Archive for 'rights' Category
2009.05.28
CA Prop 8: The Defenders
Without going into detailed analysis of why I think the CA Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Proposition 8 was flawed, I would like to simply say it is sad -pathetic, really- that we still live in a world that would curtail rights for anyone. Which is why I think this video, called The Defenders (via SFist), is pretty good except the ending, which probably actually hurts the message.
I’d also like to repeat a previous proposition that by law we should simply ban marriage and institute civil unions. If people of faith want to preserve the symbolic meaning of marriage they can but their marriage will not be recognized by the government in any sense. Maybe that’s just me, though. Honestly, I don’t understand what those folks are defending. They treat the word marriage like a trademark. I would remind them of what happened to words like Kleenex or, I believe, Xerox and is in the process of happening to. Marriage is now a generic term and nothing people of faith can do will ever change its impending genericide.
2 Comments | Catergorized: political rights thoughts2008.11.05
Yeehaw and WTF
Yay! Obama won. When the TV showed him over the top we could hear cheers out on the streets. I was, for the first time in my life, quite emotional about a political race.
Yet this morning I woke up to check the CA and San Francisco results and WTF?!? Proposition 8, which would create a CA constitutional amendment to ban the rights of same-sex couples to marry, rent a car bulgariapassed. Unbelievable. I am very disappointed that this passed and yet a proposition to protect the “rights” of food stock animals passed. I feel like we just went back to the era when inter-racial marriage was illegal. California, you just disappointed me in a way I’m having a hard time expressing.
Still, most of the election this year was phenomenally positive. And on January 20th, 2009 we will have a new president. Alas that Obama has to fix, clean up and repair the mountain of crap that Bush and the Republicans have left behind. I hope he can do it.
“Yes we can.”
5 Comments | Catergorized: grrr life political rights2008.09.18
Clear Legal Language
Huzzah to Attorney General Jerry Brown for changing the language of California’s Proposition8 so that it’s clear what the thing is really about.
– Original ballot summary: “LIMIT ON MARRIAGE. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Amends the California Constitution to provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.– Amended ballot summary: “ELIMINATES RIGHT OF SAME-SEX COUPLES TO MARRY. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Changes California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry. Provides that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.
It seems the changed language is making it clear to people that this proposition takes away the rights of certain citizens which I’ve always maintained is highly un-American.
I love this quote, too.
“There’s no doubt the views on same-sex marriage have softened a bit over the last eight years,” she [Jennifer Kerns] said. “It’s our position that a majority of Californians still support marriage as between one man and one woman.”
Umm… I support marriage as between one man and one woman, too. I also support it between one man and another man or one woman and another woman. That is one of the stupidest observations I’ve read in a long time. It’s also sad how they subtly couch their prejudices.
1 Comment | Catergorized: rights2008.09.17
The Right to Bear Arms
Here’s a question, the answer of which I’m still pondering… Does the “right to bear arms” (the 2nd Amendment) have any relevance in a first world country?
I can sort of see it in a third world country, where the rule of law is lax if not non-existent. I can even see it in a second world country in which the government is often corrupt, tyrannical and fluctuating often between types of government. But in the first world? What’s the point?
Understand that I’m not ranting against the 2nd Amendment. This is a philosophical, social and political question that I haven’t yet seen or heard anyone discuss.
6 Comments | Catergorized: political rights thoughts2008.05.17
Gay Marriage… Again
The California Supreme Court just ruled that homosexuals have the same right to marry as straight couples. This has, naturally, led to passionate reactions from both sides of the proverbial aisle. Personally, I am for gay marriage. I believe in the expansion of rights granted by our many Constitutions, within reason, not the limitation of rights. So I won’t go too much into the reasons why I support this decision but rather into the reasons why some people are against it.
1: Same sex marriage will ruin the institution. This is patently false. I think we straight people have managed that all on our own. My own parents are still married, but nearly all off my friend’s parents are divorced. At one point over 50% of all marriages ended in divorce. If marriage is a pact for life, it has obviously failed.
2: Marriage is an institution to raise children within. Really? What about couples who don’t want to have children? What about couples that do have children and physically or sexually abuse those children? Who’s to say that gay couples couldn’t raise children just as well as any kind, loving straight couple? Besides, domestic partners can already adopt, so gay couples can already raise children.
3: This ruling goes against the will of the people. I can’t argue this one terribly hard except to say that often the will of the people is often wrong. For example, slavery, racial equality, religious equality, gun ownership, various forms of taxation, etc. I hate to bring up the Nazis because they are the worst, most extreme example and people hate reading about them when they justify someone else’s position, but the Nazi party did have the overwhelming support of the German people in their day. They were wrong.
If we ban same sex marriage, what’s next? Should we ban it for non-Christians, too? Should we ban certain types of convicts from being able to marry for fear that their criminal ways will ruin the idea of marriage? Should we ban marriage altogether as a violation of blending church and state?
3 Comments | Catergorized: political rights2008.04.30
Anime On The Web
(Disclosure: I work for VIZ Media, a partner in this venture).
Almost a year ago Cartoon Network launched Toonami Jetstream, a website where you could watch certain anime titles for free. The problem was that you could only view them using a Windows computer.
Starting today, though, Cartoon Network has changed the format and now viewers from all platforms and watch anime on the web. Awesome! Current titles include Naruto and Hikaru No Go, both of which I recommend.
Congrats Cartoon Network, on being inclusive rather than exclusive. You’ve even added the ability to embed video from your site to ours. Awesome.
No Comments | Catergorized: anime rights technology work2008.04.02
I’ve Done My Civic Duty: Jury Duty
I realize not everyone likes the idea of jury duty. Certainly it is not the most popular obligation on the planet. Personally I see this as a failure of the education system and of parents. Our Constitution calls for all cases except treason to be trials by jury, and I understand the wisdom of this. I’ve been called many times but never had to sit on a trial until now. Eight days ago I was asked to sit on a trial and though I wasn’t keen on the obligation I did not shirk my duty. Say what you will about our system of government, it is a good system and I will always stand up for my Constitution. The Constitution is mine as much as it is yours. It asks very little of us yet gives us so much. Sometimes not enough, but that can -and will- change.
For the first, and likely not the last, time in my life I sat on a trial. I had to listen to evidence given, weigh the veracity and compare that to the wording of the law, and judge a person. This is not something anyone really wants to do, but it is something we must do despite these days in which people feel entitled to the freedoms they enjoy.
I won’t deny that I’m glad my service is over but I also won’t lie that I am satisfied to have served my people and given something to this nation, even if just in a small way. There is no ideal justice in the world, but I think our system goes a long way towards fairness and equitability. Meanwhile, if you’re even still reading this, I will end things now. I’m mildly intoxicated and yet in quite a sober mood. Really I just wanted to say I’ve done my jury duty and am happy to have done it, and am happy it’s over. Why is ending an article so difficult when drinking…?
3 Comments | Catergorized: political rights2008.03.26
Memo to Self: Detailed Statements
Memo to Myself: if ever I’m involved in an incident that requires me to make a statement to the police, make sure it is detailed and that I review it once or twice before submitting it officially.
(This comes from watching the cross examination of witnesses at the trial I am on the jury for…)
2 Comments | Catergorized: life rights2008.03.20
Lucky 18…?
Today was only a half day at jury duty. Two minutes before dismissal for the day (they are still picking jury members) I was called on to sit in juror seat 18. I believe this puts me in the pool of potential alternates, but I’m not sure. The lawyers will get to ask me questions next Tuesday to see if I’m suitable. While there could be worse cases to be on, I’m just bummed that I got picked at the very last moment before leaving. Plus that courtroom is draining. I’m not sure if it’s the light or not.
Anyways, at least my lawyer neighbors will be excited I’m doing my civic duty!
3 Comments | Catergorized: life rights san francisco2008.03.19
Being on Jury Duty Selection
This week I managed to pull jury duty for the Superior Court of California. Sounds intimidating, but the case my group was assigned to isn’t so bad. We’re going through the process of jury selection. So far I am not in the “lucky 18″ but I get to go back in tomorrow for the jury finalization. Last time I pulled jury duty I was bored out of my mind. This time not so much. Listening to the questions asked of each juror and seeing which ones are being dismissed is interesting. I’m trying to figure out why they are dismissing certain jurors because so far there doesn’t seem to be a pattern.
I did meet one of the other jurors (who did get selected for the lucky 18) named Ellen. Very cute. Alas, married. Anyways, I noticed her voice was kind of hoarse so I asked if she was getting sick. No. It turns out she was in a car accident a long time ago and it destroyed her vocal chords and for years she couldn’t talk. Then she had surgery and they put in plastic vocal chords. Cool! I bet she was super excited to be able to talk again.
So jury selection isn’t completely over and I get to go in tomorrow. Afterwards I hope to give a few thoughts and observations because somethings are just… weird.
No Comments | Catergorized: life rights san francisco
