Marriage on the Rocks

Sad. It really is the only descriptive word necessary for this moment in time.

Maine voters went to the polls yesterday and repealed an enacted law that allowed gays and lesbians to marry. What makes this turn of events particularly difficult to swallow is the fact that my partner and I had talked about getting married there this coming summer (he used to live in Bar Harbor for seven years).

All we want is to be able to quantify our relationship. We already wear rings on our fingers. We believe we are married in God’s eyes (please, if you have differing opinion, don’t roll yours). But our love for each other doesn’t provide us with the benefits our heterosexual friends receive due to their having one single sheet of paper…a marriage certificate. Think about this: Without that sheet of paper I have nothing; no legal standing to keep me in my home or pass along property; no visitation rights or medical decision-making in the event of a catastrophe.

I am saddened that there are still so many people out there who truly believe that marriage is to be reserved for a man and a woman. Their convictions—often based on scripture—drive them to believe that giving homosexuals the opportunity (I don’t want to call it a right) to marry will somehow degrade the sanctity of marriage. It seems to me that a better use of time for marriage activists is to prop up heterosexual marriages, too many of which end in divorce.

I can only shake my head in wonder as to how some people can interpret the union of a loving couple as degrading the sanctity of marriage. In my opinion, it can only enhance.

No matter how you slice it, those defending the sanctity of marriage and protecting the status quo are guilty of discrimination. Definitely, NOT something the Jesus would do.

PALINGENESIS

I try not to be overly political on this page, even though I have great interest in the political process and maintain very strong opinions. That being said, I can’t step away from the keyboard without touching on the headlines: Sarah Palin Named GOP Vice Presidential Nominee. At first glance this might seem like a rebirth or reawakening of the Republican Party, just the simple fact that Republican’s have included a woman on the ticket is quite a leap for the good ol’ boy network—just ask Libby Dole.

On closer inspection, we find it is more of the same. Maverick McCain (not to be confused with Tom Cruise in Top Gun) has really done nothing more than pander to the extremist wings of his party. In a few short days, Ms. Palin’s history has shown her to be a creationist who can been seen in videos declaring that the Iraq war is God’s work, while her requests for pork barrel Federal money outdistances every other state in the union (Ted Stevens must be proud).

Sparing readers of the tawdry details of her under-aged daughters pregnancy, this self-identified “hockey mom”—maybe not the best choice of identities, since the father of her soon-to-be grandchild is a high school hockey player—is ardently pro-life, even to the extent of refusing to fund sex education classes that actually teach teenagers about sex rather than abstinence only. Apparently, her daughter missed school the day of the abstinence program.

Governor Palin isn’t the first VP nominee to face mountains of criticism. More than anything, she appears to be the victim of a poor vetting process. Can someone you met twice really be your first choice? She seems to be the last minute sacrificial lamb ala Geraldine Ferraro and Thomas Eagleton (both Democrats for those who keep count of failed VP nominees).

Time will tell if she can handle the pressure of being heartbeats from the presidency, whether she will melt under the scrutiny of the press, or fall victim to Joe Biden in some memorable debate.

Only then will we know if she’s been Quayled.

VEEPSTAKES

Ever since Barack Obama clinched the Democratic nomination for president, there has been a constant stream of rumors and ruminations surrounding his choice of a vice presidential running mate. Pundits and prognosticators filled the airwaves, espousing the merits of experience over gender, geography over values, age versus youth. At each campaign stop that Senator Obama appeared on stage with another politician elicited whispers of “could it be” him/her? Names were bandied about and passed around like mini quiches at a cocktail party. The list was long…and sometimes impressive.

Now that Joe Biden has been named to play attack dog and loyal soldier to Sen. Obama’s above-the-fray oratorio, I can’t help but think there is a better way to choose a running mate….

VEEPSTAKES 2012

Consider this: America continues to be obsessed with Reality TV. Why not provide our voyeuristic and gladiatorial public with another spectacle? I say we round up 12 likely candidates, force them to live together, compete in character challenges (I know, it’s a political oxymoron), and vie for the title of Vice Presidential Candidate. You’d see backroom politics in the flesh as coalitions and alliances form, while two-faced insincerity and back-stabbing raise their ugly heads.

This political extravaganza is sure to provide viewers with insight. And I’m certain that at the reunion show the “fan favorite” will not be in the studio waiting to compete for the finals, because in politics nice guys really do finish last.

You're Invited

We’re just about to throw a party. There is so much that one must prepare for when welcoming guests into your home: menus, decorations, and the guest list.

Oh yes, the guest list. You have to invite plenty, because you never know for sure who will show up at your doorstep. Invitees this year run the gamut from dormouse to destroyer.

It goes without saying that we have some friends who will do everything in their power to pump up the volume and transform our humble home into to swirling sensation. Cristobal, Sally, and Edouard have the capacity to turn any boring evening into a total blast.

Then there are those who we love, who will blend into the background. You could almost sense their waning energy the moment they make their way into your neighborhood. Kyle, Vicky, and Laura are all pleasant, but even if they screamed throughout the night, they wouldn’t wake you from a sound sleep.

Of course you can’t forget to invite the dreaded couples. You know the ones….Love one, but the other half is a complete blowhard. Dolly & Ike and Hanna & Gustav fall into this aforementioned category. The ladies are really sweet, but the guys…sheesh! Both of them are nothing but hot air and we’ve got enough of that here in South Florida.

Wilfred, Teddy, Paloma and Rene have been invited, but I think that they might be cruising around Cozumel. While Nana & Omar would love to drop in and join in on the fun, they seem destined for the Bahamas. Josephine & Marco on the other hand are almost certain to make their presence known in a big way.

Our own Debby Downer, Fay, is likely to show. It’s not that we don’t like her, but she does have a habit of raining on everyone’s parade. This year I’d really rather not get drowned by her special recipe of retribution.

There is one other who, though I’d like for him to show, also kind of scares me the most. Arthur is the practical joker of the group. Just think of Paul Lynde in Bewitched. He just loves to come at you from so many directions that your brain is left spinning with thoughts of where he will strike from next.

So the partying begins June 1st. Yes, hurricane season is upon us. Who from the guest list will show up? Who will wreak havoc? All I know for sure is that we have six months of watching the Weather Channel ahead of us, wondering when Big Bertha will pummel us.

Fascinating...

There are so many things in this world that hold the capacity to fascinate:

• pollen-laden flowers
• sea shells rolling onto shore
• leaves turning color
• clouds in the sky

Babies can shift their entire focus to one thing for hours. Notice the look in their eyes upon the discovery of their own toes. The world around them melts away into the background of consciousness.

I still have a child's eye. It hasn't been lost in this darkened attic of adulthood. It remains fresh; sensitive as an iguana's tongue.

Recently, I've noticed something. You see, working in a bank, I handle plenty of money on a daily basis. Take a close look at our paper (or should I say linen) money. The newer engravings of the presidents/officials cast some eerie effects. If you count enough money, you will begin to notice the eyes--they stare back at you. More often than not, it is a benign gaze. But at times, there is a demonic glare looking up, haunting you, taunting you.

Some have said that "money is the root of all evil." I'm not so sure they aren't far from the truth.

Fascinating.

Around the Bloc

We've wandered deeply into a most historic presidential primary season. Still alive and vying for supremacy three candidates who would in turn, if elected, become the first woman, first African-American, or oldest first term elected president of these United States.

At varying times, the campaigns have appeared genial, opportunistic, biased, out-of-touch, and downright ornery. Pandering is the norm, even as this country faces the worst economic crisis in decades and a continuing war that has now eclipsed the Revolutionary War in duration. "Major addresses" lead to non-substantative proposals. Or, as John McCain put it during a recent town hall meeting on healthcare..."Get out and walk. Watch your diet. That's the best insurance."

Throughout this process, I've made some interesting observations:

• Pundits declared that for North Carolinians the economy was "overwhelmingly" the deciding issue. They failed to mention that Sen. Obama won with 91% of the African-American vote.
• I continue to hear people say that the protracted Democratic race is bad for the party. Personally, I'd rather have the most exciting convention in my lifetime, than listen to an anointed candidate (John McCain) attempt to remain relevant.
• Speaking of John McCain, did you know that 25% percent of Republican voters in Indiana and North Carolina cast their ballots for other candidates? I can't help but wonder if those same voters will sit out the general election.
• Senator Obama has yet to win a major state...Seems to reason why his electibility is being questioned.
• If uniting the country is so important, why hasn't Barack Obama fought to have disenfranchised voters in Florida and Michigan reinstated? Oh right, they are major states that he probably wouldn't win.
• With Florida in mind, the Democratic primary (which isn't going to count) had a record turnout of voters. Nevermind who won or lost. Because of Florida's leapfrogging of the system, candidates did not campaign in the state. That means no appeances, no bus tours, no fly-ins, and, most important of all, no annoying political ads. If it were up to me all campaigns would be run this way.

Enough of the politics...forget Red State vs. Blue State...Red wine & blueberries are much more to my liking this evening.

You can Bank on It

Currently, I work as a teller in a bank. Following three months on the job, there is one thing that I am certain of...it is not my life's calling. I took the job as a way of getting my foot in the door, hoping it would lead to a better position in financial services. In a short time, though, I have been reminded over and over again why I am not really cut out for the corporate world.

In the best of worlds, I would leave this daily drudgery. The reality is much harsher.

The job market here in South Florida is becoming increasingly tight. Unemployment rates are nearing 5%, which doesn't take into account those who have run out of their benefits and have all but given up home (only recently, I was close to being one of these forgotten souls). Competition for decent paying jobs is stiff.

My branch also happens to be home of the area HR recruiter. So I see firsthand the changes. When I first started work, there might be 5-10 people taking job assessments per week. This past week, more than 30 people (from seemingly all walks of life & levels of experience) took these tests.

People are worried, and rightly so. South Florida is classified as a "soft" economic territory. Hard hit by the sub-prime loan crisis, hundreds of home are being lost to foreclosure. Tens of thousands more are on the market where values have plunged by more than 25% in the past few months. Many would leave the area, but are stuck with mortgage principal worth more than the price they can reasonably get when selling their homes.

It doesn't look to get any better in the near future.

So, for now, I am just thankful for a job...any job.