJ forward in providing all its citizens equality.
I would like to thank those Senators, Democrat and Republican, that voted for marriage equality, and inform those who did not support marriage equality that the time will come, with or without them, that NJ will have marriage equality. The NJ Supreme Court ruled that NJ must allow full marriage equality, and Civil Unions do not afford that! This battle will now be fought in the courts, and the LGBT will prevail! Lambda Legal is already preparing the fight!
NJ.Com reported how they voted. I am particularly saddened by Van Drew's vote! He of all people should understand the wishes and desires of the LBGT community. Thanks Senator James Whelan! And thanks Senator Bill Baroni for crossing party lines and supporting this measure!

Friday, January 01, 2010

Happy 2010. Wishing You The Best!

Welcome 2010! A new decade! The start of a new beginning. Here's wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!
While I watched the revelry in Times Square on television, I wondered how and why a date in time is important! What makes January 1st all that? After all, it's just a date. Why not June 1st or some other date? Duh! It's more than just the turning of a new page! It's the "getting a new calendar" time! (By the way, I still haven't bought a 2010 calendar for home and it's driving me crazy. Hopefully I can find one 1/2 off at the mall this weekend). June 1st or any other first day of the month is just turning page, not taking the entire calendar down and putting it away or throwing it in the trash. I guess January 1st represents a new beginning! A time to put away the old and bring in the new! A symbolic gesture, to say the least, because after the celebration of New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, the clock just continues. Has anything really changed? Come Monday January 4, 2010, I'll go to work and continue in the same routine that I did just the week before. But the new year year brings a new hope that things will be better, or even better if you had a good last year.
I wish everyone a very Happy New Year and a prosperous 2010. I am not only speaking in terms of money, which we all could use a nice boost in, but health, family, personal decisions, etc., etc., etc. I don't know what tomorrow brings. It could be my last day! But we as humans, for the most part I believe, have that tendency to hope that tomorrow will be better. And for everyone, I hope it is too!