As Long as it's a Narrow Exception!

Justice Kennard is claiming that Prop 8 is a "narrow exception to equal protection."

Well, OKAY! As long as it's only a narrow exception!

Grr...

You May As Well Know

I am absolutely appalled by the passage of Proposition 8, and I have not made a secret of that. That said, today the California Supreme Court will hear arguments appealing Prop 8 and I am letting everyone know right now that I will surely have some things to say about everything before, during, and after the decision has been made. If you don't want to hear about it, you probably ought to avoid my blog for a few days. If you are interested to know what I and others have to say, please stay tuned. :)

For starters, allow me to re-print this article from Equality California's website at www.eqca.org.

March 2, 2009

State Legislature Goes On Record to Oppose Prop. 8

Both Houses Pass Equality California Sponsored Resolutions Supporting Legal Challenge

Sacramento – Both the California Senate and Assembly passed resolutions today opposing Proposition 8 as an illegal and unprecedented revision to the state Constitution. According to the resolutions, Prop. 8 illegally usurps the legislature’s role to vote on all fundamental revisions to the Constitution. By taking away the fundamental freedom to marry from one particular group, Prop. 8 alters the very intent of the Constitution, which is to treat all people equally under the law.

The resolutions, Senate Resolution 7 and House Resolution 5, are sponsored by Equality California (EQCA) and were introduced by Senator Mark Leno and Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, respectively, both of San Francisco. In addition, a full 17 Senators and 40 Assemblymembers signed on as resolution co-authors. The Senate resolution passed by a final vote of 18-14, whereas the Assembly version passed 44-27.

“This is the first time in our state’s history that the initiative process has been used to take away a fundamental freedom from one particular group,” said EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors. “Our legislators understand this is an unequivocal change to our State’s Constitution, which is to protect and empower all people equally.”

"Both houses of the Legislature recognize that Proposition 8 undermines the fundamental principle of equal protection guaranteed by the California Constitution," said Senator Leno. "Proposition 8's revision to the California Constitution violated key structural checks and balances in the state's legal system when it was approved by a slim majority of voters last November. If Proposition 8 stands, we would be setting a dangerous precedent in California that allows a majority of the people to deny equal protection under the law to a minority of Californians."

“Our state guarantees a system of checks and balances to prevent discrimination like Prop. 8,” said Ammiano. “Prop. 8 flouts that system as it alters the very nature of our Constitution and bypasses the constitutionally-assigned duty of the Legislature to begin the process of making fundamental revisions. If Prop. 8 is allowed to stand, the rights of every minority group will be at risk and our Courts and our Legislature will be powerless to stop it.”

The Supreme Court of California is scheduled to hear arguments challenging Prop. 8 on March 5th.

“We are thankful that our elected representatives have sided with the people in standing up against this dangerous and unprecedented revision,” Kors continued. “We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will do the same.”

Two weeks ago, nearly 1,000 volunteers traveled to Sacramento as part of EQCA’s Lobby Day, where they met directly with legislators and urged them to support the resolutions. Last week, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) weighed in on the threat all minorities face if Prop. 8 is not overturned. In a letter to the state’s legislators, NAACP National Board Chair Julian Bond and President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous urged the swift passage of both resolutions.

What's at Stake

Tomorrow the California Supreme Court will hear arguments against the passage of Proposition 8, which banned marriage for homosexual couples. I wanted to share this video, because I think it makes important points about the basic rights of Californians and all people everywhere. There is no reason to strip one minority of a basic right. Next stop, 18-year-olds? Interracial marriage? Where does it end?



In addition, I wanted to let everyone know that there is a candlelight vigil taking place tonight at the Galleria.

Wednesday, March 4 is the day before the California Supreme Court hears oral arguments on the validity of Prop 8. That evening, we’ll stand together and send a unified message to our fellow Californians, including the Supreme Court Justices, that individual liberties like the right to marry are guaranteed by the Constitution to everyone and cannot be stripped away at the ballot box by a bare majority. Just as important, we will give our love and support to all the families headed by same-sex couples who are threatened by the recent electoral outcome, as well as same-sex couples whose hopes and dreams of marriage and family have been frustrated by enactment of Prop 8.

Eve of Justice: Lighting The Way For The Supreme Court

Gather at the Roseville Galleria Mall, 1151 Galleria Blvd. from 6-7:30pm for a peaceful candlelight vigil Meet outside the mall entrance between the Cheesecake Factory (next to JC Penney) and Nordstroms.

Gratitude and Humility

As many of you know, Jay was laid off at the end of January. It had been rough even before that, because he was in commission-based employment in the automotive industry. Obviously, however, his dismissal on January 30 was the final affront on our finances (not to mention our sanity). Since then, we have applied for and/or enrolled in a few government-type assistance programs to put food on the table, but it's a daily struggle when there is NO money coming into the house. Yes, he has filed for unemployment, but the government is taking its sweet time processing everything and we have yet to receive a penny.

We have received help in various forms from many people during this time, and this is just my public acknowledgment of those people - and they know who they are! When friends and family step up to the plate the way ours have to ask what they can do and actually be willing to do it, we just have no words that properly convey our thankfulness. Some people have been constant advocates for us in the job market, using their contacts and inquiring about potential employment opportunities on our behalf. Some people have assisted us financially, while others have provided food. Some have provided diapers and other baby needs, while still others have provided prayers and advice. And bear in mind, NO ONE is financially sound right now. Every person who helps us does so out of his or her heart and leaves the logistics to God.

I KNOW that we will see the other side of this experience and will one day work and provide for our family again. I have absolute faith that God wants us to have this experience because we need to have this experience and that it is truly for our betterment that it has come about. I confess I have certainly lost my focus a time or two and felt out of control and scared. We keep plugging on, however, and eventually things will turn around.

This has given us the opportunity to re-evaluate some things. Jay will be going back to school to attain his Associates Degree in Art and Design, while (God willing) working part-time. I will go back to work full-time as soon as I receive a job offer. I am pursuing every avenue, submitting more applications and attending more interviews every week. So far, we are still jobless, but we will continue to search and apply.

This experience has definitely humbled us and illustrated exactly who our friends are. Anyone know Tim McGraw?

"You find out who your friends are. Somebody's gonna drop everything, run out and jump in their car, hit the gas, get there fast, never stop to think 'What's in it for me?' or 'It's way too far!' They just show on up, with their big ol' heart. You find out who your friends are."

So true.

So, all I'm trying to say is THANK YOU. Thank you a million times.

There are no words. Well, there are some...

I realize that on the surface this will seem ridiculous. It's easy to laugh at people for loving something purely fictional. Hell, we laugh at people for loving celebrities, and they're real people. So, I'm just saying I understand that this might make you think I'm nuts, or at least a little pathetic.

I'm seriously sad that ER is ending. I have been watching ER on Thursday nights since I was 14 years old. This, the fifteenth season, is to be its last. I have fallen in love with characters, been disappointed by characters, cried over events, yelled at my television, screamed at my television, terrified my brother by FREAKING OUT over a particular terrible event in the sixth season, lured my mother, my roommate, and my husband into watching, and demanded pure silence from everyone nearby during episodes. I was there when Mark and Jen broke up. I was there when Carol finally admitted she loved Doug. I was there when Paul Sobriki killed Lucy and permanently damaged Carter (in every possible way). I was there when Doug walked out, and when Carol followed him. I was there when Mark died, and when Romano had a helicopter crash on his head. Carter cleaned up, Abby faltered. Deb Chen left, returned, and left again. Come to think of it, so did Susan. Don't get me started on Chloe! Ray lost his legs, Morris actually turned into a decent guy AND a decent doc. Uncle Jesse became Dr. Gates. Sam killed her ex-husband and got off scot-free. Benton really DID love Carter like a son, you just had to know him.

And that's the key. I KNOW these characters. I know them because I have paid the utmost attention to every tiny little detail for the last fifteen years! I have sat in dark rooms and silenced everyone who dared approach me and focused 100% on the episode at hand. I wasn't even allowed to stay up late enough to watch ER when it first started, but I did anyway. I would turn off my lights and turn my tv on and keep the volume at such a ridiculously low volume that I had to be inches from the screen to hear, but my parents never caught me and I never missed an episode. I used to talk to Peter Kupfer every Thursday night during the first (and second?) season during commercial breaks and hang up on him the moment the episode re-started... but it was all good because he understood. Later, I would call Kris Nagao following each episode to recap what we had just seen and make predictions for the following week's show.

I have seen George Clooney in person when he appeared on Jay Leno, and he is absolutely gorgeous. I wanted to drive by Noah Wyle's farm outside of L.A., but my silly roommate decided it was "too stalkerish" and refused to go with me, so I was shamed into staying home. I have watched all three Librarian movies because Dear Noah tugs at my heartstrings, and I must confess he was the only reason I saw Donnie Darko, originally. I am literally afraid of David Krumholtz because of his role on ER.

I've watched Mark take over Susan's apartment and Neela take over Abby's. I understood the significance of the casual drink Carter took in season 8. I was there when Mark got attacked in the bathroom, and I spent the summer of 2000 constantly worried about whether Carter had stuck it out in rehab in Atlanta. I spent weeks confused and upset for Abby when she lost her way in 2007, and was thrilled when she and Luka finally got it together in 2008.

Okay, I could go on forever (I already have). The point is that no matter how pathetic I am, this is something that has been a significant obsession for the majority of my life! Now, the inevitable eventuality has arrived and there are only five more episodes of ER remaining. Oh, and Carter's dying without a kidney transplant.

I am very much saddened to say goodbye to all these people I have grown so fond of. What, oh what, am I going to do on Thursday nights? Are the doctors and nurses of County General going to check in with me once in a while to let me know how they're doing? Is Neela ever going to truly grow up? Did Deb ever contact her son? Has Elizabeth kept up a relationship with Rachel? How the hell is Malucci doing?

I noticed that tonight's episode had Carter washing blood out of his shirt standing over the same sink where Abby originally caught him shooting up after a trauma. He had the same look on his face for a moment when Banfield walked in, as though he might hide the truth, but this time decided to be open about what was going on. I thought that was an interesting choice... and not everyone would have noticed that.

Okay, so I've made my point. I'm ridiculous, and I'm sad. I don't wanna say goodbye to ER! I just might throw a temper tantrum... I just might.

Hollywood Meanie-Heads

That was mean. There is either something truly wrong with Joaquin Phoenix (and he needs help) or he is completely sincere and you're just picking on him like a bully on a playground. Either way, this was pushing the line a little, if you ask me.

I guess nothing Hollywood types do should surprise me, but this did.

Stupid Government CRAP

Sorry to speak to the obvious, but if you can possibly avoid ever having to file for Unemployment Benefits, do so. I am so tired of the bureaucracy of our government. Rather than expediting the process for people who are out of a job and have no source of income (not to mention little kids to care for), they intentionally send you through as many blankety-blank steps as possible, causing it to take as long as possible, while you flounder around with no money.

I may throw something. I'll keep you posted.