Animal Rights: California's Proposition 2

“If animals are going to be killed for food,” said Wayne Pacelle, the president and chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States, “the least we can do is treat them with decency and give them a semblance of life.” - as quoted in the New York Times

California's Proposition 2 would require that animals be provided room to turn around, lie down, stand up and fully extend their limbs. Like Proposition 8, which would take marriage away from gay people, this animal rights proposition is drawing money in opposition from forces outside of California, who are afraid that as California goes so goes the rest of the country.

Let's hope that Californians do the right thing at the ballot box for animals, and for gay people.

Jim

Obama, Powell, And Proposition 8

Been busy here setting up a new desktop computer. We also had a busy weekend with performances on New York on Saturday and Philadelphia on Sunday. Nevertheless, I did watch Colin Powell's endorsement of Obama on Meet The Press. While it was a strong endorsement, coming from Powell it doesn't mean very much to me. Powell was George W. Bush's enabler. "W" made a fool out of him sending him to the United nations to make the case for the Iraq war. He should have known better. Now Powell worries about two more right wing Supreme Court appointees. He should have been worried before "W" put Alito and Roberts on the Court. Powell also opposed the inclusion of gays and lesbians in the military, and helped force DADT into our nation's policy on military matters. He's a Republican Uncle Tom. Who needs him.

I am heartsick over the latest polls showing that Proposition 8 may very well pass in California. It's probably too late to point fingers, but why on earth every single gay rights organization didn't make this their number one priority, and all of them band together to fight this is beyond me. If it passes, Proposition 8 will set back the gay rights movement by years if not decades.

I have issues with Obama, but I'll give him credit for one thing: he has fought fire with fire, answering the negative ads of the Republicans with negative ads of his own. Finally, the Democrats learn how to street fight with the nasty right wing crowd. Now if only gay people would band together and fight for our rights!

Jim

Not Good News For Marriage Equality In California

Polls indicate that the battle over the rights of gay men and lesbians to legally marry in California is too close to call. The religious right has made it their most important crusade since the battle against safe and legal abortions. Apparently, the gay groups waging the battle to defeat the anti-gay proposition have failed to make their case in an effective manner. Rather than forthrightly asserting that gay people exist and have real lives and loves, and ought to be entitled to full equality, they have tried to downplay the gay aspect in fighting for equality fearing that too many people are still too uncomfortable with the very idea of gay people. That's unfortunate. We're still hiding. As one commentator said, if we're going to go down we might as well go down fighting as highly visible and proud gay people.

Jim