Monday, November 10, 2008

Please do not vote McCain/Palin

Our nation has been sedated into a numbed acceptance of political coups, atrocities, and crimes. I am a student of history and consider myself more of a patriot then any flag-waver at a McCain or Bush rally. These herds of people that come out to support and contribute to the right are not cheering for America; they are cheering for the Bush presidency which over the last 8 years has been molding itself into a fascist dictatorship with little or no resistance or protest from congress, the courts, or the American people. While studying the birth of this great nation I fell in love with the Founding Fathers and what they believed in, fought for, died for, and established thereafter. These were some of the greatest intellectual minds in history and they were paradoxically humble in every way. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution along with the Bill of Rights are, likewise, some of the most important and progressive documents in history. I would gladly fight and die for them and what they stand for. I reserve the right to fight for that rather then for a corrupt government, oil, money, and religious/social ideology. In today’s world I’d sooner die storming the White House with my fellow patriots then die securing oil fields and policing sectarian violence in Iraq. “Individuals grant political rights to their rulers but retain personal rights to life, liberty, and property. Any rulers who violate these rights are subject to deposition.” (John Locke, Second Treatise of Civil Government. 1690) John Locke’s writings of the enlightenment had a profound impact on the shaping of our nation. Locke argues that government is a social contract between the rulers and the citizenry. President Bush nullified the contract the instant he unlawfully assumed the office in 2000. Many leaders in Washington seem to have forgotten the lessons of great men like Locke and it’s a shame; he preceded the conception of this nation by nearly a century but I would accept him as one of our founding fathers any day. If the Founding Fathers were alive today and had the authority they would impeach Bush and every member of his administration, put them on trial for war crimes and treason, then kick Cheney square in the nuts.

Speaking of the Founding Fathers gives me a rich feeling of history. Any student of history will tell you it has patterns, tends to repeat itself. If you do not take anything away from my words today and walk away unsatisfied then at least know this: no nation that is the most powerful on earth last forever; there is a cycle of ascension, peak power, and decline. Decline goes into effect when countries overstep their bounds and disregard their economic and militaristic limitations. We, as a nation, are currently tip-toeing along this ridge and are precariously close to stumbling over the edge and into an age of backwards progress and global insignificance. Our forefathers and mothers, along with the founding fathers before them, have accomplished too much, bled and sweat too profusely and thus left us in the care of the most open, free, and wealthiest nation in the world. America once stood for opportunity, equality, and a shining beacon of hope in a world darkened by a looming shadow. The US populous has a responsibility to uphold the integrity of the American tradition that was so cautiously transferred into our hands. Let’s try not to let our ancestors and our country down, America can once again prevail as an immaculate land of democracy and freedom that other nations emulate and strive to replicate.

What the Bush administration has managed to do to this country’s integrity, pride, military, economy, constitution, judicial system, and standing in the world is absolutely inexcusable. McCain was once a semi-moderate senator and still had some common decency. Every consecutive year of the Bush presidency has seen McCain drift over to the right. In the last years of Bush’s presidency McCain has voted with him over 90%. These votes include contradictions to previous McCain votes in which he completely sold out what he believes. A vote for McCain is an approval of the last 8 years and a desire to continue on the current slope this country is sliding down rapidly. Where does the McCain campaign get off claiming to run the maverick candidate on a platform of change when they know that is an outright deception? Now that McCain is the Republican nominee he must win over the religious right in order to unify the party and win the White House. This realization by the McCain campaign played a huge role in the selection of Governor Palin as a running mate. It has become all too obvious that her political experience, qualifications, foreign policy insight, and economic knowledge have nothing to do with her being on the ballot.

Below this text I have provided some facts and information about Governor Palin and a few other related subjects such as McCain and the relatively new fanatical, evangelical, religious right. This is the same core constituency that, along with the Supreme Court, swindled Bush into the White House in 2000, stealing the election from Gore and disenfranchising thousands of African-American voters in Florida. These are the same people who rallied Bush back into the White House in 2004 through a campaign of lies, brainwashing propaganda, and fear mongering orchestrated by the Devil’s right-hand-man, Mr. Karl Rove. For those of you who are unaware, Rove is currently a contributor and political analysts on Fox News. Don’t allow the title to fool you; news is the last thing to be viewed on the Fox News channel. People in suits on camera are about the only thing that is reminiscent of a news program on Fox. However, the outright hateful bigotry, sexism, disregard for the facts, and glaring political bias has managed to propel Fox to a massive ratings draw nationwide. People watch it, people believe it, people believe anything; this is a frightening world.

From my words it is very obvious that I too have a political bias and am making little effort to suppress it; due to this fact I will only provide you with facts in this list below. Facts for you to read and interpret for yourselves; if you are planning on voting for McCain/Palin, undecided, or not voting at all then hopefully this will be a determining factor in you voting for Obama in November. It’s impossible to say how Obama will work out if elected, he is young and idealistic. Critics had the same uncertainties and criticisms of Jack and Bobby Kennedy. If Obama only manages to fulfill one half or even one third of his promises he would be 500 times the president that Bush ever will be. In the end I will even take Obama’s broken promises over McCain’s fulfilled promises. At least McCain is a somewhat intelligent man compared to Bush yet the prospect of a McCain presidency still horrifies me. The only responsive language this man knows, feels comfortable with, and practices is violence; military action. Would you honestly be surprised, after how easy it was for Bush, if the US was engaged in another military conflict somewhere in the Middle-East, Eastern Europe, or Russia under a McCain presidency? Take the last 8 years of Republican foreign policy, the Bush Doctrine, and all of McCain’s speeches from the time of and including the Republican convention into account before you answer that question.

A considerable amount of speeches given at the convention were some of the most hate filled, evil, racist, offensive, and ignorant words ever to receive such standing ovation in the US. It was truly frightening and mind boggling at the same time. Romney, Giuliani, and Palin’s speeches stand out most in my mind when thinking of the remarks that best fit my previous description. I have to give them a little credit for the Republican Convention; it must have taken a considerable amount of effort to produce such a wretched specimen of backwards scum. On Tuesday night of the Republican convention Bush made a satellite speech to the crowd and received a prolonged standing ovation from them before and after his words. Every other speech given at the convention after that was calling for change in Washington and a change in the way the president's administration has been conducting its domestic and foreign policy. The crowd cheered their heads off for these speeches as well. Observing this behavior at the convention made my head hurt, are they really serious? Half the time I was expecting one of the speakers to halt in the middle of his or her words, look at the camera and say, "Live from New York It's Saturday Night!" It would have explained many confusions I have. Listen people, Obama and the Democratic Party are hardly perfect, far from it in fact. Unfortunately for you and me, we live in one of the least representative democracies in the world. An outdated election system, extreme government corruption, money from big-business lobbyist, and many other factors have left the common American voiceless, thus rendering us powerless. One of the largest flaws of our government and election process is the domination of the two-party system. It is crippling our government and stifling reform, progress, and democracy itself. Taking this system into account while reminiscing on the 2000 and 2004 elections, I opted for the lesser of two evils. Not to say that Gore, Kerry, or Obama are evil; but a general distrust of one’s own government is healthy and even necessary. And lets face reality, If I was of age during the last two elections I would have voted for a mentally challenged monkey over Bush if the monkey was my only other option. I was never expecting Gore and Kerry to follow through with all of their campaign speeches but I did like what they had to say; likewise with Obama. As long as they attempt to make good on their words and don’t foul everything else up while they’re in charge then I’m happy.

And now on to the main case of this whole message I’m composing for the general public, Governor Sarah Palin. Obama has chosen Joe Biden, a long time moderately liberal senator from Delaware with a very respectable record. He was the head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It was a very strong reassuring selection by Obama, one that made me confident that if anything were to happen to Obama the country would be in capable hands. I’m not expecting much more from Biden, the only responsibility of the Vice President, according to the constitution, is to assume the presidency in cases of death, impeachment, or resignation and to cast the tie-breaking vote in the senate when necessary. Dick Cheney has used his super constitution repelling powers and the accumulated strength from decades of douche-baggery dating back to those, all too horrible, Reagan years to propel the position of the Vice President to a whole new level. I am confident that Biden would mind his constitutional limitations and provide Obama with excellent wisdom as an advisor. I’m not sure how Palin will fill the job out if elected, I’m even less sure of her in the Oval Office if something were to happen to McCain. The man is ancient, constantly sick, and is applying for possibly the most stressful job in the world. Now see if you feel a chilling tingle flow down your spine as you read these words; President Sarah Palin. It is clear that McCain and the Republicans only have victory and their own interests in mind when they selected her. It was a move to spice up the campaign, draw attention away from Obama, appease the religious right, and maybe win over some disgruntled Clinton supporters. Here are some wonderful facts about this possible president:

--Originally supported the famed “bridge to nowhere” in Alaska. When the issue got national attention and became a sore subject she changed her mind. The amount of over 200 million dollars given for the bridge by congress was not all returned and accounted for.
--Opposes stem cell research--Opposes human rights by denying the homosexual community the basic rights that all other Americans enjoy. On a related note for readers in California; please vote no on proposition 8 to preserve the basic human right of marriage for the homosexual community. Do not allow religious bigotry to deny people the right to live happy fulfilling lives with the ones they love. The way I see it is the only reasons a person would vote yes on prop 8 are because you’re a hateful bigot or you’re a closet homosexual yourself and are too ashamed and disgusted with yourself so you try and fight it anyway you can. The second reason seems to be the case for many ultra-conservative Republican legislators who have been leading the charge for a constitutional amendment and later are wrapped up in some homosexual sex scandal. Irony is too sweet.
--If she had the power she would strip women of their right to choice, even in cases of rape. In Alaska, under her policies, female rape victims were required to pay for their rape kits.
--Refers to herself as a “Hockey Mom.”
--Left the town she was mayor of (Wasilla, Alaska) 20 million dollars in debt.--She and McCain claim to fight earmark spending bills, as governor she was responsible for approving 453 million dollars in earmark bills.
--Uses hateful, bigoted, ignorant words in her speeches when referring to pretty much any other demographic other then the white Anglo-Saxon protestant fanatical right. I’m offended by her words as a liberal, an American, and a citizen of the human race on this wonderful planet that we all must share. However, If I were Muslim, gay, foreign, or a feminist I would be infuriated by her.
--People who defend her foreign policy experience literally use this defense, I kid you not: “She has good experience because she has been in Alaska that whole time right next to Russia.” Once again, I kid you not.
--Her administration in Alaska is under investigation for corruption.--Does not even know what the Bush Doctrine is.
--Her environmental record in Alaska is abysmal and one that clearly has favor towards the oil industry.--Has been a 100% staunch supporter of the war in Iraq and still is. She claimed that offshore drilling and the Iraq War are God’s plan. She has claimed to visit Iraq, this is a lie, the only other countries she has been to are Mexico, Canada, Kuwait, and Germany.
--She honestly believes that global warming is unproven and humans have no negative effect on our environment.
--She has never met a foreign head of state up until late September when she made a brief cameo at the UN in New York in order to have her picture taken with foreign leaders and to look official. The press was not allowed access to any of the meetings and no comments were given afterwards.
--Interviews with the press are only granted under the agreement to many preconditions set forth by the McCain Campaign. The McCain Campaign conveniently waited for September 11th to use that day and what it stands for to reveal Palin in her first interview. The Republicans have never been shy to use 9/11 before in the past for political purposes because they are evil, heartless pimps who ride the memory of that day like a cheap whore every election year. Any relative or friend of a victim on 9/11 should be absolutely outraged.
--Attended ultra-conservative church in Alaska for 26 years up until the beginning of this current decade. She recently spoke to the congregation. Like many republicans, she has used the church and the bible to promote herself politically. She said, “I think God’s will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get the gas line built, so pray for that.” The pastor of that church has given such uplifting sermons along these lines: Alaska will become a refuge during the end of days. Christians from the lower 48 will all flock there as religious refugees for the coming rapture. Sarah Palin and these people actually believe this.
--She flat out refuses to accept evolution as an attested science and if it were her decision, would enforce the myth of creationism into our public school system.

The incredible injustice of proposition 8

While the presidential election of 2008 was a massive success and a referendum on the horribly failed domestic and foreign policies of the Bush presidency; at the same time it was a sorrowful day for Americans everywhere. This country has proved that we have come quite a ways since the days of slavery, the days of the Jim Crow Laws and the resulting segregation of the South, and finally, the days of the civil rights movement of the 1960’s and 70’s. We hurdled over the race barrier and elected into office the first African American president in US history; this was truly epic in every manner and a massive historic event that will be looked back upon throughout the remaining years of our noble nation, no matter how many years that may be. However, we stumbled, quite hard at that, over another hurdle of civil rights and there are still Americans to this day who are denied the same natural born rights that everyone else in this country enjoys freely every day.

It was not long ago that the California Supreme Court, in an act of great prestige and equivalent justice, made clear for and protected the right of same sex marriage under our state constitution. Since that time it is estimated that between 16,000 and 18,000 members of the homosexual community have come together in the union of marriage and have started living their lives happily as one, just as many hetero couples do every day across this supposedly “equal” nation. California was an anomaly contrasted to the rest of the states in our union whom do not wish to treat everyone equally under the law. After the supreme courts decision I was extremely proud to be a native Californian; someone who was born and raised in a state progressive enough to make this monumental decision that was clearly a just verdict. Many in California opposed the courts ruling, possibly a majority. Many across the nation, a majority as well, openly oppose and refuse to allow same sex marriage, but we must all remember that just because blatant injustice is endorsed by the majority, that does not make the ensuing inequalities laid forth on the oppressed minority legitimate. If freedom, liberty, and civil rights were always deemed moral or immoral by the majority in this nation then slavery probably would have lasted well into the early 20th century and parts of the south might still be segregated to this day. On November 4th the oppressive majority in this state took to the polls and voted for hate, ignorance, bigotry, and for discrimination under the law. Discrimination is an evil that we, as humans, seem eternally doomed to endure but discrimination under the law is something else, something far worse.

The reasons and arguments put forth for the passing of the proposition are nothing short of absolutely preposterous and ridiculous. They are a thinly veiled attempt by the religious right to cover up their faith inspired hateful bigotry as decent Christian morals. Supporters of the ban on gay marriage argue that marriage is sacred and the meaning and what the word stands for should not be changed. Marriage is sacred? Really? The divorce rate in this country is over 50%. The divorce rate is higher in the evangelical, bible-belt south then it is on the west coast or in the northeast. Hetero couples who have come together under the “sanctity” of marriage go out and legally commit adultery every day in this country. If the argument of protecting marriage for its sanctity is going to fly then lets go ahead and vote for an amendment to the constitution forbidding all types of marriage because that is the only true way to protect it. Another argument often spewed out is that children raised in a homosexual household will have corrupt morals and be completely dysfunctional members of society. Let’s go ahead and take a look at the track record of children raised in households of hetero parents; I think it’s safe to assume this demographic makes up more then 99.9% of all children raised throughout human history. All the thieves, rapist, murderers, druggies, and generally messed up hate filled people in this world have been raised by non homosexual parents. And no, a child raised in a homosexual household will not grow up to be gay all the time; the parents make no difference at all in determining the sexual preference of the child. Children across America come out of the closet everyday that are being raised in hetero households. My favorite antigay argument is that the bible says homosexuality is a sin and all homosexuals will burn in hell. Its quite touching but that bigoted hate sermon will not and should not be of any consequence. I am under the impression that we have a system in this country where all levels and functions of state and federal government are separated from, and have nothing to do with, the various religious institutions that plague our society and stifle human social reform and development. Any proponent of the ban on same sex marriage who attempts to use the bible or religion in his or her argument should be immediately discredited and ignored. Everyone is welcome to their own beliefs, no matter how intolerant and evil they may be; but trying to impose your religious beliefs on others is absolutely despicable, especially when you are going about it through the legislative system. For those of you who voted yes on the proposition and defend your vote by claiming superior morals; who the hell do you think you are? Who are you to judge other peoples lifestyles? You are judging and denying rights to people whom you have never even met and probably will never meet in the future; the gay communities actions have an absolute zero affect on your own life. If you attempt to claim that their “immoral” actions affect your own life then here’s an argument from me using the same logic: We must abolish the second amendment now on the grounds that gun control and people having the right to own guns affects me directly, killing is immoral and in this country I could very well possibly meet my end by the bullet from a gun; that affects me directly. THERE IS UTTERLY NO WAY TO PROVE OR DISPROVE THE ANCIENT TEXTS OF ANY RELIGION OR THE VERY EXISTENCE OF GOD ITSELF! THERE IS JUST NO WAY TO KNOW SO WE MUST ALL COEXIST IN A STATE OF ACCEPTANCE. With this fact taken into mind, no person should ever have the power to tell someone else how to live their lives; it is incredibly selfish, presumptuous, and ignorant. Same sex marriage harms no one; it has no effect on the lives of those who oppose it. We must allow for same sex marriage to occur and for homosexual couples to be just as happy or miserable as all of the hetero couples out there.

Are you aware that the leading proponent and financial backer of the proposition 8 initiative was the Mormon Church of Utah? The Mormon Church!? Really!? Does anyone find this incredibly offensive, hypocritical, mind boggling and ironic all at the same time? This is a group of people who, in the 19th century, had to leave their homes in the eastern states along the Atlantic and travel half way across the continent to settle in Utah all because they were being discriminated against for their questionable marriage practices. I suppose according to Mormons: Marriage cannot consist of two individuals of the same sex; rather it should be between a man and multiple child bearing spouses. How the Mormons came to believe they claimed the moral high ground when it comes to marriage is beyond me. For anyone out there who is in support of the ban on gay marriage, at least be truthful when you give your reasons, stop lying. The arguments that have been given are completely false, illegitimate, and retarded all at the same time. If you’re going to deny equal rights to a very large, very real minority in this country then the least you can do is give the homosexual community the truth; stop insulting them with your BS! Just admit, you do not want homosexual marriage because you’re a bigot, an ignorant bigot filled with hate and confusion. The way I see it, faith inspired bigotry is the only reason one would vote yes on 8. Either that or because the person voting yes is deep down a closet homosexual and is too ashamed or disgusted to admit it so that person fights it in anyway they can. This second reason I just listed seems to be the fault of many ultra-conservative legislators who are the leading crusaders for a gay marriage ban amendment to our national constitution; isn’t that right Senator Larry Craig of Idaho? Have you been frequenting many airport bathroom stalls lately or just relaxing with the family attending church services?

Please my fellow friends, citizens, Americans, humans; let’s do the morally superior action and fight the result of proposition 8. Send a letter to your congressman/woman, spread the word to your friends, march in the streets, picket outside a church, do whatever you think will get attention and have a positive impact for the cause. Stand up today and defend the rights of your brothers and sisters no matter what your personal beliefs and convictions are. You may not see your fellow humans of the homosexual community in a positive or approving light; but that is irrelevant when it comes to natural born rights and the US legal system that sees us all as peers.