Becca's Blog

Don't confuse me with the facts...

Another highly fanciful embroidering upon facts. It's worth clicking through to read the transcript of the debate, including a Democrat calling this crazy woman on her bullshit.

Pam's House Blend: NC: Rep. Virginia Foxx claims GOP led on civil rights in the 60s

h, it's pathetically ignorant, perpetually re-elected NC U.S. Congresscritter Virginia Foxx opening her trap again to contribute batsh*ttery to the public discourse and historical record with the ludicrous claim on the House floor that the Republican party had a progressive record on civil rights and Congress passed legislation in the 1960s without much help from Dems. (Think Progress)

via www.pamshouseblend.com

Once more, with feeling.

A few weeks ago Jane and I grabbed her niece and headed to our county records department, and we got married again, four and a half years after our Canadian wedding. We weren't even sure of the process: It turns out that you have to go through a ceremony and have an officiant complete the license. We figured a civil ceremony would be quick and dry--very bureaucratic. But the vows were quite touching, and Alameda County has a chapel-like wedding room that didn't feel like a sterile government office--it was actually romantic.

We both got a bit verklempt (well, actually, I had tears streaming down my face). It really means so much to me to be legally married to the person I love, in the state where I've lived my whole life.

Afterward we went to a late, festive lunch at the Wood Tavern in Oakland, complete with a bit of bubbly.

We also went to a lovely wedding of a couple that we know, who were also married in San Francisco four years ago, and had their marriage annulled along with all the other same-sex marriages performed in San Francisco. At their ceremony, they said they are afraid of having this taken away from them again, and I know how they feel. 

Californians, please, vote no on Proposition 8.

Open letter to the women of the national Democratic Party

[I have mailed this message to my congressional representatives and the DNCC. Feel free to do likewise... I also donated to the Obama-Biden campaign.]

Please actively stand up to the Republican attempt to define feminism in the discussion of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. She is anti-abortion, anti-gay, anti-gun control, anti-environmental protection, and anti-science. In addition her ethics are dubious, despite her self-characterization as a reformer. Those positions aren’t part of any feminism I recognize. Feminist values are inclusive, egalitarian, serious about social welfare and environmental stewardship, rational, fair, and never demeaning of others.

Sarah Palin is a brilliant political weapon: She wraps discriminatory, regressive policies in a palatable, mediagenic package, and she has demonstrated that she can get off a zinger with the best of them. Not only do cultural conservatives love her, but she also appears to be seducing moderate undecided voters.

On the first Wednesday in September, the Republicans sent out a phalanx of women to loudly decry the sexism of attacks on Palin. The extent to which Palin’s family life is a prism for her policy positions and therefore is fair game for scrutiny is debatable, but the crying of sexist foul was aimed at seizing the discourse, stifling debate, and throwing up a smokescreen to divert attention from what Palin has done in office and would do as vice president. It was a calculated tactic used by the Republican leadership, and they won’t hesitate to use it again.

Shrill, righteous indignation isn’t the style of liberal Democrats, but please quickly, forcefully, and publicly counter these attacks. Don’t let them redefine feminism. We need a strike force of women Democratic leaders to fight the smears and misinformation. Please show the country at this critical moment what true experience and leadership in office—and true feminism—look like.

Sign me UP!

The city of Berkeley will pay to install solar panels on my house? I'm so there.

Influence the presidential race today.

Today is the last day of the financial quarter, and the results of this quarter's fundraising will be make-or-break for some presidential candidates. It's great that we in California will get to vote in an earlier primary--but that's still a year away and the candidate you believe in could be long out of the race by then.

Campaign contributions are political speech, and putting your money where your mouth is today could make a real difference. As a Californian who has long been frustrated by how little influence my vote seems to have, it felt good to take an action that will have some impact.

More like a sinking feeling this time.

Last week the New York courts said, "We can't grant you the right to marry who you love; only the legislature can do that." I had hoped that New York would be added to the list of places that we could be married. Since the laws are a patchwork, I figure we can have a patchwork of licenses and certificates. And it looks like Massachusetts voters will have a chance to turn back same-sex marriage in their state.
--Due to some procedural maneuvering in the Massachusetts legislature, consideration of the constitutional amendment won't happen until November, meaning that it won't go before voters until 2008. While it buys people time to try to change hearts and minds, I'm always made a bit squeamish by this kind of parliamentary stuff. I'd like it better if political advantages were always won on the merits of the issue, not by tabling, or gutting and reintroducing, and the like. I'm a piss-poor Machiavellian. Emotionally, I'd like an "up or down vote" on everything, but I know you have to use every tool available to you, because the other side sure will.

This week the California Court of Appeals is hearing arguments on the constitutionality of the laws enacted by the state legislature and the voters. I'm heartened that the debate has reached this level, and that it will go to the Supreme Court. I just wish it was going to be easy.

I love the Bitch.

She's so cool--and the fact that she knits is purely a bonus. I recommend adding her to your newsreader. I was tempted to post a pointer yesterday to her post about Cecilia Fire Thunder establishing a family planning clinic on her reservation in South Dakota, but I was tongue-tied by my usual doubt that I could say anything that wasn't derivative and lame. If your interests extend to parenting, or the intellectual or political life of the country, or academia, or being female, she's worth a read.

Wondering what else you can do?

You can give blood. There was a shortage anyway (it happens a lot in the summer), but with the destruction and lack of power in hurricane-affected areas, the shortage is that much worse. Wherever you are, you can help.

I walked the talk, people. Yesterday I made a special trip into the city (BART *and* the bus!) and gave blood.  I was heartened to see that the blood bank was very busy--and ashamed to see from my card that it's been five months since I gave last.

Later today, I think I'm going to drop some petty cash at my local Salvation Army store, and get off my ass and list some books and DVDs on half.com, to turn some stuff back into money to donate.

More detail on marriage in Canada.

It looks like the Liberals will be able to bring this to a vote within a couple of weeks. I'm sending a check to Marriage Equality Canada today, and if the bill passes, I'm breaking open the last bottle of champagne left over from our wedding.

BTW, lest you think that I just whine about my own country and pine to join our mellower neighbors to the north, before California's AB19 was voted down two weeks ago I was on the phone to wavering legislators. I'm actually pretty amazed that the bill made it to a full vote of the Assembly, and I'm in awe of Mark Leno's energy and persuasiveness.

I don't always go to the SF Pride parade, but I'm damn well going this year. I feel the need to celebrate the small victories, and let my freak flag fly in defiance of those who'd like to see me and my kind erased.

I must have the DVD.

I found some good news (I think), and wanted to post about it to balance out this morning's rant: SF Gate is running a story stating that the Canadian government is closer to making same-sex marriage legal nationwide. In other words, the Canadian government didn't get dissolved last night. I'm somewhat skeptical on whether that means the law will actually come up for a vote. But still, a little bit o' hope.

While I was searching around for more details from a news source closer to the, uh, source, I found this: My Fabulous Gay Wedding. I would so be emigrating right now, if it didn't mean I'd need one of them same-sex divorces.