The Pre-Read

Just The Facts

And I wish I knew them all.

What I do know is the woman who was prosecuted for creating a false MySpace account to torment a young girl who eventually committed suicide has been acquitted of the most serious charges.

Again, I don't know all the details and was so disgusted by what I did hear that I kept my distance. I will say, however, that if just the basic information is true, then this woman obviously needs some psychiatric attention.

Growing up I remember having to stay in line, not because I was a bad kid, I wasn't, but because the neighborhood had eyes and ears. If you did something wrong, there was a good possibility that by the time you got home, someone's mom would have telephoned your mom to clue her in.

I remember an incident where I was caught smoking. Actually I wasn't caught, but someone saw me and a friend smoking. And I say smoking only in that the cigarettes were lit and held to our mouths, but they were so foul that we really didn't know what we were doing.

By the time I got home, my mom was waiting for me and she didn't look happy. I compounded the situation by lying about it.

I guess my point is this woman was someone's mother, yet she apparently acted like a stupid child. And that comments is detrimental to stupid children.  Where is her ... the only word I can think of is verguenza? Where is her shame?

The  young girl who this parent tormented committed suicide. I imagine there were other things going on in her life. But that doesn't matter. She was a child, the woman was not. She should have known better.

My hope was that this woman would be remorseful, and perhaps she is, but some news accounts mentioned that she was almost gleeful after she heard the news the girl had ended her life.

I can't imagine what is going on in that woman's head, or what is going on in the hearts of the parents of the girl who is dead. But I hope the parents find solace in the outpouring of outrage and sympathy.

And for the woman who was acquitted ... I can only hope that she comes to her senses and realizes the gravity of what, I feel may have caused to happen.

Star Trek Trailer

So...I'm not exactly sure what to say.

I enjoyed the first teaser trailer. Enjoyed it so much I actually got goosebumps. Being an old Trekker/Trekkie it was nice to hear the old music, the old sound effects and the ship being built.

This latest trailer?  I just don't know. I do know it didn't have the same affect on me the first teaser trailer did...but then again, who was the genius that decided to flip an image in the middle of the trailer? Like no self respecting Star Trek fan would notice.

I'm not going to point out where it is, but ask you Trekkie friend. He'll see it right away.

Let's hope the movie lives up to the hype.

The 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month

The photo below is from a couple of years back I believe. But the sentiment is eternal.

To my dad and to Jace and every single veteran;

THANK YOU!

Star Wars A Cappella

I don't know who this guy is. But he obviously has a lot of time on his hands ... and is pretty talented.

With all the crazy stuff going on in the world, it's nice to just sit back and enjoy.

Schwarzeneggar: Never Give Up

I will admit to not being the biggest fan of California's Governor. He was fist elected to office during a special election that saw the Democratic Governor, Gray Davis, removed because of skyrocketing energy rates and an unpopular automobile registration tax.

We only came to learn, much later, that California's energy crises was manipulated by energy companies that would later result in the prosecution of employees of some of those companies, and in fact, was part of the reason for the fall on Enron who had their fingers in the California energy debacle.

As for the unpopular Auto Registration Tax? Well, the new Governor rescinded that and while he rode the wave populism for that move, into re-election, he also left the state in financial debt that resulted in a budget crises that has left countless teachers without jobs, and cost cuts across the board for many governmental services.

Oh, and while not bringing back the Registration Tax, the Governor has floated the idea of increasing the state sales tax to help defray the huge budget deficit. 

But that's not what this story is about. It's about Equal Rights.

The Governor, while a Republican, has had some moderate views. And while he believes marriage should be between a man and a woman, he doesn't feel the State Constitution should be amended to declare just that.

In fact, he came out against the recent California proposition that takes away rights for same sex marriage and today, on CNN, announced that those fighting Proposition 8 should continue with their fight and "never give up."

Strange words coming from a Republican, but comforting words none-the-less.

I will admit to a bit of internalized homophobia when the marriage issue first started to be discussed in earnest some years back. I honestly didn't believe the general public would agree to equal rights for all in terms of marriage, and my short sightedness even had me doubting how it would be implemented.

While I may work on campaigns, it's a darn good thing I'm not running for office. Because there are clearer heads than mine who answered the very simple questions of 'why" with "why not" when gay marriage was brought up.

To have a society that is separate but equal, is really not equal at all, we've all learned that. Because someone isn't comfortable with a male, or female couple embracing in public doesn't necessarily mean its wrong.

I am convinced this proposition passed not because people are bigots, or anti gay. I think they are frightened.

The proponents of Proposition 8 did a very effective campaign of scaring the public into believing that without this amendment, their very traditions and beliefs would be challenged. They were told that the way they practice their faith would be subject to the laws of the state and the "special interests" of homosexuals.

They were told that children, as young as 8 years old would be taught about homosexuality and they would be restricted from doing anything about it.

I may have said this before, and if I have, then my apologies. But if someone were to tell me that my church, my congregation and my faith would have to be dictated to practice, to worship and to believe a way that is contrary to my beliefs, then I would be scared too.

What those who voted for the proposition don't realize, however, is that none of that was true.

And the fault, I feel, doesn't rest on those who voted their heart or their faith, but those of us who didn't inform them that they were being duped.

I don't mean to point fingers, I wasn't involved in the No on 8 campaign, and I know several people, on a local level, who did everything within their power to prevent the proposition being passed. But on an upper level, on a state wide strategy, I can't help but feel we didn't do enough.

Well, now it seems the public is taking a look at the entire thing. Still, the message we are conveying is that we won't take this inequality sitting down and that we will fight for equal right. And that's good.

But we need to take this golden opportunity to educate those who voted Yes on 8 that they were lied to. That there are no "special rights" here for gays, just equal rights.

We need our friends of color to come forward and relate how they were once prevented from marrying those they loved because of race.

We need our friends in the clergy to come forward and tell those who are afraid their faith may be challenged that nothing could be further from the truth.

Churches have a unique set of laws by which they operate, and those laws allow them to marry only those persons whom they feel obliged. Were this not the case then my Jewish friends could demand marriage in the Catholic Church and my Catholic friends could demand being married in Temple by a Rabbi. That doesn't happen now, and it won't when gay people can, again, marry in California.

We need to be unified in this message.

And we need to be unified in this struggle. Even if it means joining with a Republican Governor for whom I never voted, but never-the-less, in this instance, speaks for me.

He is right this time. We must never give up!

God And Taxes

I know there is much debate about churches or religious organizations benefiting from tax exempt status. I am a progressive who thinks they deserve it. I might be in the minority on this, but I think taking care of spiritual needs, those who fall through the cracks in social and economic situations benefit from religious organizations that put people first.

I also believe that non religious organizations that take care of members of their community also deserve tax exempt status.

What concerns me, however, is when groups are given a tax exempt status for one thing, and then venture into another.

I'm not sure of all the facts, I will readily admit. But it sounds to me as if the Mormon Church had taken not just a vocal stand on the recent political happenings in California, but encouraged a monetary action as well.

It is my understanding that they advocated, very loudly, for the passage of Proposition 8 in California.

Now before I get a ton of email calling me anti Mormon, I have to say that isn't the case. And while it sounds disingenuous to say "many of my friends are Mormon" the truth is I do have some friends who are Mormon. I have to gripe with them. Or even the organization getting involved in political activities.

However, if it is true that their tax exempt status is based on their religious undertakings and that they were also responsible for an additional $22,000,000 million dollars funneled into California to repeal a right of its citizens, then I have no problem having a governmental body investigate those charges.

I am not saying they should be removed from tax exempt status. I am saying, however, that if their reason for receiving tax exemptions has changes, then a review of their status is something that should be undertaken.

The link below is not a legal document, but a document that purports to call attention to this matter. If nothing else, I think a little light needs to be shed on this situation so that, in the future, the playing field can be leveled.

http://www.mormonsstoleourrights.com/#petition

God And The Flag

The old saying was that Republicans would use the three G's to win elections; God, Guns and Gays.

The conventional wisdom being that every Democrat would be pro Special Rights for Gays, be Anti Gun and Anti God.

Never mind that Special Rights meant being treated as equals, that Anti Gun meant keeping assault weapons in check and that Anti God meant the free will to allow each to practice their faith in their own way. Or if they weren't religious, then that was okay too.

The strategy worked for a time. It had nothing to do with fact, of course, but fear.

A very astute observer of politics told me something a long time ago that has stayed with me since. His comment was that it wasn't just the Three G's that won elections. It was the fact that the left allowed Republicans to take God and the Flag as their own.

Somehow we allowed those who would limit our constitutional rights the right to be called America's champions. We have allowed those who misinterpret faith to speak for God.

I'm not saying this is all our fault, but I am saying we need to step up to the plate. We don't need to hide our patriotism or our faith. If you believe in God and are progressive, wear it as a badge. And if you don't, that's okay too.

My car, which got totaled a few months ago, was bought used from a pretty religious person. She had a decal on the back window that was very nicely done and said 'Disciple."

I remember seeing that and thinking to myself "eek, i'm going to have to get rid of that." It was a knee jerk reaction.

Then I thought to myself "why?"

Working on a film with a director I have known for a couple of years, he came across my car, admired it then saw the decal "oh, that must be from the previous owner right?" he asked. "Yeah" I responded.

It wasn't until some time later that I told him I decided to keep the decal because I was a Christian and I thought it looked good.

His jaw dropped.

"Since when did you get religious?"

I told him I've pretty much always been. Then he asked the usual questions about how could I reconcile my life with my faith and all the other things that we have all been programmed to learn from the radical right who has taken God as their own.

I guess this long rant is to say that you can be a Christian, or Jew, or Hindu or Muslim or whatever faith exists and still be progressive. And you can be a progressive and tear up when you hear the Star Spangled Banner. Or you can break into the national anthem, when you realize that this country, this great and wonderful country of ours has made mistakes, but that we, more often than not, come to our senses and do the right thing.

And Tuesday night, on the national stage, it was apparent we did the right thing. And in St. Mark's Square in New York city, progressives did the right thing too. They lifted up their hearts and their voices and proved that no one party has a lock on patriotism.

Human Female

I'm not quite sure how I missed this one.

From The Onion:

We Hold These Truths ...

Assemblymember Elect, President Elect

Election night was a mixed bag.

The entire day was spent trying to get my candidate in front of as many people, and cameras, as possible. Support from the Speaker of the California Assembly and other State Democrats helped to assure some press, as well as a whole bunch of voters.

In the end we won.

And so did Barack Obama. I wish I had the luxury of letting that win truly resonate with me. But there was so much going on that a few moments of stunned disbelief were supplanted with more work and more face time on cameras for my candidate.

A couple of hours of sleep, endless calls and really, only now, can I revel in the historic implications last night delivered. I honestly believe that if the President Elect does nothing for the next four years, we are still light years ahead of where we are today by his simple election win.

We have told the world we are not all a bunch of myopic, ethnocentric cowboys determined to bend the world to our will. Instead, we are a compassionate, thoughtful people who not only yearn for change, but have now demanded it.

I am almost speechless in my awe of the thought of Supreme Court members being appointed by not just by a Democrat, but my THIS Democrat.

What will it be like to have a president who thinks before he acts, who wants to grasp the gravitas of a situation before he speaks and whose journey seems to mirror that of so many of the country's citizens.

January 20th will usher in a new era of putting people first.  It will not be an easy task. But I will pray for all the newly elected that they govern with their mind and heart, and that they speak for those who feel their voices are often ignored.