Supreme Court Upholds No on Prop 8

On Friday, October 24th, 2008, Apple wrote the following. . .
"Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8."
Apple is one of the most successful corporations in our country, and they took positive steps a long time ago to recognize the right to be in love, to be married, to be recognized! Today the Supreme Court upheld the decision to ban gay marriages in California. How can the same court a year ago basically say "gay is okay" and now it was okay for only some but not for all? Thankfully, those married in that small time frame will still have their union be recognized as a legal marriage in our state, while others are denied the same right to be wed. I think everyone is entitled to their opinions, but when it comes to discrimination, hate, prejudice it just makes no sense to me. And don't even begin to tell me that the Bible say its wrong, please. How can we have an all loving God, oops, except if you are gay? I'm sorry, that is not my God.


This sign was in my front yard last year during election time, right there in my garden. I'm not gay nor is my oldest daughter Brande, not that it really matters. Brande headed up the campaign for "NO on Prop 8" here in Long Beach. We just believe in human rights, it's that simple, really. Shouldn't "love" be celebrated, without being over shadowed with clouds of hatred? There is a blog I follow, called, Mommy With a Penis(www.mommywithapenis.blogspot.com). I can't get the link to work, sorry. I'm sure if you are already not happy with what I have to say, that one probably really added to the fire. But what is so very brillant about this blog is here you have two bright successful men, in love, married, who have adopted two loving children and they are awesome parents. I just don't understand "how" you can tell them, and many others in their same situation that it is wrong to fall in love, to wish to get married, to have children, how can that be wrong? I know in my heart that "my" God doesn't believe it's wrong.


I look at the picture above and I'm sadly reminded that this photo wasn't taken that long ago. Has history not been a lesson, have we not learned that people are people regardless of things like color or sexual preference? I know in my heart, and I believe that sooner or later gay marriage will be legal thoughout all of the United States. I'll keep that hope alive for the year 2010,this isn't over yet. And I will not lose the HOPE in my heart for my friends,for my sister and her partner, and for others that are simply "in love". There are better days ahead, there has to be! "I Have a Dream" MLK

Activism

Activism is sort of described as "the practice of using action to achieve a result". I sincerly admire activists! I took another afternoon off to spend time with myself and went to see "Milk". If you haven't seen it, I strongly suggest you do. It brought back a lot of memories for me of the 70's. Sean Penn was awesome in the role of Harvey Milk. The thing that kept coming back to me as I watched the movie is that 30 years ago they were fighting to defeat Prop 6 in California. And here we were again, a few months ago, unbelieveably 30 years later, trying to fight to defeat Prop 8 in California. I know it's a touchy subject to many people, (sorry, not for me)and I have to say it, "prejudice is prejudice", no matter how you try to skate around it, no matter how much you sugar coat it, prejudice is just wrong! I was brought up in a family that "accepted" people regardless of race, sex preference, and all the other stuff people find reasons to be prejudiced about. I will now "try" step down off my soap box and just say, go see the movie "Milk", it is very, very good. I hope Sean Penn wins the Oscar on Sunday night, he deserves it! To lighten the subject, after the movie I went down to Brande's. We walked to Taco Surf, a little hole in the wall Mexican resturant. After dinner we were headed to walk down the pier, I just had to stop. On the corner by Coldstone, there was this Japanese woman walking this HUGE Siamese cat on a leash that was sniffing the dog pee on the building!! I wish I had my camera with me, which I almost always do! The woman's English was a little broken but she was encouraging me to pet the giagantic cat. Now, I have way too many cats of my own, and I'm a total cat lover, but I have and have had Siamese cats. They are extremely bright and have a mind of their own. So when I saw the cat look at me as in saying, "don't "F" with me or I'll bite your hand off", I just politely declined to pet her cat. The woman said something else, which I couldn't understand, and I just smiled and quietly walked away amazed at what I had just seen! The ocean was beautiful tonight, the air was crisp and clear. I'm really grateful to live so close to the beach. On our walk back home, I ran into one of my good friends Leslie, and her family. It was a nice evening, nice spending time talking to Brande. She campaigned on "No on Prop 8" back in the fall. I was so proud of her for heading up the Long Beach office of the campaign. Okay, I can't get off my soap box, sorry. I hope the world will be a more understanding, and non-prejudicial as Riley, and my soon to be born new granddaughter, Morgan grow-up. People just need to get OVER themselves, do you know what I mean?