Thank You For Being A Friend

A little dramatic, a little over the top, but the sentiment is heartfelt.

It's Already Started

In an earlier post I warned, "Those that still seek to divide this country into black and white, conservative and liberal, gay and straight, democrat and republican, rich and poor, are not going away tomorrow just because we won today."

Earlier today CNN posted the following article: Young conservatives: RNC must adopt Obama's online model

A quick visit to their website, "Rebuild the Party - A plan for the future", and you'll see they are setting some pretty lofty and scary goals. Among them: recruit 5 million new online activists, establish 5,000 activists per US Representative district and 7,500 per US Senate district in time for the 2010 election. Howard Dean launched the "50 State program" for the DNC and now they are calling for a "435 District" plan for the RNC.

It seems that one fall out from Obama's hugely successful internet campaign and heavy reliance on new technology, i.e., e-mail, text messaging, etc. is just what this young conservative group is looking for. Their "new plan" for the RNC pretty copies Obama's online and technology strategy.

We must stay focused and ACTIVE!!

Witness to History!

It's over, finally. Exhale.

I will never forget where I was on November 4th, 2008 when Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States of America. For the rest of my life, the joy, the pride, the relief, and the overwhelming love for my country that has overtaken me tonight, will never fade from my memory.

Emotions are still raw, but it is not about who won or who lost. This is a victory for ALL Americans. Finally a promise is fulfilled. The promise that "all men are created equal". There is still work to be done and battles to win. As Obama said in is acceptance speech tonight, "The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep", but for the first time in my life I think we have a chance to transform our country and the world. I am answering the new President's call for "...a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice...let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other". Will you answer the call with me?

We can not rest easy knowing that we've won. Those that still seek to divide this country into black and white, conservative and liberal, gay and straight, democrat and republican, rich and poor, are not going away tomorrow just because we won today. I guarantee you they will continue to grow, re-energize and emerge in 2012 stronger than ever. It is up to us to remind these dividers that we are also VOTERS! However, we must also remind those currently in power and those elected tonight, including the President-elect, that this election is not a blank check, they too are accountable to us. We must ensure that they do not abuse their new power, that they hold true to their word and that they themselves do not attempt to divide us. We must demand results.

Tonight President-elect Obama said, "This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only a chance for us to make that change". So true. Each one of us has the responsibility to keep the light of hope burning. We can not let inaction or apathy dim the future that so brightly shines before us. We must all stay energized and informed. Write to your city, county, state, and national officials, if you don't know who they are find out (e-mail me I'll find out for you), write letters to the editor, post on blogs, create a podcast, go to a city council meeting, do whatever you can to keep this momentum going. This is our country, we can take it back, it can truly be "of the people, for the people and by the people", but "We the people" need to get involved.

We can, we did and we must!

The System Works

Yesterday was a great day for America. The people voted and the Democrats took control of the House and are poised to take the Senate. Two races, in Virginia and Montana, have the Dems leading but the races are too close to call.

I am deeply saddened that 7 of the 8 state initiatives to ban same-sex marriage have passed (it's still too close to count in Arizona **EDIT - 11/17/06 measure was NOT passed!!!**), some, like Virginia, which passed, are very wide sweeping not only banning marriage but banning the recognition of "another union, partnership, or other legal status to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations, qualities or effects of marriage."

Although some state Supreme Courts, unlike Washington state, are striking down then bans as unconstitional. The battle this round may be lost but the war is by no means over. It will be interesting to see what happens in New Jersey. While I'm saddened I'm also hopeful that fairness will prevail.

We have a long way to go in order to, again, "form a more perfect union", last night proved that the system does work. The people voted and things changed. Some for the better and some for the worse, but things changed. I have to believe that deep down Americans are decent people, just misguided and unaware sometimes, marriage equality is coming, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but it's coming.

To all that voted, whether it went the way you wanted or not, you stood up and were counted.

To all that did not vote - SHAME ON YOU!!

Let Down by the Washington State Supreme Court

Today the Washington State Supreme Court upheld the state's ban on gay marriage stating the state has "a legitimate interest in regulating relationships that produce children. " What a bunch of crap. What about the woman who's had hysterectomy or the man that has had vasectomy are they not allowed to marry because their marriage will not produce children?? So the entire purpose of marriage is to have babies? I don't think so.

The times are changing and gay marriage is coming. It wasn't so long ago that popular opinion supported slavery, segregation, refusing to let women vote, ban on interracial marriage, and on and on. Popular opinion is a risky thing to bet the farm on.

Liberty and justice for ALL beats popular opinion every time!!!

Washington Won't Discriminate

The Angry Mo needs your help! Keep discrimination out of Washington State. Click on the logo below to see how you can help.

First they came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.

Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left
to speak up for me.

--Pastor Martin Niemöller

The Dixie Chicks, The Economy and The FMA

Oy….where to start?

The Dixie Chicks – GET OVER IT! It was three years ago. For those of you that say they are entertainers and should just shut up and sing I don’t pay to listen to your opinion, don't be a hypocrite. Not a day goes by that a celebrity isn’t saying something about something. So the next time a celebrity uses their voice to bring awareness to poverty, genocide, famine or human right issues remember to tell them to just shut up and sing. I guess freedom of speech only applies when it's inline with the popular opinion of the time. Just because someone says something you disagree with doesn't mean they don't have the right to say it.

I know the “America, love it or leave it” types don’t get it but let me try to explain it. The fact that they said what they said and didn’t get beheaded, thrown in jail or otherwise tortured or punished is EXACTLY what America is all about…not “love it or leave it.” That’s whole point – YOU CAN DISAGREE. And, by the by, people usually speak out because they love it. Patriotism is NOT just waiving the flag, bowing your head and saying yes sir, it’s speaking out, it’s taking chances, it’s about trying to make things better and it’s about having a voice!

All over the county folks vowed to never buy another Dixie Chick album or ever go to another concert, they even convinced some radio stations not to play their music. Fine that’s their choice. Some folks even went so far as to send letters saying the most horrible and hurtful things. These letters called them unpatriotic and accused them of treason and those were the “nice” one. Some of these letters included death threats, not only to the band, but death threats against the band’s (at the time) unborn children, their parents, their brothers and sisters. Now, compared to what the Dixie Chicks said about Bush, who's the bigger asshole?

Just an FYI…The Dixie Chick’s new album is #1 on the Billboard chart and is the most purchased CD from Amazon.com since it was released a week ago? That my friends is truly “America the Beautiful.” Hope springs eternal for the Angry Mo.

The Economy – WHO’S GETTING RICH?? It ain’t me. A recent poll reports that 60% of Americans are unhappy with how President Bush is handling the economy. Naturally Bush doesn’t get it because the economic indicators are up. Good Morning America sited gas prices as the major contributing factor to people’s dissatisfaction with the economy. While gas prices are high what I have the most problem with is how can the economic indicators look good? I don’t even really know what these indicators are but let me share some of my own indicators and then you tell me if the economy is UP?

• Gas prices are up 49% since 2004


• Home prices (King County, WA) are up 18% in the last year alone (**UPDATE 06/12/06 - new figures announced on the news last night...the increase over last year is 22% and in neighboring Pierce County one city saw a 32% increase. In an area that is 2,307 sq mis, roughly twice the size of the state of Rhode Island the average home price is $405,000.**)


• Grocery prices are rising at a rate of 10% a year


• Healthcare costs are up over 15% since 2004




• My salary is up 4% since 2004

Hmmmm, you can definitely count me in the 60% of Americans that are unhappy with the way the economy is being handled. GRRRRRRR!

The FMA – LEGALIZING DISCRIMINATION. Nice, “all men are created equal”, which apparently only applies only to white heterosexual men with a PSI of at least of $98,234.67.43. With all the talk of family values and 50% of marriages ending in divorce I’m not sure I fully understand what the problem is. As a gay man, who is an American citizen, I feel that I have the right to marry my partner of 5 years. I find it insanely ridiculous that I could walk down the street, conk the first girl I see over the head and drag her off to the courthouse and get married no questions asked.

I’m about 99.99999999999% certain that the opposition is based on religious belief. That’s fine you have your belief, as do I, yes gay people believe in God. I’m fully 150% behind you, and respect your belief. However, I’m not asking that my marriage be recognized by you OR your church, I’m asking that it be recognized by the so-called non-religious government. All I want, as a taxpaying American, is equal protection under the law. My partner and I live as a married couple, we are monogamous, we combine our incomes, we make decisions based on our mutual success, we share hopes and dreams and have a made a life together.

Throughout American history, the Constitution has been amended to expand and protect the rights and liberties of the American people. It has been amended to abolish slavery, and give women and young people the right to vote. It should not be used to single out some Americans for discrimination. As gay Americans we are just a regular people, we go to work, pay our bills and our taxes, respect our neighbors and are just trying to get ahead like everyone else. We aren’t asking for special right, we are asking, if not demanding, equal rights. We just want to be treated like everyone else.

This is a civil issue NOT a religious one.