Thursday, June 25, 2009
Things that Annoy Me
Why is it when a celebrity dies, that all of this country goes into a tizzy, yet when world events happen, that are far more important, that just gets ignored.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Pride
I was reading this post from Ta-Nehisi Coates from the Atlantic, and it just made me think of what the parade is for me.
Pride is not a political act for me. The rally and march back in November for Marriage, that was a political act for me. The Pride Parade, that's a party. A time to celebrate my gayness, get drunk, get stoned, and most years, be a bit slutty (not so much doing the slutty this year). The past few years, I've been in the parade, as part of my friend's float. This year, he's not doing a float, so I just get to watch. I think I'm going to wear my shirt from last year. The shirt is bright red, and has "Homoland Security" on the back. All I need is a whistle, and I'll direct traffic, and get drinks for doing it. Pride is a day to let loose, and just have fun, and celebrate those of us who love the same-sex. Pride is not a political act.
Pride is not a political act for me. The rally and march back in November for Marriage, that was a political act for me. The Pride Parade, that's a party. A time to celebrate my gayness, get drunk, get stoned, and most years, be a bit slutty (not so much doing the slutty this year). The past few years, I've been in the parade, as part of my friend's float. This year, he's not doing a float, so I just get to watch. I think I'm going to wear my shirt from last year. The shirt is bright red, and has "Homoland Security" on the back. All I need is a whistle, and I'll direct traffic, and get drinks for doing it. Pride is a day to let loose, and just have fun, and celebrate those of us who love the same-sex. Pride is not a political act.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Faith
Events going on in the world right now have made me think about my faith recently. I was raised a Unitarian-Universalist, and still consider myself a UU, so my own personal faith is not something I really talk about openly. Watching and listening to this video from Tehran does not really sum up my thoughts, but has made me think. All of these people are crying out to God. Not to save them, just to hear them. This makes so much sense. I know in my heart of hearts that if I was in that situation, I would be on the rooftop of my home, yelling "Allahu Akbar" until I could not speak anymore.
I believe in God. I'm not ashamed to admit that. I do not understand people who would be ashamed to admit that. The Jesus thing, I don't really feel...he said many good things, and lived a life that a true Christian should live, you know, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, loving the sinners. But son of God, not so sure of.
I've contemplated converting to Judaism, Islam and paganism at separate times in my life, because belief in God (or a god) makes total sense to me. I have to believe that something created all that is and all that will be. The universe just springing into existance makes absolutely no sense to me. That being said, science and faith are total compatible in my mind. God created the Big Bang, but I digress...
The way I look at it, there is too much in this world that science is completely unable to explain, and a leap of faith is needed to believe. I would not want to have the world any other way. I know that I will be around after death, which is why death does not scare me. The physical act of death I hope is not painful, but I will be there afterwards, and forever, and this comforts me.
I believe in God. I'm not ashamed to admit that. I do not understand people who would be ashamed to admit that. The Jesus thing, I don't really feel...he said many good things, and lived a life that a true Christian should live, you know, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, loving the sinners. But son of God, not so sure of.
I've contemplated converting to Judaism, Islam and paganism at separate times in my life, because belief in God (or a god) makes total sense to me. I have to believe that something created all that is and all that will be. The universe just springing into existance makes absolutely no sense to me. That being said, science and faith are total compatible in my mind. God created the Big Bang, but I digress...
The way I look at it, there is too much in this world that science is completely unable to explain, and a leap of faith is needed to believe. I would not want to have the world any other way. I know that I will be around after death, which is why death does not scare me. The physical act of death I hope is not painful, but I will be there afterwards, and forever, and this comforts me.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
TV News
I currently have the news on right now. Local news in fact, not connected to a national network. The news coverage is so horrible. People wonder why the mainstream media isn't doing well...how about this, actually covering the news, not entertainment stories, dump the sports coverage, and show hard news. Local corruption would be good around here in Chicago locally, for obvious reasons. But cover the news, what's happening, what the population needs to know.
It's one of the many reasons I get a lot of my news from bloggers and the BBC. One of the good things about growing up in Detroit, is that we get Canadian news coverage, as local coverage. There was always that other point of view you could listen to, just across the river.
Look at what happened today at the WashingtonPost. One of its bloggers was fired. The one who was covering completely the Bush/Cheney torture program. Andrew Sullivan explains this better than I here.
Additionally, look at the coverage of what's happening in Iran on the cable networks. There was nothing. Literally nothing. Where could one get information? From Andrew Sullivan, the Huffington Post, and strangely enough, the Lede in the NY Times. Twitter supplied a lot of information itself, although the information was very unfiltered. One would have to take everything with a grain of salt, and get corroboration.
I needed that rant. Much better now.
It's one of the many reasons I get a lot of my news from bloggers and the BBC. One of the good things about growing up in Detroit, is that we get Canadian news coverage, as local coverage. There was always that other point of view you could listen to, just across the river.
Look at what happened today at the WashingtonPost. One of its bloggers was fired. The one who was covering completely the Bush/Cheney torture program. Andrew Sullivan explains this better than I here.
Additionally, look at the coverage of what's happening in Iran on the cable networks. There was nothing. Literally nothing. Where could one get information? From Andrew Sullivan, the Huffington Post, and strangely enough, the Lede in the NY Times. Twitter supplied a lot of information itself, although the information was very unfiltered. One would have to take everything with a grain of salt, and get corroboration.
I needed that rant. Much better now.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
This is Facism
Warning: This video has a lot of blood
Since the current upheaval has happened in Iran, I've been following what's been happening, and helping in any small way I can. By passing on information to Americans, setting my Twitter settings to show that I'm in Tehran, and by making an acquaintance in Tehran. I've been following his Tweets, but it just makes it more personal. I won't give out his name, considering, but I hope to meet him someday. More importantly, I hope he survives. He's a human rights activist there. Something that I'm sure has made him marked already. He is someone who is actually physically fighting for his right to vote, something I took for granted up until the 2000 election (wonder what changed my mind there). I have an appreciation for that and him that I cannot begin to put into words. Remember that during the next election. There are those who would die to do what we may or may not do every two years.
Since the current upheaval has happened in Iran, I've been following what's been happening, and helping in any small way I can. By passing on information to Americans, setting my Twitter settings to show that I'm in Tehran, and by making an acquaintance in Tehran. I've been following his Tweets, but it just makes it more personal. I won't give out his name, considering, but I hope to meet him someday. More importantly, I hope he survives. He's a human rights activist there. Something that I'm sure has made him marked already. He is someone who is actually physically fighting for his right to vote, something I took for granted up until the 2000 election (wonder what changed my mind there). I have an appreciation for that and him that I cannot begin to put into words. Remember that during the next election. There are those who would die to do what we may or may not do every two years.
Bitter and Moody
Bitterness in me is a constant companion. So is depression. So is wild happiness. I'm a very moody person. I would rather just be level, although this will never happen with me. My emotions are too much of a teeter-totter, swinging wildly from one extreme to another.
It's normally one of the first emotions I feel for something that does not make me happy. Most of the time, I feel it, but basically ignore it, as it is always there. Some days, like today, it comes out with a passion. I never really understand why it appears when it does, but I cannot push it down. I need to let it out, lest it destroy me. Today I feel bitter. I know why. It will pass tomorrow, and I will feel something else strongly, I don't know what, but it will be different. But I am still bitter today.
The bitterness allows thoughts of wild violence appear in my head. Nothing I would act upon, but the fantasies are delicious. I live in the world of my fantasy. At times, the fantasies are beautiful and fanciful and light. Today they are not, they are full of death and darkness and evil. The two sides of me, always pulling me in two different directions at the same time, is pulling me towards the dark today. Tomorrow, the pull towards the light will happen. And so it goes.
It's normally one of the first emotions I feel for something that does not make me happy. Most of the time, I feel it, but basically ignore it, as it is always there. Some days, like today, it comes out with a passion. I never really understand why it appears when it does, but I cannot push it down. I need to let it out, lest it destroy me. Today I feel bitter. I know why. It will pass tomorrow, and I will feel something else strongly, I don't know what, but it will be different. But I am still bitter today.
The bitterness allows thoughts of wild violence appear in my head. Nothing I would act upon, but the fantasies are delicious. I live in the world of my fantasy. At times, the fantasies are beautiful and fanciful and light. Today they are not, they are full of death and darkness and evil. The two sides of me, always pulling me in two different directions at the same time, is pulling me towards the dark today. Tomorrow, the pull towards the light will happen. And so it goes.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Iran
I've been re-tweeting massive amounts of information from people I've started following from Iran. When I started reading what happened with the Iranian election, and the aftermath...I guess I felt something inside. The training my parents gave me to "always fight for freedom" overcame me. I'm sitting here in Chicago, typing away on my computer, while 10,000 miles away, people that I don't know, but feel like I'm becoming friends with are fighting and dying for the right to vote that so many of my friends take for granted. You can never take that right for granted. My forefathers and foremothers fought and died for my right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If there is any small thing I can do for people fighting for their freedom I will. If I have to fight for my own freedom, and right to marry, I will. Not even death will stop me.
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Revolution Will Be Twittered
This is the same chant that was done on the rooftops of Tehran in 1979. Organized by Twitter. Something big is happening in Iran. Will it be 1989 in Tianaman Square or 1989 in Czechoslovakia?
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Right Wing Nutters
You read something like this from Gawker and it just begins to scare me. What is Fox News doing? Do they really realize the violence that they are bringing to America? I'm scared of what will happen this summer.
Last year, before the election began to get heated, a right-wing terrorist shot up a Unitarian church, a faith I grew up in, because he wanted to "kill liberals." Now an abortion provider was shot dead in his church and a guard was shot dead at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.
What's happening? Violence is coming, and I'm scared at what will happen in this nation over the next few months. The next terrorist attach will not be some foreigner attacking, but a right-wing extremist that's native born.
God help us
Last year, before the election began to get heated, a right-wing terrorist shot up a Unitarian church, a faith I grew up in, because he wanted to "kill liberals." Now an abortion provider was shot dead in his church and a guard was shot dead at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.
What's happening? Violence is coming, and I'm scared at what will happen in this nation over the next few months. The next terrorist attach will not be some foreigner attacking, but a right-wing extremist that's native born.
God help us
The Darkness
Sometimes the dark thoughts almost overcome me. It feels as if I'm going to be dragged down to the depths of the sea. I try to push away the darkness, but it's always there. A constant. Never ending, but always ready to consume me. I cannot release it. I don't want to release it. That frightens me more. I don't want to release the darkness. The evil in my heart. I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.
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