It's true I'm not a fan of organized religion, and the Catholic Church is near the top of my black list, but the pope never ceases to amaze me. He wrote an article highlighting the plight of Christians in the Muslim world. Now, I believe everyone should be treated equally and my scorn and attack is mostly reserved for the groups and people who oppress others or are complete hypocrites...which leads me to quote the bejeweled pope:
"The key to harmonious living between Christians and Muslims is to recognize religious freedom and human rights," and he also said the problem, "relegate[s] Christians to the precarious position of being considered non-citizens, despite the fact that they were citizens of their countries long before the rise of Islam." (Yahoo.com) Although on the surface I completely agree, let's quickly examine the obvious hypocrisy. He, of all people, should not be heralding "human rights" when he denigrates women and LGBT people throughout the world. You can't cry foul when someone oppresses "your people" and then turn around and relegate another group to "non-citizen" status. I don't even question his sincerity, which makes it all the more ironic. He can't or won't see his hypocrisy. I agree that these Christians should be treated as equal citizens, and that they belonged to the society before the rise of Islam...as did gay people long before the rise of Christianity. Get over yourself: the world existed before Christianity and will exist after it.
My last word on the pope: besides being the ultimate drag queen, you are the pinnacle of arrogance and hypocrisy. I guess the extravagant clothes mirror the queen inside!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
ENDA: Who is the Victim?
I came across a very alarming, if not hilarious and ridiculous, story from one of my favorite conservative Christian wackjob organizations, The Family Research Council. The head of the organization, Tony Perkins, created a video to combat the "anti-Christian" ENDA (Employment Non-discrimination Act). This bill would make it illegal for employers in every state to fire employees based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Here's what good ole Tony had to say:
"Religious freedom. Freedom of speech. Often referred to as our first freedoms. How important are they to you as an American. What if they were taken away -- Would you miss them?
Well, you may not have to wait long to find out. I'm holding in my hand the latest assault on our first freedoms -- It's called ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. I call it "the end of religious liberty and free speech in America."
Now, I would laugh at the sheer ridiculous nature of his words, if he and his org were not so serious about it. I am continually shocked, although I shouldn't be, by religious conservatives and extremists who clamber to claim "victim hood" when, in fact, they are the true oppressors. At least be honest about your bigotry. You hate gay people and don't want to treat them as human beings or as equal citizens. Fine...I'll call you a bigot and and asshole, but at least you're honest. Instead, they hide behind this idea of religious persecution. Yes, you will not be able to fire gay people once the law is enacted, and I suppose that enough for them to scream that their rights are being assaulted. So when other groups were protected, ie racial minorities, did neo-nazis and white supremacists scream in the streets that their rights were being trampled by having to interact with and, gasp, not harass and fire people of color? When did treating people with respect and equality become a sin? Oh yeah, when it goes against the religious crazies' ideology. I chalk it up to the last screams of a dying animal. They know their case is lost, and they just want to yell and pound their fists before becoming a relic of the past.
This is a no-brainer. Give people equal protections under the law. Only twenty-one states ban sexual orientation discrimination in employment. And only thirteen protect gender identity discrimination. That means that a majority of US states have little to no protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. How would you like to be fired for who you date? This has languished in the congress for many years and it far past due. It needs to pass both houses and be signed by the president. Let's support this bill, and show dumbass Tony that his kind of ignorance and bigotry is not only archaic, but also out of touch with present-day beliefs about equal rights.
My last thought on the Family Research Council: replace "research" with "propaganda" because you should be commended for perfecting this type of propaganda, like another organization from Germany that didn't like gay people either.
"Religious freedom. Freedom of speech. Often referred to as our first freedoms. How important are they to you as an American. What if they were taken away -- Would you miss them?
Well, you may not have to wait long to find out. I'm holding in my hand the latest assault on our first freedoms -- It's called ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. I call it "the end of religious liberty and free speech in America."
Now, I would laugh at the sheer ridiculous nature of his words, if he and his org were not so serious about it. I am continually shocked, although I shouldn't be, by religious conservatives and extremists who clamber to claim "victim hood" when, in fact, they are the true oppressors. At least be honest about your bigotry. You hate gay people and don't want to treat them as human beings or as equal citizens. Fine...I'll call you a bigot and and asshole, but at least you're honest. Instead, they hide behind this idea of religious persecution. Yes, you will not be able to fire gay people once the law is enacted, and I suppose that enough for them to scream that their rights are being assaulted. So when other groups were protected, ie racial minorities, did neo-nazis and white supremacists scream in the streets that their rights were being trampled by having to interact with and, gasp, not harass and fire people of color? When did treating people with respect and equality become a sin? Oh yeah, when it goes against the religious crazies' ideology. I chalk it up to the last screams of a dying animal. They know their case is lost, and they just want to yell and pound their fists before becoming a relic of the past.
This is a no-brainer. Give people equal protections under the law. Only twenty-one states ban sexual orientation discrimination in employment. And only thirteen protect gender identity discrimination. That means that a majority of US states have little to no protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. How would you like to be fired for who you date? This has languished in the congress for many years and it far past due. It needs to pass both houses and be signed by the president. Let's support this bill, and show dumbass Tony that his kind of ignorance and bigotry is not only archaic, but also out of touch with present-day beliefs about equal rights.
My last thought on the Family Research Council: replace "research" with "propaganda" because you should be commended for perfecting this type of propaganda, like another organization from Germany that didn't like gay people either.
Friday, June 4, 2010
To Immigrate or Not to...
The Yorba Linda city council just voted to support the infamous AZ immigration law SB1070 (LA Times 6/4/10). This was done in part as retaliation for the LA city council voting to boycott AZ. Let me just say, first, that I live very close to Yorba Linda. It is a weathly city in Orange County with a mostly white population. I'm wondering if those same rich, white people will be willing to get off their asses and mow their own lawns when it's 100 degrees outside, or flip burgers at McDonalds, or work in a factory or clean up after...themselves, as maids do everyday?
People bitch about all those "illegals" but they don't realize how immigrant populations help both our economy and our way of life, and do it for much less money and little to no benefits. Many people also believe that immigrants come over here looking for a "free ride" or that they should simply "apply for papers." First of all, I've never been able to figure out what "free ride" they were referring to. Immigrants I know work at crappy jobs for low wages and do not get health insurance, vacation time, dental insurance, sick leave, and are often fearful of going to the doctor or other social services for fear of deportation. Even those with visas still feel the sting of racism and anti-immigrant attitudes, being asked if they are illegals or if they can "speak English?" Secondly, there are very few legals paths to a green card, let alone citizenship. And these few paths are wrought with legal pitfalls and large obstacles.
Here's the truth: you will never stop immigration, illegal or otherwise, by putting up a ridiculous wall or doing a witch hunt to deport all undocuments folks. The answer lies in creating clear, accessible paths to work visas, green cards and citizenship. For a country built on the backs of immigrants since our inception, it sure seems hypocritical and short-sighted to penalize immigrants today for wanting the same thing.
And my last word on AZ...stop being so fucking racist!
People bitch about all those "illegals" but they don't realize how immigrant populations help both our economy and our way of life, and do it for much less money and little to no benefits. Many people also believe that immigrants come over here looking for a "free ride" or that they should simply "apply for papers." First of all, I've never been able to figure out what "free ride" they were referring to. Immigrants I know work at crappy jobs for low wages and do not get health insurance, vacation time, dental insurance, sick leave, and are often fearful of going to the doctor or other social services for fear of deportation. Even those with visas still feel the sting of racism and anti-immigrant attitudes, being asked if they are illegals or if they can "speak English?" Secondly, there are very few legals paths to a green card, let alone citizenship. And these few paths are wrought with legal pitfalls and large obstacles.
Here's the truth: you will never stop immigration, illegal or otherwise, by putting up a ridiculous wall or doing a witch hunt to deport all undocuments folks. The answer lies in creating clear, accessible paths to work visas, green cards and citizenship. For a country built on the backs of immigrants since our inception, it sure seems hypocritical and short-sighted to penalize immigrants today for wanting the same thing.
And my last word on AZ...stop being so fucking racist!
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