Thursday, November 6, 2008

A small majority shouldn't be able to take rights away from the minority



I was fortunate to get a few hours off work last night to go to the No on 8 rally. It helped that my boss was the person leading the caravan to the rally. It was held down the street from where I live actually. There was so many people, we stopped traffic and walked through the streets. There was a big police presence but they just worked to re-route traffic. There was such peaceful love all around. It felt good to help in the fight for my gay and lesbian friends and be a representative of the majority for the minority. Equal rights for all!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Yes We Did


What a night! It all started when I couldn't stay asleep. I woke up at 10am, after working til 4am the night before. I walked to my polling place and waited an hour in line. The time flew as I talked with those around me. It was like a block party. Everyone happy to wait. Happy to vote. I walked away from the polls with a smile so big, I couldn't have made it go away even if I wanted. Regardless of what the outcome was going to be, I knew I voted for history and for change. My day went by in a haze, with the one highlight being free Starbucks coffee for voting.
At work I couldn't concentrate. So, when things settled down, I quietly closed my door and told my co-workers, if the supervisors look for me, give me a text, and I drove to my friends for an election party. On my way NPR gave me the good news. Barack wins! Even typing those words now I tear up. I arrived at the party to share the moment with good friends and my Raymond, which meant the world to me. We hugged each other tight. Our hugs had meaning. See, we've been talking about this candidate and this election in our circle for what feels like forever.
We watched McCain's speech and commented on how a part of us felt bad for him now. Now that the fight is over could we really see the human side of him. We agreed that he's a great man, but it was just not the right time for him. A few people remarked that perhaps 8 years of McCain might have been better than the last 8 years with Bush.
Then, Baracks speech! When he walked out I couldn't help but jump up and down. "That's my President!" I kept yelling. "That's my President!" Because never before has my vote gone to the winning candidate. And, not to mention a candidate I've felt such deep passion for. His speech brought tears to my eyes, I'm not afraid to say. What an awe-inspiring turnout of support, in Chicago, Washington, all around the US and abroad. I didn't want him to stop talking. I wanted to stay in the blissful communal moment with my friends longer. I can't tell you the last time I felt this happy. I know we have a long road ahead, and only time will tell what kind of president Barack will be, but I do know the hope that I have that he'll be a great one and that is what is fueling my joy right now.
When I left the party to head back to work, people were out in the streets with signs, cheering to passing cars, embracing one another, and taking pictures of the celebration going on around them. Car horns, including mine, cheered them on more.
My joy is slightly lessened by the news that Prop 8 is looking like it's going to pass, which would change CA Constitution to ban gay marriage. I live in a gay community, I have gay co-workers, one of which got married when it was legal, and another who hopes to be married one day. I talked to the man behind me in line at the polling place, who said he's never volunteered before or been so involved and that this was a RIGHT he wanted very much. I know their hearts are breaking tonight, so mine is too. I'm hoping this issue comes to a vote again.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

IMDB Love

MAMITAS IMDB PAGE

Scroll to user comments. Someone independently saw the thesis film I edited at a film festival and commented on it's IMDB page! I can't wait to edit the feature!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

How Dare You?

The Colbert Report is kicking ass and taking names!

CLICK on this LINK to see the WORD!

So very smart.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Simply A Brilliant BRILLIANT response to the "Lipstick on a Pig" debacle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adeLtg0_10Q


How long is John McCain going to hide behind silly charges of sexism, simply to distract the American people from his policies? Only time will tell if this strategy will work.

I'm so angry about this vice president choice as a woman. As a woman I'm offended. I would love someone to look me in the eyes and tell me this choice wasn't made simply for political reasons. Go on, tell me this is a fabulous choice for McCain. It's not. Otherwise, she'd be talking policy and doing more interviews...Instead, her rhetoric and the truth don't line up, so she's backtracking all over the place. And, McCain doesn't have to field questions about his own flip-flopping ways, he can hide behind her and her wave-making. Then, when people ask the tough questions, call them sexists. Smart smart move.

She says she will oppose earmarks, but Alaska has asked for MORE earmarks per PERSON than ANY other state. She said she didn't support the bridge to nowhere...but she did, until Congress didn't support it. Then she jumped ship. But Alaska kept that money. Her selection is a joke.

Monday, September 8, 2008

A sampling from a NY Times piece

The Rhetoric and the Reality

A political convention is a license if not to lie then at least to tell the truth creatively. At their quadrennial gatherings over the last two weeks, Democrats and Republicans presented their records and their platforms — and those of their opponents — through typically partisan lenses that blurred or distorted the real picture.Both sides filled the airwaves with dubious claims, exaggerations and selective statistics. Here is a reality check for a sampling of statements made at the conventions.

John McCain

Republican convention speech, Sep. 4

"I will keep taxes low and cut them where I can. My opponent will raise them.”

Reality Check

This drastically simplifies what the candidates' tax plans would do. Mr. McCain would preserve all of the Bush tax cuts, while Mr. Obama would let them expire for those making more than $250,000 a year. Mr. McCain would also double the child tax exemption to $7,000 and reduce business taxes. Mr. Obama would reduce income taxes and provide credits for people earning less than $250,000 a year. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center found that Mr. Obama's plan would amount to a tax cut for 81 percent of all households, or 95.5 percent of those with children. The center calculated that by 2012 the Obama plan would let middle-income taxpayers keep about 5 percent more income on average, or nearly $2,200 a year, while Mr. McCain would give them an average 3 percent break, or about $1,400. The richest 1 percent would pay an average $19,000 more in taxes each year under Mr. Obama's plan but see a tax cut of more than $125,000 under Mr. McCain.


John McCain

"My health care plan will make it easier for more Americans to find and keep good health care insurance. His plan will force small businesses to cut jobs, reduce wages, and force families into a government-run health care system where a bureaucrat stands between you and your doctor.”

Reality Check

Mr. McCain's proposed tax credit of up to $5,000 for families would probably likely help some uninsured and healthy Americans find good coverage, policy experts say. But those with health problems would have trouble, and most plans are more costly than the proposed credit in any case, some analysts add. But workers with employer-provided coverage would have to pay income taxes on the value of their insurance, long excluded from taxable income, to encourage cost awareness. As for Mr. Obama's plan, small businesses currently insuring their workers would benefit from new subsidies. Those that do not insure workers would face new costs. Obama advisers, and some nonpartisan analyses, say these employers would more likely withhold raises than cut wages, and freeze jobs rather than drop workers.


Barack Obama

Democratic convention speech, Aug. 28

"Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I’ve laid out how I’ll pay for every dime.”

Reality Check

Mr. Obama’s health-care plan alone would absorb all revenue from letting the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy expire. He says other big-ticket items — expanded national security, foreign aid, veterans and education benefits — will be offset with savings from leaving Iraq, cuts in subsidies and spending earmarks, and fees for polluting emissions. But the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center has concluded that both he and Mr. McCain “would substantially increase the national debt over the next ten years” —Mr. Obama by $3.5 trillion in the decade and Mr. McCain by $5 trillion.