Here are some thoughts I’ve gathered, though:
- I still smile when I hear Barack Obama called “president-elect.” I like the sound of that. Yeah, yeah, lots of work ahead, blah blah. I’m still smiling.
- The passage of Prop. 8 is not the end of the fight for civil rights in California. I keep hearing words like “repeal” and “sue to overturn,” which are two different things. I need to do my homework on this because as much as I want equal rights for same-sex couples, it gets tricky when you’re talking about overriding the “will of the people.” (That’s in quotes because I think it was more the will of well-moneyed religious groups—ahem, LDS—that swayed voters who were unsure of how they really felt.) I do believe that it’s unconstitutional for the rights of any citizen to be curtailed by popular referendum, and that’s what happened here. In which case the California Supreme Court absolutely deserves to decide on this case, as the ultimate protector of the state Constitution. Cheers to all the protesters keeping this issue alive!
- Flu shots make you feel funny and make it hard to raise your arm to hold onto the subway bar.- There are still fancy, musty old Midtown restaurants that will give the check to the man even though the woman is obviously the one paying (i.e. is the boss). And where they still think people have booze at business lunches. If only.
- Also, apparently outside my circle of friends and acquaintances—where the men are unquestionably respectful and enlightened (except Repino)—there exist guys who think jokes disparaging to women are hilarious and that the opinions of females can be ignored. I guess I don’t get out to singles bars much, or I fear I’d meet more of these morons. No, thanks. Guys like these do seem to have money, though, so that’s intriguing….
- James Barbour is dreamy. Did I mention that?
6 comments:
I cannot believe Prop 8 passed! I thought California voters were more enlightened than that. Who ever would've thought New England would be the region leading the country on social issues?
Not at all surprised about the bans in Arkansas and Florida, however. They were part of the country most resistant to racial equality; it'll take them a while yet to begin to consider this issue with any degree of open mind.
I totally agree with you about the idiocy of curtailing rights with a popular referendum.
If 51% of us vote to make Mormons drink at separate water fountains, does that make it constitutionally right?
As soon as this goes to the courts we'll have people up in arms about so-called "activist judges." Which is just another way of saying they don't understand the principles on which the country was founded.
Obviously Shawna has never been to Central California...
But then again, neither have most people here in LA.
"Where are you from? Central Cal? Is that near Santa Barbara?"
No, no it's not.
I think the government being involved in any way with who anyone is with is totally unnecessary and inappropriate. We should take the state out of all marriage, gay and straight, and move on.
*laughing* Well, you're right about me not knowing California that well, Eric--it's been about 20 years since I last visited the Bay Area and nearly 25 years since I lived there. (Wow. That makes me feel old.) So my perspective on Californians' social views comes mainly from the Californians I know here and from what I see in the news. It seems to me that California is usually in the forefront, if not leading the way, on most social issues. Sounds like you live in one of the areas that doesn't feel that way!
Although--ooh, sinking feeling--I have a relative who still lives in the Bay Area and is rather conservative. I would bet money he voted in favor of Prop 8. Damn.
As I commented before, CA voters were totally idiotic this year. *Rolling eyes*
And, C, I have to agree that it IS unconstitutional to deny rights to anyone. That was why I questioned how Prop 8 even got on the ballot, considering the court had already overturned denial of marital rights to gays. I obviously am missing a step here. Or apparently, lack the illogical political common sense.
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