Hello darlings,
The No on Prop 8 campaign released a new television commercial today, which you can watch here:
If you haven't donated, or you can spare some more cash, we really need it. Do so by click here: noonprop8.com
Here's what do, which is a great suggestion if you're up to it. In a week - this week and maybe next week too, just cut back on luxuries. In a week, what is that? A few dinners out? A few movie tickets or blockbuster rentals? A new table cloth or knick knack? Your Starbucks every day.
If you've noticed, I haven't had a haircut in 2 months. I have not had dinner out this whole month, and unfortunately I made my dog sacrifice as every week I forgo buying her the beloved bones she adores (I finally caved this week). I was looking to buying a new air purifier for the house - didn't. I wanted to go to a few fundraisers in our community this weekend, won't (that's $300 right there). I wanted to buy a few pumpkins and Halloween decorations, didn't (bought one little pumpkin for $1.99) Basically, if I manage to stay out of Whole Foods for a whole week, that's $200 right there!
By the end of just two weeks, how much is that? Remember Gandhi did a HUNGER strike! Some people are giving up their VACATIONS! All I'm giving up is the few things I mentioned. If you do this too, how much could you donate?
For some folks it's $100, for some folks it's $800. In just one or two weeks.
So consider this. It's actually kinda fun. Try it, seriously. It makes you feel good too. You can feel like... yeah, I'm sacrificing but it doesn't really HURT. And what I'm doing is helping make life easier for lgbt young people in this country. Considering the tragic turn of events last week in Civil RIghts with the McCain ads, it also helps end discrimination. Because seriously, SERIOUSLY, I'm kinda sick of it all. No group should be discriminated against. This is America.
That is how I was raised. By immigrant parents in a country that is RICH with a variety of peoples and cultures. Where you can be anything you want to be as long as you try. I'm not a rah-rah Obama fan like most, but his story is so similar to my own that is infuriates me when he is under attack for being elite.
Where I was raised - in a community of African Americans, Jews and Cubans - everyone strove to go to college and become someone. Our joke used to be if you were white and Christian in our school, you were the minority. And guess what? It was fucking awesome. Going to friends' houses, how much did I learn about different religious rituals and cultures? It was always fun and interesting.
I got a great comment on my blog yesterday that said that the McCain supporters are giving white trash a bad name, so I will say this. I was also raised around white trash. And they were awesome too. Granted, a small trailer home was shocking and odd to me, but I learned how to chew tobacco (yeah, come on, ya gotta try it just once) and I learned how to "clog" at the local country western place, which was fun. Of course, none of these guys were beating any body up or spreading hate, and actually went off to college the lot of them and became business professionals.
It was such a kick to go to my friend's house for Christmas eve, where in her latin culture, it's a huge Christmas party that kicks off at midnight. My other WHITE WHITE friend and I so enjoyed the short grandmothers and aunts all hugging us (they didn't speak a word of English, but we felt they were wishing us warm well wishes), and the big celebration of affection and joy. I thought, yeah, this is kinda the way it should be! I had been raised in such a calm, protestant house!
I also think, like myself, at a young age us white people should be the only white person at a party. At a young age, my best friend was African American, and when her family had parties they invited me over. Yes, I was the only white person there. And yes, at 10 years old, I felt... this is odd. But I looked around at all the great people, beautiful decorations, food, the interesting conversations (her parents were college professors) and you know, there it is. You just learn.
This is the same as it was when I was 12 and attended so many Bar Mitvahs I could recite the Torah. I mean, these are really interesting rituals that if you are not Jewish, you just never see let alone experience. Once again, you can be the only Christian in a huge room of Jewish people. This shouldn't scare anyone. You are getting an incredible opportunity to learn about other people and cultures, and honestly see some pretty cool things.
With all this, now to the point of what bothers me on some of the attacks on Obama. He is being judged for going to an Ivy League college. Like are you fucking kidding me? I'm sorry, but everything my family was about and all the families of the people above that I just alluded to.... all were on that same trajectory. In my family, you were going to go Ivy League. I failed at this, but at least went to decent college.
My African American friends from high school? All went to Howard, and my bf went to Berkley. My Jewish friends - well, they went everywhere, and mostly Ivy league. My latin friend...well, she had to support her mother as well as herself, so she jumped around from college to college. Finally, her brother became a successful accountant and could support them which allowed my friend to finally get her bachelors degree at age 30...from Harvard. My white trash friend - poor guy, his family didn't have a dime. He spent two years at FSU, then with student loans up the ass, he transfered to USC. My other white trash friend (such a red neck) went into the Navy, then on the GI bill completed college and nursing school. I know, NURSING school! But he is an awesome, beautiful person and he has been in that field now for twenty years (and moved back to Texas!)
Now I realize you don't have to go to college to be either smart or a happy member of society. Seriously, a few of the smartest people I know, didn't attend college. But this is all what the fabric of the American experience is to me. You can be anything you want to be, if you try. No one is stopping you. If you beat all the odds and go to a good school, you can just soar. You can soar even if you don't go to school. And your neighbor and fellow Americans are all different than you. Different colors, religions and sexual orientation. And you get to be who you are. Come holiday season, you can celebrate your Catholic traditions, Jewish Traditions or whatever you like in your home, and hopefully welcome others of different cultures and religions to join you.
So you can imagine these haters that have been on the news in the last weeks have really pissed me off. They are un-American and the fact that McCain is courting them, is low.
By the way, no one I have mentioned on this page gave a SHIT when I came out to them as gay. That's not true, one did (one out of what, 50?) He married an ultra conservative Christian woman and they both dived into the church. Although, it was pretty funny to me visiting them as I knew he loved me so much (like family) and I could see it was tearing him up. We never much talked about it as I just thought - this is your problem. Twenty years later (just last year) he called me as his brother killed himself (he had always been messed up in drugs). He told me how much I had meant to him and his brother and family in general (his mother once told me she credited me with he staying off of drugs and going to college) and well... you know, like I said, this is his problem if suddenly this is all for naught because I'm gay. IN fact, I remember their mother begging me to talk to the brother to keep him in college. He was a great kid, and I have wonderful photos of the three of us having great times. But they were involved in the church and under heavy restrictions and judgement. I had told the mother, you just have to love him and let him find his way.
And to pick on Obama! His father abandoned him, his mother abandoned him. He was raised by white people in a white community (that had to be a little isolating and strange for him) and still went to college and also got a law degree, then instead of going to a big company, he went into community organizing. Shame on you for picking on this. He is living the American Dream.
How much time do you spend in the week making life better for you and your family and your community? How much time do you spend a week hating others, or having to put others down to make yourself feel better? If it is the later, you are un American. If you are working for Yes on (H)8, you are a hater. If you go to church on Sunday and someone preaches hate, switch churches.
As someone who has experienced at least in a small way, the fabric of American life, let me know tell you - this is America. If this is your America as well, vote Democrat and vote No on Prop 8.
As far as white Christians using religion for hate, please rent or buy FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO. Brilliant film I feel every single homo and Christian in American should see.
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