Thursday, June 27, 2013

Paula Paula Paula

What a week for news it has been!  Between Snowden, Supreme Court rulings, the Zimmerman trial, and Paula Deen, it's hard to keep up!  I'm sure all the reporters who were hoping to take a week's vacation in late June have been sorely disappointed.

You know where my priority has been this week in the news cycle...but I've also found myself oddly attached to the Paula Deen story.  I would love to give all of my thoughts as to why I find it fascinating that people care that her show was cancelled (as if she is going to be in the bread line any day now - if for no other reason than she already knows how to bake her own bread...)

Anyway...here's an excellent article by Frank Bruni that says it so much better than I ever could.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/25/opinion/bruni-paulas-worst-ingredients.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130625&_r=0

And to make matters worse for her...Target and WalMart have now dropped Paula.  Yes - WalMart.  When WalMart (a bastion of the South) says we don't want you 'round these parts  - maybe it's time to take a look at yourself a little closer.

Just sayin'...




Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Yes - We Won!


Caden began the day with "did we win?".  He knew his two Dad's were in the kitchen glued to the computer and television.  I know he doesn't completely understand what had us on the edge of our seats - but I do know that he was on our side and anxious to hear an answer.  Yes Caden...we won!

It's not a complete victory, but it's one that has us headed in the right direction.  The federal government  must finally acknowledge that families like mine are real and we're not going away - and we deserve Equality.  Nothing more and nothing less.  That's all this is about really.  It's just the chance to live amongst the same set of rules and responsibilities that apply to all other families in our country.

A day like this can pass for many people with nothing more than a simple nod of acknowledgement or maybe not even noticing the news.  For many others though it provided a chance to celebrate and unfortunately, a chance for some to bring out the same old arguments.  I still don't understand the anti-equality side.  Oh - I get that they don't like it and that most of their arguments are based in fear and ignorance, but from a legal stand point I've never been able to figure out why they think they have a dog in this fight.  And today, the Supreme Court basically said the same thing.  In so many words, they were told that they aren't being harmed by same-sex marriage and thus they can't keep it from happening (as it relates to the Prop 8 case).

I have never understood their tired old argument about "every child deserves a mother and father". Huh?  How is that relatable to the issue of same-sex marriage today?  Aren't they aware that same-sex couples are able to be full joint parents today!  (Not in every State though.)  And I'm not just talking about pretending to be parents...I mean full legal parental rights.  I'm part of one of those...and we aren't even MARRIED!

The heartening thing about today is that although those nay-sayers voices were still heard...they were drowned out by us victors.  I have a feeling those lesser voices will soon become smaller and smaller (based on the indications of people in my own family) and although they will always be present, will be considered a sad fringe element in the near future.  (and we always like to have sad fringe elements around to help with blog posts.)

Our day began in the kitchen and pretty much wound down in the kitchen.  This time it was with balloons and champagne for the adults in the family and a root beer for the seven year old boy before heading out for pizza and ice-cream.

We party hard around here!