The United Straights of America

Sounds as though Massachusetts' crackpot Christians and/or homophobes have more than enough signatures to vote on the civil rights of their gay and lesbian neighbors next year, specifically to green light an anti-gay (marriage) amendment to the state constitution. You know that the Catholic church and other defenders of the sanctity of marriage (if not childhood) will ensure that queers get smacked down yet again, spending money and spreading slanders galore to get the job done.

Wisconsin, not to be outdone on the homophobic front, apparently is not content to just have an anti-gay marriage law on the state books. It is following this same vicious course, in an effort to protect straight cheeseheads everywhere from what, exactly?

Oh yeah, equality with queers.

Because if one is the same as a gay or lesbian, what, exactly, can one feel good about? Being a good parent/husband/wife? Personal/spiritual development? Making a positive difference in the world? Helping others, maybe?

Hell no--that takes work! Why do anything if they can insure that the simple and completely accidental fact of their sexuality alone makes them better than someone else? (If it didn't, then the straight folks behind these petitions might have to get off their collective asses and do something, no? HORRORS!)

That's the kindest spin I can put on this anti-gay activity, and even that's a stretch. For when your country is embroiled in a quagmire of a war, your schools are underfunded, your neighbors are losing their jobs and pensions, your elderly relatives are fearful of losing their health insurance and Social Security, your environment is on the brink of no return, and a dizzying array of real and present dangers confront your family and country each and every day, spending your time trying to f*** other people over--and I'm sorry, but that's how the anti-gay marriage movement looks from here--seems, well, beyond misguided. It's wrong. It's selfish.

And worse, it's not going to stop any time soon.

My goodness, I'm in a state today. The state of Massachusetts in the United Straights of America, unfortunately. The only good news I have is that another one of my references was called yesterday by the person who would be my boss, and offered very positive feedback about the experience. So, there's still hope on that front, at least. So much so I even dreamed of working at the place last night.

But then, I also dreamt that we lived in a huge house with a bathroom the size of our living room that had a tub area so huge Shwea was swimming in it while getting her bath!

The house also had a foundation that was being threatened by soil erosion, though, too.

(Perhaps it's best not to read too much into one's dreams, eh?)

On other fronts, an old Peace Corps buddy of mine is on an adventure to Australia, and this morning I found reading her blog a wonderful diversion from the fussy ol' here-and-now.