Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps, for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things are and what they ought to be. – William Hazlitt
While this feels like feeding the trolls, here we go…
The National Organization for Marriage, in case you’ve been living under a rock, recently started their campaign to “defend” marriage. As with many cultural issues, this one is another case study in logical fallacies, a complete misunderstand of one’s own belief system, and reasoning so flawed it would be hilarious if they weren’t dead serious.
This video (I refuse to embed it) is making the rounds, with the kind of fearmongering usually reserved for Those People. With a host of actors, NOM insinuates all kinds of tragedy and falsehoods about what “gay marriage” would cause. My favorite is the argument that, because a same-sex couple may be married, a doctor somehow has to make some awful choice between faith and profession. Here’s a quick reference line for later, doc (who’s not actually a doctor, BTW): If you have a hard time choosing between what’s right medically or morally and what’s preached on Sunday for anyone, you may have chosen the wrong profession.
But my favorite portion on NOM is the FAQ on their site. With language like “threaten marriage” or “San Francisco-style judges” or making a clear distinction between “moms and dads” and “parents”, the page reads like the dance instruction pattern for How to Tap-dance Around My Bigotry.
I was going to do a point-by-point, but frankly I want to say a couple things and then be done.
Recent articles in the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek discussed the recent declines in religious worship and participation in the church. National Organization for Marriage, you are the poster child for why this is happening. You are the latest face of a sect in this country that has perverted faith and belief into a discriminatory political force. You are the people that have turned a large portion of an entire generation against the very ideals you claim to support because your message is filled with hate, and bile, and lies. You are the smirking face of bigotry which claims, like a child caught in a lie, that that wasn’t really what you meant.
You are, in short, doomed to irrelevance in a world that will cease to care about you or your cause. It will take a while because, like all hysterical ninnies who refuse to grow up, we–my generation–will have to force you into tolerance, much as our parents’ generation forced the bigots before you to accept civil rights.
Let me explain why you’re doomed, because I think you’re not sure. From Progressive States:
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal has gained some well-deserved youtube stardom for his extremely thoughtful remarks on the Senate floor. Responding to a request to suspend the rules and co-sponsor a leadership bill to amend the state constitution to overturn the decision, Majority Leader Gronstal replied:
“One of my daughters was in the workplace one day, and her particular workplace at that moment in time there were a whole bunch of conservative, older men. And those guys were talking about gay marriage. They were talking about discussions going on across the country. And my daughter Kate, after listening to it for about 20 minutes, said to them: ‘You guys don’t understand. You’ve already lost. My generation doesn’t care.’ I think I learned something from my daughter that day, when she said that. [Watch the video here or by clicking on the image above.]
Support for marriage equality has been growing among the whole population, but the fact is that a clear majority of Americans age 18-34 support same-sex marriage by a margin of 51-40 according to a December 2008 Newsweek poll (reflecting many other surveys), meaning that when it comes to full equality for GLBT Americans the question is not if, but when.
Your actions cement that future every day because you turn people like me into advocates.
Or to put all that more succinctly: “There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.”
No, you will not solve all of our problems. But you make us want to try and say that you’ll support us and… well, that’s more than we’ve been able to say in a long time.
Welcome Mr. President, we’ve been waiting. Enjoy your day today, because tomorrow this country will forget it’s good will and turn back to its bitter, divisive ways. Be the better person this country needs.
This is only one of thousands, thousands, of Palestinians who have suffered at the hands of the IDF. (Click the triangle at the bottom right, then choose “turn on subtitles” option.)
As Americans, we should be ashamed that we have enabled this kind of suffering and destruction. This action by the Israelis has gone too far and needs to end.
This policy is so full on win, it warms my little electronic heart another 20 C. A partial bullet-point list; click through to see the whole thing with more statements.
Protect the Openness of the Internet (Net Neutrality!)
Safeguard our Right to Privacy
Open Up Government to its Citizens
Invest in the Sciences
Invest in University-Based Research
Make the R&D Tax Credit Permanent
Reform the Patent System
Make Math and Science Education a National Priority
I would to introduce you to one of my favorite Dutch phrases: plaatsvervangende schaamte. Here’s how to pronounce it (no, that’s not me).
So, what does plaatsvervangende schaamte mean (if you haven’t clicked that link above)? It means “place exchanging shame”, or, the shame I feel because you aren’t ashamed of what you’re doing. You know, like when you’re friend is singing terribly but thinks they sound like a pop star?
Or, say, when you’re the biggest newspaper in the most liberal town in the state, and you can’t even find your dignity to choose a candidate to endorse for one of the more important Presenidential races in history. Yet that’s what I feel today for the editorial board at the Ann Arbor News.
Granted, this is the paper that twice endorsed George W. Bush. But, today less than 2 weeks before the election, the AA News endorsed… no one. In 816 words they managed spit out every Republican talking point, most of the Democratic points, a smear or two, and still say absolutely nothing.
As one commenter put it, this is the “coward’s way out”, which indeed it is. We haven’t subscribed to the News in many years and I see there’s no reason to give them another look. What a waste of an opportunity and potential.
Madam President, the amendment before the Senate is a very simple one. It restricts the use of campaign funds for inherently personal purposes. The amendment would restrict individuals from using campaign funds for such things as home mortgage payments, clothing purchases … and vacations or other trips that are noncampaign in nature. […]
The use of campaign funds for items which most Americans would consider to be strictly personal reasons, in my view, erodes public confidence and erodes it significantly.
Who said that? John McCain. In 1993. You know, when he was still standing up for the American people. Not when his party was footing the bill for his VP’s wardrobe to the tune of $150,000.
Now, a certain regular here will say something like “they’re both so bad”. Which is true to a degree. But this is just patently wrong. This crap defense that the clothes will be donated to charity is bull. Really? All the clothes purchased for the Palin kids and Todd Palin are going to be taken back from them and given to… who, exactly? And if that was always the intent, how stupid does your campaign staff have to be not to use that as a selling point? Seriously, how hard is it to say “Gov. Palin’s clothes for tonight’s debate were purchased at a union shop and will be donated to the Salvation Army after the event.” Bam! You got union points and a photo-op the next day.
Face it, you got caught; suck it up, apologize and move on. Don’t bullshit us with some idiotic story about charities and donations? Nevermind that the purchase of those clothes may actually be illegal under US Tax Code. Oh, and the best part? Guess who pushed that section of the tax code into law?
Idiots. I don’t want McCain to win, but this is pathetic. At least stand for something. At least have the balls to tell your party when they’re wrong, not repeat the same stupid excuse and defend an apparent violation of a bill you sponsored.
Senator McCain, I wanted you to be the nominee in 2004. I wanted to vote for you so badly then. I even watched you this season, hoping you really weren’t the stooge for the Bush administration that you appeared to be in the years following, hoping I could vote for you this time. But I can’t, and I’m getting close to giving up on Republicans in general.
I really believe that you think you’re doing the best thing for the country. But by allowing the political players to game the public in an attempt for votes, you’re sacrificing every shred of integrity and, dare I say it, status as a maverick you’ve built over the last 20+ years as a Senator.
Not so surprising for a newspaper to do so, but it is pretty surprising to see this newspaper do so. The Tribune has never before endorsed the Democratic candidate for President. In fact, its history as a staunchly conservative newspaper makes this endorsement even stronger.
The endorsement itself is a litany of how McCain has failed to capture the hearts of anyone but the most obtuse of Republicans, from his shifting policy on taxes to his selfish choice for Vice President. It is also a first-hand view of the experience and abilities of Obama from the paper and staff that have watched his political career from the beginning.
Whatever your leanings, it’s a cogent argument and a heavily-weighed endorsement; read it here.
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