Morning Reads

Read # 1
This from Ellen Goodman, who I enjoy reading on occasion. She had this to say about the Ted Haggard issue.

Haggard’s deception and repulsion are, in some ways, lagging indicators of changing attitudes and science. Thirty years ago, only 13 percent of Americans thought homosexuality was inborn while 56 percent thought it came from the way people were raised. This year, for the first time, more Americans believe that homosexuality is inborn (42 percent) than due to upbringing (37 percent). More gays, more friends, families, co-workers have come to believe that gayness is not a choice, let alone a sin. (source)

Everyone has an opinion of the hypocrisy of people who live double lives. I suppose my feeling is this: do what you want to do with your life. Not a problem, but don’t do harm to others while you are doing it. Think just a bit, before you compare gay men with the likes of pedophiles and murderers, what effect that will have on a 15 year old gay boy who is trying to decide if he has any other option except for suicide. That is what I have against people like Ted Haggard. Hopefully, those kids will find a better role model than that.

On the up side, I thought the statistic was very interesting.

Thirty years ago
13% - homosexuality is inborn
56 % - comes from how you were raised

2006
42% - homosexuality is inborn
37% - comes from how you were raised

Why? Very simple. As Ellen Goodman put it, “More gays, more friends, families, co-workers have come to believe that gayness is not a choice, let alone a sin.” For Ted Haggard’s sake, I hope that he learns that lesson as well.

Read # 2
Give it up Romney, ya loser. Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney held a rally a few days ago to spur folks to vote down marriage equality, AGAIN. It’s political pandering. He’s not running again for Governor and has his eye on the presidency. A Mormon President? I don’t know. I think that may be right up there with having a gay President, as far as the American public is concerned. But I’ve been wrong before. Religion aside, I think he’s too far right for this country right now - especially for the next presidential election two years from now, when we will still be in Iraq. Will the people want a Republican president?

On the up side, the sky has not fallen on Massachusetts since gay marriage has become the law in their state.

Romney’s office yesterday sent packages to the homes of 109 pro-gay marriage lawmakers -- 16 of whom are in the Framingham, Milford, Waltham and Dedham areas -- who recently delayed voting on the measure.

Targeted lawmakers slammed the outgoing GOP governor for trying to appease national voters as he weighs a run for president.

“It’s interesting that he’s putting the full court press on now when I’ve never heard from him on this matter before,” said state Rep. Alice Peisch, D-Wellesley, rejecting Romney’s argument that she and 108 lawmakers violated the constitution.

“If he thinks that I haven’t read the constitution, particularly the part that’s applicable to constitutional conventions, he’s wrong,” Peisch said. “I don’t need him to tell me what the constitution says.” [...]

“I’ve already read the constitution many times and (Romney) does not have a legal leg to stand on,” said state Rep. David Linsky, D-Natick, one of the 109 lawmakers sent copies of the constitution. (source)

Read # 3
I’m not sure I agree with this article. I think all of us feel added stress and feelings of loneliness and isolation over the holidays, especially. We are all going through it. When having these feelings, do what I do, eat chocolate, preferably on chilled strawberries with very good Champagne!

GLBT folk are more likely than their heterosexual counterparts to worry about money, have concerns about their health or admit to feeling lonely. (source)

Read # 4
Syria and Iraq are to restore diplomatic relations, after a break of more than 20 years. Of course they are. Now, they both have an enemy bigger than each other: The United States. I’m so happy that we have less terror in the world now that we have gone into Iraq to destroy those weapons of mass destruction that didn’t exist, and to fight/destroy Iraq where terror came from, except that it didn’t come from there. I know... details. At any rate, I would like to personally thank President George Bush for making the world a much safer place for all of us.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said on Tuesday the US was trapped in Iraq and had to find the right time to leave without causing even greater chaos.

“The US is in a way trapped in Iraq, trapped in the sense that it cannot stay and it cannot leave,” he said. (source)

Read # 5
And speaking of President Bush, he did make it to Vietnam... FINALLY... just not when the war was going on. He was “busy” at the time. I guess better late than never.

Read # 6
And in Indonesia, where his visit spurred demonstrations, the President said that he welcomes criticism as the hallmark of freedom, “a sign of a healthy society.”

Well, it must not have been that healthy. Because of security concerns, he quickly left Indonesia for a 10 hour plane trip to Hawaii, for his safety. At least, that was CNN’s excuse for the quick departure.

Final thoughts...
I love the seat warmers in my car
I love the Beethoven Violin Concerto
Looking forward to cooking Thanksgiving Dinner, and how very lucky I am to have Kent and my cats in my life. I truly have a wonderful family. I once told Kent that if I were back in college, and had known then how difficult our families would have made it for us, I don’t know if I would have chosen him for my partner. Well, at the time, I was depressed about the last visit from his parents. But then I realized that the problems that our families create for us are not our problems. We are together because of our love for each other, and everything is outside of that. So, I’d like to say that I absolutely feel honored to have Kent as my soul mate, and I’m so very lucky that he’s in my life.