Thursday, March 29, 2012

National Organization for Marriage Leaked Memos

When I read the news about the NOM leaked memos, I wasn't sure if I wanted to laugh, cry, or throw-up. To use the language they use to talk about us, I find the members of NOM to be sick and in need of help; I don't hate them, but I hate their chosen lifestyle. I mean seriously, what kind of "pro-family" organization budgets money for this:
Children of same-sex couples and their concerns outreach coordinator to identify children of gay parents willing to speak on camera [$50k plus benefits]……………………..$60,000

I highly recommend reading this entire document, but here are a couple of gems: 
The strategic goal of this project is to drive a wedge between gays and blacks—two key Democratic constituencies. Find, equip, energize and connect African American spokespeople for marriage, develop a media campaign around their objections to gay marriage as a civil right; provoke the gay marriage base into responding by denouncing these spokesmen and women as bigots…
and
The Latino vote in America is a key swing vote, and will be so even more so in the future, both because of demographic growth and inherent uncertainty: Will the process of assimilation to the dominant Anglo culture lead Hispanics to abandon traditional family values? We must interrupt this process of assimilation by making support for marriage a key badge of Latino identity - a symbol of resistance to inappropriate assimilation. 

Monday, March 26, 2012

Obamaville

I love when Republicans try to do pop culture - it's really bad and they get it wrong every time, but it makes for amusing viewing. And what GOP campaign ad wouldn't be complete without doing something totally offensive? Look for the Obama/Ahmadinejad fast cut about midway through...

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Trayvon Martin and Stand Your Ground Laws

This is a good radio interview between Brian Lehrer and Ta-Nehisi Coates on the Trayvon Martin case (or lack thereof!) and "stand your ground" laws. According to the interview, there are approximately 15 states that have SYG laws in place. Couple that legal insanity with a Concealed Weapons Permit and you end up with megalomaniacs playing Batman who get away with murder.


Monday, March 19, 2012

Contagion

So, I finally got around to watching Contagion last night and I thought it was pretty brilliant. I don't think it did that well in the theaters, because people thought they were going to see an action packed thriller where 90% of the world's population dies. Instead, it deals more with the reality of public health through the eyes of government officials and administrators...i.e. containment strategies, vaccine development, managing public expectations, etc. In other words, conspiracy theorists will find plenty to hate about this film.