Choices

Gay people don't choose to be who they are any more than you do, any more than all the other types of people Christians choose to abhor.  Before you get yourself all bent out of shape, name me an atheist who's a homophobe.  Those who are taught not to judge are the most judgmental.  It has something to do with not wanting to believe God would create something you don't like, so you scramble to your Book to pick and choose your justifications to hate.
We need to stop the hate, stop the ignorance and stop the violence; and instead treat people like we want to be treated.  No one would choose a life of ridicule, pain, shame and perhaps worst of all, trying to be someone they're not -- no more than truly devote Christians would choose to be atheists in a world where they were the overwhelming minority.  Right?
So this is my first small attempt to get people to think a little more on this issue, while probably pissing off just as many but hopefully getting people to think about their choices.
So if I still have your attention and you haven't already seen it, I'd ask you to watch this short clip and then read a great blog post by someone who's lived in the closet because of us.
Thanks Mary and Heidi for introducing me to this video:


The blog post I mentioned is written by a friend of mine, someone who treats me with respect and doesn't care about my sexual, religious or any other orientation; and we're still friends because we haven't started treating each other differently since he decided to be himself.  This post, entitled Sunday Morning Hangover, is very well written and insightful, for those of you who care to think about things you don't understand.  After you've read it, ask yourself if you'd choose to be different in a world that truly hates different.

Karl Denninger, Tea Party Founder, Blasts Palin, Gingrich & 'Douchebag' Tea Party Groups

Because if you can get these angry masses to focus on the liberals, the media, the Hispanics and the gay, you can twist them right around backwards. The GOP is brilliant -- they got these people in no time flat to forget who it was that robbed them blind, started the bailouts, let the corporate execs into the watchdog beauracracy, created an economy full of entry level jobs; and thus welcomed these same thieves and liars to the top and in control of their movement.

Watch this great interview between Dylan Ratigan, Karl Denninger (one of the founders of the Tea Party movement) and Cenk Uygur. At the 7:15 mark listen to Cenk say much better than I just did how easily this was done.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

My vote will be for Eliot Cutler

As will probably come as no surprise to those who know how fiercely independent I am, I have decided to vote for Eliot Cutler for Governor of Maine.  In a nutshell it comes down to voting for who I feel can do the best job for the people of Maine and doing the best job for the state takes many forms.  Not only do I feel he is best suited ideologically, has the best skill set and the best breadth of experience but in my opinion he is the only candidate who has any chance from a practical standpoint of affecting the necessary change.  Frankly, being the only moderate in the race, he's the candidate whose plans and ideology are in tune with the vast majority of Mainers.  And although it's a campaign slogan, "Independent, just like Maine" gives you a pretty good idea who he'll represent in the Blaine House.
With Libby Mitchell, while less destructive an option, we know we're going to get more of the same -- not fiscally conservative enough to make the necessary tough decisions and surrounded by a Legislature of like mind.  So I don't expect a sea change in direction.
Paul LePage?  The kindest thing I could say about a potential LePage administration is entrenched bickering with the Democratic majority in the Legislature.  Ideologically I disagree in practically every way with him and while I consider myself moderately conservative fiscally, I'm still a million miles away from him.  And before you assume I won't vote for him because he's a Republican, which I don't think he is anyway, I had pretty much decided I was going to vote for Peter Mills before the primaries.
So in my opinion Eliot Cutler is the only candidate with a legitimate opportunity to get his plans pushed through the legislature, plans that will actually make a difference. 
And I know you're going to say "But aren't you just throwing your vote away?"  "Isn't a vote for Cutler actually a vote for LePage?"  I'll take the last first.  There's much debate about who the undecided voters are and given Cutler's leaning toward being fiscally conservative, I wouldn't be so sure that he'd take more votes from Mitchell than LePage.  If you vote for the person you truly feel is the best qualified, how could that ever be throwing a vote away?  And let me ask you this to chew on:  If I'm right that neither Mitchell nor LePage are change agents for the better, then aren't you throwing your vote away supporting them?
I admit this post isn't big on details but to write a post like that would end up being unreadable.  If you know me, you know I do my due diligence and I don't take the process lightly.  My purpose is to make you curious at least as to why I support Eliot Cutler and then do your own research and make up your own mind.  If you're as intellectually curious as I am, I think you'll arrive at the same conclusion.
And as always, at least get out there and vote.  Don't let someone else make the decision for you.