Let's say I want to base my arguments against cloning using "Jurassic Park" as a source. This is clearly a cautionary tale, that shows us how we should not mess with Mother Nature because Mother Nature will inject a sedative saliva into our muscles, paralyzing us so we can be consumed at leisure by procompsognathus.
Hence, no cloning.
That's pretty much what I hear when someone says that what the Bible supposedly has to say about gay marriage is clear, important, and a basis for lawmaking.
Says one J.P Auer of Albany, Minnesota:
"I think (gay marriage) is certainly a tipping point for Christians who care about this issue... For Christians to ignore this issue is absurd."
Absurd. An interesting choice of words for someone citing a bunch of hand-me-down scrolls and parchments from the 3rd century BCE as evidence for how we should live our lives in 21st century United States of America.
Oh, by the way, That NOM rally happened yesterday in Saint Paul. Here's another quote:
"The family is a profound, beautiful thing and deserves to be protected with all our strength,"--Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage
Applause! I agree with that statement! Families should be supported and encouraged, whatever demographics they represent.
I think it might be that last part where Mr. Brown and I disagree.
There was a peaceful counter-protest by LGBT people and allies, and Mr. Brown went so far as to praise their civility. (Minnesotans are so nice.) Apparently, someone on the LGBT-A side had a sign that read "God Made Rainbows So I Could Catwalk Into Heaven," which pleases me to no end.
For some people, the issue is clear because the Bible is against it. It's an argument that should hold no water with anyone, let alone lawmakers (that whole pesky anti-establishment thing) because the Bible is for a heck of a lot of things that are considered bad ideas. Not to mention that the Bible is a book written centuries ago by random people with their own points of view and agendas. If we get to bring really old books to the law-making discussion, how about Beowulf?
I bet Grendel could teach politicians a thing or two.
P.S. Roseville, Minnesota Senator John Marty (DFL) has a bill in favor of gay marriage, and I say we all give him our support. Even in times of severe budget crisis, our government can find the time to address human rights issues. Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer is, of course, against it, so our upcoming governor's election is incredibly important.
Showing posts with label waste of time. Show all posts
Showing posts with label waste of time. Show all posts
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Willkommen bei Lino Lakes!
Yesterday, a local city council passed a courageous measure, wholly in keeping with the spirit that both founded the United States of America and continues to keep it strong: an "English Only" ordinance.
They say it's a "budget measure" meant to save city funds, which will no longer be spent to translate city documents into any language.
Plus, it's great PR!
Ah, you have to love a nation of immigrants that seeks to actively exclude immigrants (not to mention others). A diverse country that attempts to squash diversity. To be fair, it's not a new thing. It seems not a congressional year goes by when a bill to make English the official language of the United States is not introduced. Other municipalities have similar ordinances. Some states have English as the official language.
It just seems silly to me, and yet another waste of time and resources. It's estimated that 19.6% of Americans speak a language other than English at home. Here in Minnesota, it's 9.6% of the population. They work, they go to school, they participate. They speak Spanish, Somali, Hmong, and Mandarin. They speak French and German. They are neighbors and friends. That was my grandmother, when she was a child, speaking Pennsylvania German at home.
I think it's pretty cool. I love seeing multiple languages in the instructions at a hospital. I like hearing conversations in other languages on the bus and trying to figure out which language it is. It's the shaping of American culture that started centuries ago, and continues to this day. We can think wistfully about days gone by, but the people living in those days were also thinking wistfully of days gone by. And in days gone by, in places like Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware, a whole heck of a lot of people were speaking German. Or Dutch. Or Swedish. Not to mention Mohegan, Anishinabe, and Tsalagi. Or Wolof, Mandink'a, and Yorùbá.
The United States of America would not be The United States of America without the contributions of all these people, and more. The English we speak here would not be the same. All languages absorb and trade from other languages. They change and grow as they are influenced by populations and cultural changes. What is English now was not English even decades ago. Come to think of it, Lino Lakes may have quite a job on their hands. Are they English-only as it exists today? As it was 10 years ago?
This may be a whole new budgetary issue.
2000 Census Brief: Language Use and English-Speaking Ability
They say it's a "budget measure" meant to save city funds, which will no longer be spent to translate city documents into any language.
Plus, it's great PR!
Ah, you have to love a nation of immigrants that seeks to actively exclude immigrants (not to mention others). A diverse country that attempts to squash diversity. To be fair, it's not a new thing. It seems not a congressional year goes by when a bill to make English the official language of the United States is not introduced. Other municipalities have similar ordinances. Some states have English as the official language.
It just seems silly to me, and yet another waste of time and resources. It's estimated that 19.6% of Americans speak a language other than English at home. Here in Minnesota, it's 9.6% of the population. They work, they go to school, they participate. They speak Spanish, Somali, Hmong, and Mandarin. They speak French and German. They are neighbors and friends. That was my grandmother, when she was a child, speaking Pennsylvania German at home.
I think it's pretty cool. I love seeing multiple languages in the instructions at a hospital. I like hearing conversations in other languages on the bus and trying to figure out which language it is. It's the shaping of American culture that started centuries ago, and continues to this day. We can think wistfully about days gone by, but the people living in those days were also thinking wistfully of days gone by. And in days gone by, in places like Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware, a whole heck of a lot of people were speaking German. Or Dutch. Or Swedish. Not to mention Mohegan, Anishinabe, and Tsalagi. Or Wolof, Mandink'a, and Yorùbá.
The United States of America would not be The United States of America without the contributions of all these people, and more. The English we speak here would not be the same. All languages absorb and trade from other languages. They change and grow as they are influenced by populations and cultural changes. What is English now was not English even decades ago. Come to think of it, Lino Lakes may have quite a job on their hands. Are they English-only as it exists today? As it was 10 years ago?
This may be a whole new budgetary issue.
2000 Census Brief: Language Use and English-Speaking Ability
Monday, July 26, 2010
NOM... Utterly un-nommable
The "National Organization for Marriage" or NOM is coming to a city near me! Actually, to my city.
They are rallying to promote marriage between a man and a woman, and they are "bring[ing] their summer tour to Minnesota and Wisconsin this week... The group plans to stop in 23 cities in 19 states before wrapping up with a rally in Washington on Aug. 15"
I bet they have great tee shirts.
Conservative. Nothing too fancy. You know, the kind of thing you can safely wear to any hate-based event you may be attending this season.
These kinds of organizations make me ill. While clearly not a waste of brain cells, they are a waste of time and resources. I am thinking that straight marriage doesn't need any promotion, though with divorced people making up 10.7 percent of the population over 15, it might need some counseling.
Why can't these people redirect their energies into, oh, I don't know, working against economic inequality, fostering unwanted pets, or hosing off oily pelicans? Probably because that wouldn't get as much press. Real, difficult problems don't make headlines, and it's hard to work yourself up into a good, frothy, fear-filled lather over a homeless veteran.
They are rallying to promote marriage between a man and a woman, and they are "bring[ing] their summer tour to Minnesota and Wisconsin this week... The group plans to stop in 23 cities in 19 states before wrapping up with a rally in Washington on Aug. 15"
I bet they have great tee shirts.
Conservative. Nothing too fancy. You know, the kind of thing you can safely wear to any hate-based event you may be attending this season.
These kinds of organizations make me ill. While clearly not a waste of brain cells, they are a waste of time and resources. I am thinking that straight marriage doesn't need any promotion, though with divorced people making up 10.7 percent of the population over 15, it might need some counseling.
Why can't these people redirect their energies into, oh, I don't know, working against economic inequality, fostering unwanted pets, or hosing off oily pelicans? Probably because that wouldn't get as much press. Real, difficult problems don't make headlines, and it's hard to work yourself up into a good, frothy, fear-filled lather over a homeless veteran.
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