Sunday, September 20, 2009

Please Sir, May I Have Some More?

Alright, we're going to do this quickly:
Ahmadinejad still hates Israel, still thinks the Holocaust is like a unicorn and is still in power.  
Do you have gay hair?  I do.  I worry about the implications for my husband, who's bald.
Roughly three to five percent of the U.S. population identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered.  Yet roughly 20-40% of our homeless youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered.  
I wonder why that is?
Could it have something to do with the Values Voters Summit hosted by the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. with speakers like NOM's leader, that fearless defender of inequality, Maggie Gallagher?
If an angel gets its wings every time a bell rings, I wonder if a parent kicks a gay child out of their house every time Maggie Gallagher opens her mouth.
Opponents of President Obama's health care reform often speak of "rationing health care."  That sounds horrific, no?  What if I need something and some government bureaucrat tells me that I can't get it?  Scary.  How about this:  what if I can't afford or qualify for health insurance which ultimately rules out any hope I have of accessing quality health care?  What if?  Well, it's likely that I'd die.  A study shows that 45,000 people die - DIE - each year - EACH YEAR - from lack of access to affordable health care.  I guess that when the opposition speaks of the fear of rationed health care - which, not for nothing, no one has suggested - the fear they speak of is for themselves.  They don't seem to mind that it has already been rationed for millions of others.
An incredible American photographer, the once derided Robert Frank, is having a major new exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Propublica.org brings us the story of Triple Canopy, the private security contractor that replaced the now infamous Blackwater.  The problem?  Their scandal is at least equal to any of Blackwater's scandals.  For example:
Company employees told federal investigators that Triple Canopy swapped booze for weapons and supplies from the U.S. military. They said the company bought guns and other arms on the black market in Iraq. Some worried that the money was flowing into the hands of insurgents, records show.
I hate to be redundant, but just to make this perfectly clear, there are people in this country who are opposed to their tax money going towards someone else's health insurance, but not towards the funding of guns that will be aimed at our very own servicemembers.  I know I'm prone to exaggeration - to sarcastic flourishes that I find funny - so don't take my word for it:
"We're spending a lot of money on these rifles, millions of dollars -- where do you think that money is going to?” Ronald Boline, a former Triple Canopy manager, said in a lawsuit depositionvideotaped in June 2007. “Who are we supporting in doing that? We're supporting people who are trying to kill Americans is the logical conclusion."
I don't know about you, but I feel safer.
Bill O'Reilly is deeply concerned that someone might be teaching children not to bully other children who are perceived as gay.  I can understand that.  As a parent you don't want all the hard work and energy you've put into teaching your child to hate in the name of religion undone by some teacher.
There's so much more to talk about tonight.  I wish I had more time.  But I have to wrap it up.  So I'll leave you with my favorite person, Michele Bachmann.  She's not only concerned that Obama is going to ration our health care, she's concerned that Obama is going to ration our food.  This woman works in the Congress of the United States of America.  Surely if she can get there I can get another job on Broadway, no?
More tomorrow.

4 comments:

AmyWH said...

If she's so worried about how much food Americans will have to eat, why doesn't she invite a bunch of people from a local DC shelter to eat dinner with her one night? Or maybe even some of those Minnesota farmers she knows so well. Wow, Michele Bachmann, you ARE the Biggest Loser. (Don't worry, President Obama will keep up the supply of U.S. lemons for you to suck on.)

OK, wow, I have some really strong feelings about her.

Roger said...

she's certifiable.
and you make a fantastic point. much like health care rationing, she's really worried about HER food being rationed. apparently it hasn't occurred to her that many people in this country already go without enough.

AmyWH said...

One more thing (for now) and then I'll shut up and let this be your blog. Doesn't it seem lately that more and more people feel they get to say whatever they want and then go back and apologize if someone tells them to? I'm not even talking about Kanye West and other entertainment/sports figures. I'm talking about politicians and TV news people. What if every time someone (Michele Bachmann, for example) said some sort of half-truth, I got to stand up and yell, "You lie!" Or maybe the President could do that.

Roger said...

i love comments!!! if you feel so inclined, comment away. audience participation is greatly encouraged!!!!!