People are really pissing me off today.

1. It's NOT okay to heckle the President of the United States during his speech. Doesn't matter who is President at the time. I hated with a wild passion GWB and still would be upset if he was heckled during a speech. Grow the fuck up people.

2. I'm sick and tired of haters hiding behind platitudes. I see you and I recognize your hypocrisy.

3. I'm tired of people thinking that President Obama can work miracles. This country is a mess and he didn't create it. However, he stands up and pushes and pushes and pushes people to see the benefit in compromise and change. (Is it exactly the change I want. Maybe not. BUT, he doesn't bend and he doesn't pretend.) It's all about baby steps. Did you run before you could walk? I doubt it. So stop hating on him because he's too much this and not enough that. Don't people see that he's trying to build a strong foundation in order to implement change...in order for future politicians to have something to work with?

/rant.

Basically, at issue in this case, is whether or not a couple, legally married in a state that recognizes same-sex marriage (god I'm so sick of having to use qualifiers and such for this topic) is constitutionally entitled to have their marriage recognized by other States, that do not support same-sex marriage and whether they are entitled to Federal Benefits.

First of all, I have a problem with a brief that is supposed to defend an act of Congress stating the following: other states have reaffirmed the traditional understanding of marriage as the union of a man and a woman as husband and wife, see VARNUM 763 N.W. 2d, 878 - an understanding held as a matter of profound moral and religious conviction by many of their citizens. KEEP YOUR FUCKING RELIGION OUT OF OUR COURTS. Calms down and puts back on lawyer hat. This type of statement has no business in this brief.

While I abhor DOMA with every fiber of my being, all I'm doing here is reading the DOJ's brief and putting my spin on things like so many others already have, and I have to say that the standing arguments that were presented in the brief are sound. It kills me but I think that until marriage (ALL MARRIAGE, WHETHER BETWEEN, MAN/WOMAN, SAME-SEX, ALL COLORS/RELIGIONS/ETHNICITY/ETC) is found to be a fundamental right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, all these types of cases are destined for failure. It's what I've been saying all along. sighs. I also think there were jurisdictional issues, both subject matter and venue, but those can get complex so let's leave it at that.

By restricting marriage this way, it allows Congress to use it's powers under the Full, Faith & Credit Clause of the Constitution to leave things up to the states. Yes, this is the same clause that would be used to enforce all states to recognize same-sex marriages, if it were found to be a fundamental right. You see, marriage shouldn't be about "public policy" - it's a RIGHT that should be bestowed on every citizen of this country. Are there public policy reasons to restrict marriage? Of course, the age of the participants comes to mind immediately as does incestuous relationships - but these are policies that can be applied to everyone, regardless of their sexuality, without using them to infringe on anyone's right to marry.

I understand that race is a protected class and thus all laws based on race are subject to strict scrutiny by the courts. I also know that sexuality is not a protected class and that race is and that applying strict scrutiny in LOVING V. VA was what won that case. However, I cannot, in my mind, figure out how DOMA meets the rational basis test. What is the rational relation? What is the legitimate state interest? Is it seriously to protect religious beliefs because that's bullshit (yes, I'm digressing a bit...bite me). I just don't understand how people cannot see that this is the same thing. This is where ignorance and hate come into play.

So basically what it boils down to is that while the Supreme Court has determined that one has a fundamental right to marry, it's limited to the those who meet the definition under DOMA, unless you belong to a protected class. Know what I say: grow up people, it's coming whether you like it or not. You same people didn't want the Lovings to marry, well, you lost that one too and eventually you'll lose this one because you're wrong. Someone shouldn't have to be a member of a protected class to have their government recognize them equally.

Finally, I'll say this, I don't practice this type of Constitutional Law everyday and I understand these are complicated issues with lots of history. However, I also know what this Country stands for and it's not the kind of crap that was stated in this brief. It's time for our President, my President, to stand firm on something. Sure he has to allow the DOJ to defend congressional laws, but HE doesn't have to like it and he's still in charge, so the brief didn't have to ramble on as it did, IMO. If you're listening Mr. President, please, stop trying to appease everyone, it's time to stop hoping and start doing!

OH MY GOD.




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IT'S HAPPENING PEOPLE. IT'S HAPPENING.

And yes, I'm already crying!




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Welcome President Obama...and thank you for restoring my hope in this country!

Hello all!

I've been without internet all day. *pouts*

But, I'm back and I've got a few things to pimp.


First, qafmaniac has graciously taken over the SPANK ME theme at qaf_scavenger. PLEASE make this a successful challenge for her!

Next, ohfreckle is running the Christmas Gift Xchange again (seriously people, that's dedication - so go participate) SIGN UP. I can't because I'll be in Vermont, but I'm counting on coming home to some goodies.

I created the new asylum: no_to_h8. I'm still getting things organized but you can join so you don't miss anything. And in keeping with this theme...go read a great first hand account of a REPORT FROM SAN FRANCISCO: PROTESTING PROP 8

This was a weekend filled with great friends and pumpkins.

Xie and I carved OBAMA-LATERNS over the phone together tonight:

( yes we carve )

You can go to www.yeswecarve.com for more pumpkins and lots of stencils if you're interested.

Friday, I carved pumpkins with more great friends and my sister...I did the spider one:

( more traditional pumpkins )

Hello all! I had a very busy weekend.

Late Friday night, I was researching registering homeless people for the election when I decided to check and make sure I was registered to vote. I did it on a lark and guess what? I wasn't registered on the secretary of state's website. Somehow I had become unregistered. (Mind you, I've been registered to vote for 20 years.) Needless to say, I was VERY upset and pissed off.

I woke up early Saturday and packed up everything for the picnic and then rushed up to the Secretary of State. Of course, it was packed, packed, packed. SIGHS. Of course, they couldn't tell me anything and they were rude as shit. SIGHS.

They're lucky I didn't have time to mess around.

I picked up chet_lemon and we rushed to the picnic on Belle Isle. It was freezing and I forgot a jacket. I also caught a cold. SIGHS. I registered 2 people to vote. It would probably have been more but the homeless vets didn't come because the bus driver was a no show. SIGHS. By the time we found out and offered to go pick some up, they were out and about for the day/weekend on passes.

This was very distressing to my dad because he worked hard to get the extra funds from the VA so the guys could come. So, I called and made arrangements to drop some of the food off. We packed up my car, trunk and backseat. There was no room for chet, lol, but my dad and I took the food to them and the guys were so grateful. I seriously wanted to cry. They were shocked to receive anything and couldn't believe that we'd brought Coke. It made me so sad and the guys that helped bring the food in were young guys...these were vets from this war and the Gulf War. I hate the Bushes. It broke my heart.

One of them commented on my Obama pin. He seemed surprised that I had one on asked if I was voting for him. My response: BIG SMILE. "Is there anyone else?" He laughed.

My dad felt much better after we dropped off the food, so I was glad we'd done it. They're the forgotten ones. :(

The Obama board was a success, lots of people at the picnic checked it out and the majority of people were already voting for Obama and were registered. It was very encouraging.

As for whether I was registered to vote. I called my township clerk's office this morning and was told that I was never NOT registered to vote. GRRRRRRRRRRR

I immediately called the Obama campaign and reported the problem because if someone look to see if they're registered to vote and it doesn't come up, then it might discourage them from voting or pursuing it since today is the deadline for registration, when it reality they are registered. GRRRRRRRRRRRR They're looking into it.

Hey guys. I thought I'd just drop a post about what I've been up to lately.

( are you coming...or going )

OMG, I want to live in this country that he's describing. I want this country to be this America.

He's not pulling any punches and this thrills me. It's about time that someone said it all out loud for everyone to hear.

His message is about this country...the spirit of this nation and how great we could really and truly be.

I've waited my whole life to hear this message. Barack Obama is seriously my hero. I cannot stop sobbing.

Two of my very close friends who are not at all interested in politics and who smirk at my Obama love (they smirk at me quite often so this is nothing new lol) called me tonight to tell me they've decided to vote for "my boy", as one of them named him. I can't really take any credit for their decisions despite my pushing and prodding and lecturing and begging them to see. He did it, with his grace and his intelligence...his message. Trust me, if these 2 can see the truth, we have lots of hope left and YES WE CAN!

Now go convert someone.

I had decided a while ago that I respected him and that I wanted the chance to vote for him and his message of hope. However, I hadn't FELT the Obama experience as so many others had...until today.

However, after listening to this: , I've decide that he is my hero and that this country NEEDS him to win.

He wrote this speech himself and it touched me. He spoke such TRUTHS...things that I see everyday, the WRONGS that I see everyday and wish and hope would change...everyday. He doesn't promise to fix everything but he FEELS his convictions and he WANTS real change for this country. He's not giving me specific promises of things he can do but he's telling us: we've had some change, (look who's running for office...look at our history...we need to BELIEVE in this country, BELIEVE that we can continue to do it) one election can't fix it all, one candidate can't fix it all...it's going to take a country. This is the message I hear from HIM.

All my life, I've believed that what this country needs is a sense of PRIDE in itself...that each citizen has to feel real love, real pride for this country as a whole...the good and the bad and the imperfect...that hope and understanding and a sense of belonging can lead to change. This is what I hear him saying and it makes me GRATEFUL.

I've been excited about elections before. I've experienced trepidation and hate during elections before. Never before, have I been filled with HOPE and INSPIRATION and the sense that THIS CANDIDATE MUST WIN. I feel it now. I feel he can be a President I can finally be proud of and that he can make me feel proud of my country again.

MICHIGAN'S LEGISLATURE HAS OFFICIALLY KILLED THE IDEA OF A NEW PRIMARY. I guess there's a few other options available including a caucus but I'm not happy. :(

I'm burnt.

Sometimes life just makes you tired. I had a pretrial hearing this morning and my client didn't show. Shame on him.

Then I got a last minute appointment to represent a mother in an abuse/neglect case (these last minute appointments in these cases are common as the initial exams have to be heard within 24 hours of removal). I had to hold it because my client is in custody. That's always a little stressful because you don't have much to go on (cuz you haven't talked to your client) and you don't have much time to prepare anything.

ION, there is talk here in Michigan of a 'do-over' for the primary. It seems that many local party leaders support it...or some sort of compromise. The biggest question is who will pay for it. The first one cost $10 million, which pisses me off on a different level. NICE to waste my $ knowing the votes wouldn't count. SHEESH. Oh and it amuses me immensely that someone on the local news said we showed them. Showed them what exactly? I mean we're the ones with NO SAY!!!!!!!!

Finally, I really hope we get hit with this big storm they're talking about on Friday night/Saturday so I can get snowed in to write drabbles and porn. hee

I'm annoyed. As most of you know, I live in Michigan. The Democratic Party here in Michigan decided to move our primary up before Super Tuesday in violation of the National Party Rules. As punishment, we were told - in no uncertain terms - that our votes wouldn't count. So, I didn't vote. What was the point? It wasn't supposed to count anyway.

However, now we have a close race and there's talk of seating those delegates. I'm upset for two reasons.

1. I didn't vote because I was TOLD it wouldn't count.

2. Even if I had voted, I didn't have the choice to pick from all the candidates actually running because Obama and Edwards followed the rules and removed their names from the ballot.

I suppose you could say that for #1, I rolled the dice and lost, but I'm not sure that #2 can be reconciled at all and it makes me mad.

If those delegates get seated, it's not the actual voices of the people being heard.

Does this qualify me as being disenfranchised? I'm aware that historically voters were disenfranchised based on race, sex, criminal record, etc however I think it counts. I guess I have to do some legal research on my own behalf.

In my opinion, the only fair and just thing to do would be to hold a new election. What do you think?