The Life of Brian

Prop 8 - The Musical

I ran across this video earlier in the week but didn’t take time to post it here…  If you’ve already seen it I apologize - but I had to share!  :)

(click here if you don’t see the video above)

Change.Gov

In case you hadn’t already heard, President-Elect Obama has already started preparing the transition of government that will need to take place in January.  In an effort to increase transparancey he has created the website change.gov, where you can keep up with the transition.

Additionaly, instead of a weekly radio address (which I’ve never heard on the radio anyway, and never understood why they still did them), he will be doing video addresses presented on YouTube.  While I question the choice (endorsement) of YouTube for this purpose, I understand the reasoning (the fact that it is the most popular internet video sharing service).

Below is the first such video address.  Click here for the ChangeDotGov YouTube user page where you can subscribe to the videos, or (if you prefer Google Reader like me), click here for the video RSS feed.

(click here if you don’t see the video above)

George Clooney on Gay Marriage

“At some point in our lifetime, gay marriage won’t be an issue, and everyone who stood against this civil right will look as outdated as George Wallace standing on the school steps keeping James Hood from entering the University of Alabama because he was black.” George Clooney 

…After the Storm

President Barack Hussein Obama

The “calm”?  We’ll see.  I’ve had a little difficulty figuring out what I wanted to say here.  To be honest I’m still not sure, but I feel like I need to post something.

We had friends over Tuesday night to watch the election returns.  I left work a little early so we could clean house; we prepared some unhealthy snacks and stocked plenty of beer.  Keith had the living room TV set on ABC so he could watch George Sephanopoulos; both our computers in the office were fired up so we could get CNN and MSNBC, and I ended up with my laptop in the living room.  For kicks, we tuned into Fox in the bedroom - hoping to watch their heads explode.  ;-)

It was a highly emotional night, to say the least!  I wish I could say tht deep down I knew all along Obama would win — but I’ve felt strongly before, and honestly have never had a major candidate I supported actually win an election.  So I really didn’t know.  And God forbid if I actually got my hopes up too high, only to have them shattered yet again…

McCain’s concession speech was impressive.  If that John McCain had been on the campaign train, instead of the negative, hate-filled, mud-slinging, lying sonofabitch we’ve seen these last few months (and if he hadn’t picked that joke of a running mate) I’m sure things would have been different.  (yup, that was a backhanded compliment)

Better yet was Obama’s speech.  I’d have given my left arm to be there in person in that crowd in Chicago!  We’re playing with the idea of a trip to DC in January…  We’ll see.  We were all filled with incredible hope, tears of joy, and a new-found anticipation of good things to come.  I’ve been so ashamed of the way our country has behaved under the rule of GWB.  For the first time in years I actually hope, and believe, we can restore our image in the eyes of the world, and regain some of the respect we’ve squandered.

At this point I really hope we can get past all the divisive politics.  I’m afraid that may be a problem, though.  Just yesterday I was listening to NPR on my way to work, and some of the Republican voters they were interviewing were still spewing their ignorance - saying things like, “he’ll fill the White House with terrorists” and ridiculous things like that.  You know what?  That’s McCain & Palin’s fault, pure and simple.  They started all that crap, stirred it up, fueled those flames, and there’s nobody else to blame.  He needs to reach out to his supporters and try to reign them in, set the record straight once and for all.

So anyway…

On one hand there’s this great joy over Obama’s victory, but on the other we’ve got some huge setbacks in this country.  Disappointment, anger, and betrayal all describe how I feel about these things:

• The ignorance in Arkansas, for instance, where voters passed an adoption ban which prevents gay couples from giving loving homes to children in need.
• Too many states, including California (though the votes are still being counted), voted to include homophobic bans on gay marriage, eliminating civil liberties from those that fought hard to gain them and preventing the rest of us from ever getting there.  I have faith that at least some of these bans will be challenged and defeated.
• And as if that weren’t enough you’ve got the nutjobs that attend WBC (Westboro Baptist Church) picketing Obama’s grandmother’s funeral of all things!!

———————————–

I’m going to try cut back on the politics.  Of course it is my blog and I will talk about whatever I want <wink> - but I think we’ve had more than enough politics for a while.

Hopefully under an Obama presidency we can get this country back on the right road again –  fix the economy, fix healthcare,  end the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan.  I’m truly hopeful that we can work to conquer hate, educate the ignorant, and make this world a better place for everybody.

(shut up, I am not singing Kumbaya <wink>)

The Top 5 Reasons To Vote In Texas

I received the following in an email and wanted to share. PLEASE be sure to vote today if you haven’t already!!

You don’t live in Ohio. You don’t live in Florida. The chance is pretty small that Texas will decide the presidential election. So: Why vote?

Here’s why. This list is important—so please read it, and then pass it along. And remember: To find out where to vote, what you need to bring, or when the polls close, click here: www.voteforchange.com.

The Top 5 Reasons To Vote In Texas

Or: Why It Still Means A Thing Even If It Ain’t Got That Swing

1. Big margin = big mandate. The popular vote doesn’t put anyone in the White House, but it affects what presidents can do when they get there. Want Obama to be able to actually do the stuff he’s been talking about? Pass universal health care? End the war? Then we need a landslide.
2. The other things on the ballot matter! For example: Congress. Without more support in the House and Senate, Obama will have a hard time getting progressive laws passed. Plus, there are other important local races and ballot questions in some places.
3. If you don’t vote, everyone can find out. Voting records are public. (Not who you voted for, just whether you voted.) Pretty soon, finding out whether you voted could be as easy as Googling you.
4. Help make history. You could cast one of the votes that elect the first African-American president. If we win, we’ll tell our grandchildren about this election, and they’ll tell their grandchildren. Do you really want to have to explain to your great-great-grandchildren that you were just too busy to vote in the most important election in your lifetime?
5. People died so you’d have the right to vote. Self-government—voting to choose our own leaders—is the original American dream. We are heir to a centuries-long struggle for freedom: the American revolution, and the battles to extend the franchise to those without property, to women, to people of color, and to young people. This year, many will still be denied their right to vote. For those of us who have that right, it’s precious. If we waste it, we dishonor those who fought for it and those who fight still.

Live your values. Love your country. Vote.

Just in Case you need a Reminder

(if you don’t see the video above click here)

Early Voting Ends Friday

Don’t forget — early voting in Texas ends tomorrow (Friday)!  Polls close tomorrow evening…

Ron Howard’s Plea

(click here if you don’t see the video above)

Solid as Barack

From this week’s Saturday Night Live:

(click here if you don’t see the video above)

VOTE

I voted today.

Did you? :)