Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Am I the only one...?

who wants to smack Joe Lieberman upside the head right now? Harry Reid stated yesterday that the health care bill that comes through the Senate will have a public option with an opt-out plan for states who don't want it. So, of course the Republicans are still against it, and Lieberman, of course, has to side with them. Really? Really? There is an opportunity for CT to OPT OUT, Joe. If you really want to jip your constituency, you can do that, but let other states HAVE the public option, [insert expletive, derogatory term but no ethnic slurs please, here]

The arguing continues, folks...the arguing continues...

And my husband is calling our own insurance because they suddenly have cut me off on my vocal therapy...without telling the doctor or letting ME know that there MAY have been a limit to the sessions.

And did you know that to see a specialist and get an ecocardiagram that I did not think really necessary but was suggested by my Nurse Practitioner costs $1175? And is apparently not covered. This is what a heart murmur that apparently is completely non-threatening and that I have had since at least '97 costs.

And the arguing continues....the arguing continues...

KEEP PAYING ATTENTION!

Peace --Alex

Some people...

just have not had enough love. One of these people must be Reverend Bardwell of Louisiana...

Reverend Kenneth Bardwell refused to marry an interracial couple because he said that he had seen too many examples of interracial couples and families gone bad, thus he wasn't going to put this couple's future child through that.

Obviously, he has not seen our President, who did have some identity issues, but um, he's President of the United States.

Also, if he had only seen couples go wrong in his immediate area, wouldn't ya think it might have more to do with how they might be treated down there? Particularly by ministers i.e folks who call themselves clergy, i.e. men of God, who "don't believe in mixing the races that way"?

He claims he didn't do anything wrong because he told them that while he wouldn't do it, he did send them to a minister who would, but you know, when you tell a couple who is in love and committed to each other that you won't marry them because you think that their marriage and or family will fail because of race mixing - or because they are homosexuals but that's a whole other thing I am sure the Reverend Bardwell is against - don't you think some damage is already done? I mean, you basically admitted to these people that you are not only at least a little but racist, but you also confirmed that there are still people out there who believe that their love is wrong.

You may "let them use [your] bathroom", but obviously, you still don't think they ought to marry outside their kind, thus will pass that trouble onto someone else.

Part of me really wants this guy to come to the church I sing at - Madison Avenue Baptist Church - and to meet this one couple in particular. She is Asian, he is Black, and their new son is adorable and loved and was recently dedicated at the church.

And I don't see that as an exception to the rule. Nor do I care to believe that their living in New York City, where they are more easily accepted, is or should be an exception to the rule. Revered Bardwell, if you say that you have seen such marriages get ugly too many times, why not try to change that by not only taking these couples on, but counseling them on how, while it may be a struggle for such a couple in your area, their love, and God's love is stronger than that hate; that they and their potential family should be prepared for some possible ugliness, but anyone who doesn't agree with their marriage sadly just hasn't had enough love, thus has remained ignorant. Open your own heart Reverend Bardwell and show others in your area and your parish that mixed race couples are couples just like any single race couple: they are people who love and are committed to each other; enough to want to take vows, start a family and work through whatever trials may come their way. Don't perpetuate the hate. Spread the love, Reverend Bardwell, spread the love.

KEEP PAYING ATTENTION!

Peace --Alex

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

*sigh*

Baseball season is over...at least it is for Red Sox nation, thanks in no small part to Jonathan Papelbon. Jonathan Papelbon, back in 2007, was our star closer. He would stare down his opponent across from the mound, and without a thought, strike out the side. Basically, it became generally assumed that once he hit the mound, the game would be over.
Last year, he started getting a little sketchy.
This year, I started to feel like I was watching Derek Lowe before they made him a starter; he could be brilliant, cause a lot of drama by walking people or letting in runs, but would still win the game, or then he would just give up runs and blow the game entirely.
The other night, Pap went for the "give up runs and blow the game entirely approach.

Now I can't say that the Sox would have won the next couple of games and come from behind from a 2 game deficit, but I would like to believe that they at least would have gained some momentum, and possibly pulled out a win...
And then been smacked around by the Yankees.

Thus, I actually prefer the Anaheim win as the last thing I needed to deal with was all the Yankee fans I know dropping karmic payback on my head for the all the trash talk I've been able to indulge in for the last few years.

There's definitely going to be a shakeup in the lineup for next season...and if they keep Pap, will they make him a starter?

In the meantime, GO ANGELS!

Peace --Alex

Friday, October 09, 2009

wants to know why....

peace, at least according to Rush Limbaugh, must be considered "emasculating"? Or at least the neutering of America?

President Barack Obama was awoken this morning with the news that he had won The Nobel Peace Prize. I assure you, the surprise was not lost on Obama, who, amidst many who started off the day saying that it was too early for him to get the award as he hasn't DONE anything yet, admitted that he himself does not deserve it. But for the conservative pundits it was again proof of some fey, European conspiracy. Basically, Limbaugh, and others, believe that the honor was given to him in order to keep him from bombing Iran and throwing more troops at Afghanistan, thus "emasculating" the nation.
Why is it...rather...why MUST we feel that the only way to deal with our enemies is to bomb the hell out of them? Pundits like Limbaugh cannot see that this did not work in Iraq. And it is presently not working much in Afghanistan. Osama Bin Laden, the man who actually attacked us, is still on the loose, the Taliban has risen again despite supposedly being shut down in Afghanistan many moons ago, and a whole new slew of terrorists started up in Iraq, BECAUSE of our invasion. Officially, MORE people want to kill us, because we took the "pre-emptive strike" policy. And MORE bombing is not the way to get all this to stop.
Gandhi, Mandela, Tutu, King; would the conservative pundits honestly call these people "emasculated" - LESS than men - for trying to fight their fights peacefully? Would these people who call themselves Christians say that JESUS was "neutered" by his stance of turning the other cheek? Violence was used against them, their governments abused them, but did they look to bombs and violence as ways to fix their situations? No. They used peaceful civil disobedience. They may not have dealt with someone attacking their country, but, again, the bombing hasn't brought us justice has it? Not that I've seen.
It is appalling that Limbaugh and others seem to think that the only way for our country to appear forceful and, shall we say "manly" is if we remain the bully on the international playground. We are not the only country in the world. There are other people here and they are not our underlings.
Europe, and a good bit of the rest of the world did not appreciate George making a bully pulpit out of the White House. During Obama's campaign, they, along with the majority of our country, saw hope and change on the way. They saw that yes, the majority of our people wanted out of this war and this tyranny. So while the award may be early, one can't deny that the Nobel committee saw just enough change, hope as well as a light towards a more peaceful world with the election of our President; thus found Obama worthy of this prize. Obama took our country on a sharp turn down a more positive and diplomatic path, but he - and therefore, we - still have a lot of mess to trudge through. We must help him uphold the promises that led to this honor.

KEEP PAYING ATTENTION!!!

Peace --Alex