Hey, always nice to be promoted by other blogs.  The Pennsylvania Progressive published a guest post about a Pgh queer perspective on Onorato.  Check it out.  You probably won't be surprised :-)

 

A marriage amendment has sprung up again in Pennsylvania. Its any easy way to pander to the right-wing conservatives who seem to populate this state. As has been practiced throughout history, fear is always a great way for a politician to get points with the constituents. I have been reading a great book about the rise of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, two politicians who figured out how to use fear, and it's twin sister, ignorance, to win elections.

And here we go again, because it's not like we don't have real pressing issues in Pennsylvania that affect married heterosexual couples such as health insurance, poverty, hunger, crime--the list goes on. Discrimination against lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender people is one of the last battles to be won in civil rights. It's still around because it wins elections and builds political careers -- see Metcalfe, Daryl --on the basis that if the LGBT community is permitted to marry it will destroy the fabric of the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

This is repeated along with the obligatory biblical references without any evidence that any LGBT person's relationship and marriage has destroyed anyone's heterosexual marriage. In fact, every marriage that has been destroyed--particularly those of said right-wing fear mongering politicians has been done in by infidelity via a heterosexual partner such as a soulmate in Argentina or the sterotypical hooker.   

Other people have blogged eloquently today about our relationships and our families and that's important. But we in the LGBT community have to take a page from other civil rights movements and become politically involved even if it's no more than taking five minutes to vote. I have heard a lot of people in our community tell me that they are not political but, unfortunatley, that's just not an option. The politicans out there don't want to focus on the real, hard issues pressing this state. They want to focus on YOU and keep us from enjoying the same rights and benefits of society that they enjoy. So take some time and tell them we are human beings as worthy of rights as they (and their mistresses are).   

Very excited to see the debut of the Post-Gazette's first female opinion blog, Ms. Mon's Salon.  She'll be blogging daily so pull up a seat and hold on ...

Our friend and LGBTQ ally Kevin Acklin is coming out as a Democrat and running for committee.

Acklin says his party change reflects a mix of pragamatism and political philosophy. Echoing critiques he made in 2009, he says that he's found himself increasingly at odds with the GOP -- largely because of its hardline position on social issues like equality for LGBT citizens. And he's found Democrats to be more accepting.

Well, let's hope he doesn't become too entrenched in the Democrat party handline position on issues like equality for LGBT citizens.  This ain't Philly, Kevin. 

Bruce Kraus is out on the street doing the dirty work.  Someone has to and I sure wish we could get some of this "roll up the sleeves and get stuff done" energy going on over here in my neck of the woods. I just got off the phone with 311 yet again about the cars/drugs/etc at the house down the street. 

I don't think there's much I can add on the "Marriage Protection" amendment that I haven't covered in the past 4+ years. You have the contact information.  We need you to call today. Today is the day.

Sunday, I woke up at 7:30 AM, let out the dogs, put on the coffee and grabbed the newspaper.  We got ready for our day in our very mundane ways ... showers, searches for matching socks, feedings of various pets, etc.  We had breakfast. 

We went to the grocery store. Nothing says weekend chore like Giant Eagle on a Sunday afternoon.  We fuss over how to load the groceries and who gets to push the cart.  We haggle over items that aren't on the list.  We have a check-out routine and determine whose turn it is to get the fuelperks.  We lug the groceries to the car and drive home.

Unload. I put things away while she clears space in the fridge. One of us runs the disposal while the other takes the trash outside. Someone tosses in a load of laundry. Litter boxes get scooped.  Laundry is changed. The dog bedding is examined for contraband cat toys. 

Dinner is started.  We chat back and forth.  The Siamese cat changes hands repeatedly to prevent disaster. More laundry.  Final round of trash to the curb. Dinner. Dishes. More animal feedings. 

Oh, we folded towels, too.  And we read the newspaper and watched 60 Minutes. 

Why can't we just have our domestic little life and not be demonized and dehumanized by the Pennsylvania Constitution?  Is that really so much to ask?  

I wonder how many fuelperks it would take to earn civil rights?