Hey...just wanted to say hi to everyone. I haven't been keeping up with this thing like I thought I would. Anyway, I hope everyone is well. Chat soon.

K

Hey...its been a while since I posted a blog.  I am sorry about that.  I wanted to say a blog that was written by my partner of 8.5 years.  He is an amazing writer and every time he writes something I become inspired.  The topic matter is a little controversal, but I want to hear your feedback not only on the writting style, but the topic matter as well...thnxs...

Marriage Equality Brings out Worst in NJ Politicians

The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled that the rights and privileges of marriage can no longer be denied to committed same sex couples.  The Court has left it up to the Legislature, however, to determine whether to call this “Marriage” or some other ‘equivalent’ term.  The difficulty with this ruling is that there is no possible expression that could be considered equivalent to “Marriage”. 

Everyone knows what marriage means.  It is intuitive, obvious, culturally engrained. Two people who love one another very much chose to live their lives together. They are committed one to the other.   When a child says, “My parents are married” it carries with it enormous significance.  Imagine yourself in the place of the child of a gay or lesbian couple. Consider how you might feel telling your friends or teachers that your parents are not married; they’re ‘civilly unionized’.  The distinction is instantly apparent and visceral.  The very act of establishing a separate term (and status) for gay and lesbian couples is innately discriminatory. 

Why then, do so many in the New Jersey Legislature refuse to see this difference?  Senate President Richard Cody has indicated a desire to quickly push through discriminatory Civil Union legislation.  He is not alone.  Governor Jon Corzine and other members of the Assembly have taken this stance as well. 

A February 2006 Zogby poll of 802 likely voters, commissioned by Garden State Equality, showed that New Jersians favored marriage for gay couples by a margin of 56 to 39%.  Yet Codey says that there is "… a consensus for civil unions." (as opposed to marriage equality).  It is amazing how quickly they determined that there was such a broad consensus.  There has not been a single town meeting or debate. 

Republicans have a long history of resisting civil rights for gay people so their reactionary stance is of little surprise.  Democrats, however, are hoping to feed at both sides of the trough.   When a child says, “My parents are married” it carries with it enormous significance.  Imagine yourself in the place of the child of a gay or lesbian couple. Consider how you might feel telling your friends or teachers that your parents are not married; they’re ‘civilly unionized’.  The distinction is instantly apparent and visceral.  The very act of establishing a separate term (and status) for gay and lesbian couples is innately discriminatory. 

Why then, do so many in the New Jersey Legislature refuse to see this difference?  Senate President Richard Cody has indicated a desire to quickly push through discriminatory Civil Union legislation.  He is not alone.  Governor Jon Corzine and other members of the Assembly have taken this stance as well.   

A February 2006 Zogby poll of 802 likely voters, commissioned by Garden State Equality, showed that New Jersians favored marriage for gay couples by a margin of 56 to 39%.  Yet Codey says that there is "… a consensus for civil unions." (as opposed to marriage equality).  It is amazing how quickly they determined that there was such a broad consensus.  There has not been a single town meeting or debate. 

Republicans have a long history of resisting civil rights for gay people so their reactionary stance is of little surprise.  Democrats, however, are hoping to feed at both sides of the trough.  Having courted gay and lesbian votes to get into office, they are not willing to go to bat for those voters when it counts most.   Theirs is the \nmore egregious position because they are showing themselves to be charlatans.

New Jerseys Democratic leaders know that gay people are quite literally stuck with them.  Where else could they turn?  They know that gay and lesbian voters will never go over to the Republicans.  These politicians chief interest is courting independent voters and moderate Republicans (a dieing breed to be sure).  Why have we have not heard one voice from the Democratic leadership talking about what is ‘right?’  What we have heard instead is a weary chorus of what they think will spin well with voters.  Theirs is the more egregious position because they are showing themselves to be charlatans.  They are playing a shell game with people’s lives, hoping to slink away with their winnings before the audience realizes they're been had.

Wow...its been a while since my last post.  With my promotion at work and other things (positive) things going on in my life, I have been a very busy man.  Living life to the fullest isn't easy, but I am giving it one hell of a try.  I did however, want to pause for a second to write tonights blog because I have something on my mind.  Since starting this blog, I have tried very hard to keep politics and other controversial topics out of here.  I try to keep my blog positive and uplifting.  At times it can be serious, but never controversial or negative.  Tonight will be no exception.  If you figured out the meaning of the title of tonights entry you may already have a good idea as to what I am going to talk about. 

I was speaking to a friend earlier today.  Out of respect for his privacy (and since I didn't ask him if I could use his name) I will not mention who he is.  He is returning from a tour of duty in Iraq.  As I spoke with him I began to ask him questions about his tour of duty.  I asked him what it was like over there in Iraq and what the real situation was.  After speaking with him I began to understand a little bit as to what these troops are going through on a daily basis.  The pain they feel to see one of their fellow soldiers get killed.  How frightened they are on a day to day bases just walking from one part of Iraq to another.  The uncertainty they feel not knowing whats going to happen from day to day.  It got me to thinking.  There are 2 topics that popped into my mind after speaking with my friend.

The first being, that we owe our brave men and women of the military our unwavering support while they are in Iraq, Afghanastan and other dangerous parts of the world.  We also owe them our unwavering support when they return to us here at home.  Whether you are for or against the war in Iraq, whether you support this president or not, the simple fact is our troops are in a very dangerous region of the world.  They are fighting those people that can be seen and those who  operate best unseen.  They are risking their lives to fullfill the commitments that was put upon their shoulders.  They are very brave and are doing the job that many of us would not remotely consider doing.  We must support them and wish for their safe and speedy return home.  One more thing on this topic.  Supporting our troops is one thing, supporting the decisions of this current administration is another.  Having a healthy dialogue on some of the mistakes and misdecisions this administration has made does not make you unamerican and does not mean that you do not support the troops.  It does not send the wrong message nor does it tell the world that we are week.  Open and healthy dialogue whether positive or negative is what freedom is all about.

Speaking of freedom, this brings me to the second topic that I wanted to discuss.  My friend is also a gay military man.  He has served his country with distinction and honor.  Yet he had to do this while hiding a part of himself.  The ban on gays and lesbians in the military is so old and tired.  The arguements used to keep  homosexual men and women out of the military and to throw gay men and women out of the military are not valid and does not hold up to modern thinking.  "Don't ask, Don't tell" is an antiquated solution that needs to be thrown out.  If we look at the state of today's military, people are not lined up outside the recruiting stations begging to join the military.  Allowing homosexual men and women to serve out and proud would not only be a great benefit the military but would show the world that we not only want to bring democracy to the world, we want to bring it  to ourselves.  There are many gay men and women serving in our military already.  They are adding valuable service and expertise and are serving with distinction in many parts of the world.  It is time that they also be allow to serve out and proud.