Random Ramblings

Wow. I haven’t posted here for /ages/, because I couldn’t remember the password to log in. *sheepish* Maybe I’ll start posting here again, now that I remember it. =)

“The literal blood of the thousands of gay people physically wounded by hate … is on the hands of Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, Tony Perkins, and so many others who spew hate for partisan gain and personal enrichment.” — Matt Foreman, President National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

The American Family Association. Focus on the Family. The Liberty Counsel. Family Research Council.

These are just a few of the names of anti-gay, evangelical Christian-based organizations that have cozied their way into the breast pocket of the Republican Party.

Over the past year their efforts against the LGBT community have intensified as has their control and influence over the White House, U.S. House and Senate. Here’s a look at some of their efforts:

• The American Family Association (AFA)
In January the crackpots at AFA threw a hook into SpongeBob SquarePants and the producer of a pro-tolerance music video for kids, which features scores of children’s TV heroes ranging from the Muppets to SquarePants. The video itself involves a rendition of the 1979 hit song “We Are Family,” that Nile Rodgers co-wrote, and contains no reference to gay rights or sexual orientation. In a detailed article by the editor of its monthly journal, AFA insisted the endeavor has a pro-gay subtext. “On the surface, the project may appear to be a worthwhile attempt to foster greater understanding of cultural differences,” wrote Ed Vitagliano. “However, a short step beneath the surface reveals that one of the differences being celebrated is homosexuality.”

• Focus on the Family (FOF)
In November Macy’s stood by helplessly as FOF tried to distribute 5,000 “stress balls” during Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to promote a website it operates that claims homosexuality is a disorder that can be changed through faith. The undertaking, overshadowed by a balloon accident, is part of a major effort by FOF to reach a wider audience during the holidays. Each ball carries the name of its advice site, www.troubledwith.com.

Throughout the year FOF has continued its make no bones about it attack on LGBT familes with programs like its Love Won Out “ex-gay” ministry and its continuing support of constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage throughout the country.
During the controversy surrounding the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers, FOF’s James Dobson suggested on his radio show that the White House had made guarantees to him that Miers would oppose gay rights and abortion.

In January Dobson turned his sights on Canada, attacking the country verbally for allowing same-sex marriage. In May, FOF ceased doing business with Wells Fargo because they felt the company was too gay supportive. Their latest effort was a call for a boycott of Ford Motor Company because of that company’s support of various LGBT events and advertising in gay publications. Although FOF initially cried victory when Ford agreed to their terms, reaction from LGBT activists prompted Ford to reverse its decision and agree to continue advertising and supporting LGBT community events. AFA’s Donald Wildmon’s final words on the matter: “Continuing the boycott is still a consideration.”

• The Liberty Counsel (LC)
Under the direction of Matt Staver, a graduate of the University of Kentucky Law School who holds a Master’s Degree in religion, the Liberty Counsel may perhaps be best described as the antithesis of the American Civil Liberties Union. In October LC had their hands in Florida’s efforts to ban same-sex marriage. They’ve battled same-sex marriage in practically every state of the union and gone gung-ho after companies offering benefits for domestic partners as well as states attempting to enact hate crimes laws.

• Family Research Council (FRC)
On the sugar-coated website, the statement of purpose for the The Family Research Council says they “champion marriage and family as the foundation of civilization, the seedbed of virtue, and the wellspring of society. FRC promotes the Judeo-Christian worldview as the basis for a just, free, and stable society.” Blah, blah, blah. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find a hate-filled organization under the direction of Tony Perkins, a man committed to stepping in the way of any civil rights advancements for LGBT Americans.

Their most successful anti-gay family activities have come from their “Justice Sunday” television productions, which are shown via satellite across the country and frequently feature the worst of the most conservative politicians. In April Justice Sunday trotted out Bill Frist to get their double-speak gay hate speech over the airwaves. Comic Bill Maher summed up the group’s agenda succinctly in an interview with Jay Leno: “‘Activist judges’ is a code word for gay. The judges verbally tarred and feathered are those who have decriminalized gay sex as they once did abortion and [those] who countenance marriage rights for same-sex couples.”

Why are people so frightened of bats? I don’t mean an individual person’s phobia, I can more then understand that. I have a debilitating phobia of bees, wasps, hornets, and anything that looks like them. But people seem, in general, afraid of bats. Grown men will cringe and flinch away from them, refuse to touch them. My own mother tried to, literally, climb my back when a bat was lose in her house.

Personally, I think they’re cute and I like the sounds they make. I caught the bat that so freaked out my mother, and let it go outside, and people asked me why I didn’t just kill it. On an animal cops show, there was a bunch of bats that had taken up residence in a tree in the middle of a neighbourhood. Whenever the bats left the tree, grown men and women freaked out, screaming and ducking.

Okay, I know people don’t want a bat in their hair. That happened to me when I was 12 and had hair to my waist. Not fun. But the poor bat was scared shitless too.

So, are you afraid of bats? If so, why? I honestly would like to know.

Animal Welfare vs. Animal Rights

An important distinction to make when dealing with animal issues is the difference between animal welfare and animal rights. After learning the difference between the two philosophies, it is easier to distinguish between organizations that directly help animals and those who wish to end the use of animals.

Animal Welfare - based on principles of humane care and use. Organizations who support animal welfare principles seek to improve the treatment and well-being of animals. Supporting animal welfare premises means believing humans have the right to use animals, but along with that right comes the responsibility to provide proper and humane care and treatment.

Animal Rights - organizations that support animal rights philosophies seek to end the use and ownership of animals. Animal rights organizations seek to abolish by law: the raising of farm animals for food and clothing, rodeos, circuses, zoos, hunting, trapping, fishing, the use of animals in lifesaving biomedical research, the use of animals in education and the breeding of pets.

Something else that annoyed me about Goblet of Fire. We didn’t get to see Snape’s Dark Mark. In the book, he showed it to Fudge, to prove the the Dark Lord was back. In the movie, it seems that Harry’s word was just taken on trust.

I wanted to see Snape’s, dangit.

*sulks*

Ingredients:

• 1 pint (0.57 litres) vanilla ice cream (softened)
• 1/2 stick butter (softened)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp. of cinnamon
• 1 tsp. grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground clove
• 1 imperial quart (1.1 litre) apple cider

Directions:

1. Cream butter, sugar and spices together.
2. Beat in the vanilla ice cream.
3. Re-freeze the mixture.
4. Scoop out the frozen mixture into a glass.
5. Pour hot Apple cider over the ice cream mixture.

Optional: add an ounce (30 g) of rum for an adult treat.

Mix and drink!

Tomorrow’s my birthday! I can hardly believe I’m going to be 32. Where did the time go? I don’t feel 32. I don’t feel like a kid, either, but dang. 32. From there, it’s just a short trip to 40! And then, God, Peter will be 20 and Cady 15! I’m not ready for that. No way.

I received roses from Barb today, they’re so very pretty. I haven’t gotten flowers in a long, long time. It was so very sweet of her. =)

I just love them. And the info that came with them had a lot of stuff in it about keeping roses longer, that I didn’t know. So, cool. I learned something today.

Mom and dad switched the dining room and living room around. After taking pictures of my roses, I took some of the ‘new’ living room. Mom was on the computer, and dad walked up behind her and made a funny face. So of course I took a picture of it.

Now I’m going to go scrounge something to eat, and then maybe try to beat Rainbow Web.

Testing!

I’m feeling better today, thank God. And Peter was in a good mood this morning. =) He looked very cute, with his hair all spiked up.

I can’t wait until Sunday. I’m going to see Goblet of Fire with my other mom. (Peter’s father’s mother) We’ve been looking forward to this for a long time, now. =) It’ll be so nice to spend the day with her. We’re going to do some shopping, and wander around the mall, and we’ll have lunch I’m sure. It’s nice to spend time just chatting with her. This time, I won’t get sick and bail out on her.