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Tag(s): 2008 Elections; California; Connecticut; Discrimination; Equality-Inequity; Florida; LGBT; Marriage Civil Unions; Massachusetts; Race-Racism; (more...) Segregation; Slavery; Voting (less...)
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November 6, 2008 at 17:39:19

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Equality There, Not Here

by Rady Ananda Page 1 of 1 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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We cannot ignore the significance of a person of color holding the highest seat in the nation, if not the world, especially given our history of slavery, segregation and discrimination. The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world, and most of our prisoners are black. We all hope that the top man - being black - will address some of this. And yet we also can't ignore that Obama represents the interests of the status quo; his voting record speaks more eloquently than he ever will. Nor can we ignore that lesbians and gays continue to be excluded from equal treatment under the law, a move supported by Barack Obama.

In Magical Voting Booth Transforms Clearheaded Americans Into Reactionist Morons, the Onion takes a lighthearted look at elections:

A voting booth stationed at the fifth district municipal center in Denver possesses the otherworldly power to transform rational Americans into impulsive and narrow-minded morons, sources reported Tuesday. According to election officials, just by stepping inside the magical booth and drawing its curtain shut, well-informed Americans are suddenly altered, their ability to reason without bias or prejudice vanishing into thin air.

Many in the national election integrity movement were appalled during Obama's Victory Speech when he set back the movement ten years during his story about the 106-year-old black woman who voted when "she touched her finger to the screen... because she knows how America can change." So she thinks, anyway; and apparently so does Obama. But as we've been screaming for years, votes cast or counted on software can be changed without detection. With the New Boss in the White House in apparent denial about an issue that has been headlined repeatedly this year, we have our work cut out for us. This Onion VIDEO took this issue to its ridiculous extreme in Voting Machines Elect One Of Their Own As President.

But Obama does have his finger on the pulse of Main Street, as pointed out in Nation Finally Shitty Enough To Make Social Progress:

Although polls going into the final weeks of October showed Sen. Obama in the lead, it remained unclear whether the failing economy, dilapidated housing market, crumbling national infrastructure, health care crisis, energy crisis, and five-year-long disastrous war in Iraq had made the nation crappy enough to rise above 300 years of racial prejudice and make lasting change.
"Today the American people have made their voices heard, and they have said, 'Things are finally as terrible as we're willing to tolerate," said Obama, addressing a crowd of unemployed, uninsured, and debt-ridden supporters. "To elect a black man, in this country, and at this time-these last eight years must have really broken you."

We know the job he faces will be tough, as articulated in Black Man Given Nation's Worst Job. Said scholar and activist Mark L. Denton, "It just goes to show you that, in this country, a black man still can't catch a break."
And on the Queer Front...

Obama is ambiguous on queer rights; right along with most Americans. While the U.S. now rejects discrimination based on race, it's apparently okay with rejecting equality for same sex couples, according to reported election results. Arizona, California and Florida all banned (again) same-sex marriage in this election.

hat tip to BakedPandaBlogspot.com

Although a same-sex marriage ban was already on the books, Florida's voting machines responded to a Constitutional initiative in this year's November 4, 2008 election by determining that 61% of Floridians are homophobic. They're also ageist, apparently, since the ban will affect senior citizens who live together outside of wedlock, in order to maintain their social security benefits. The language is simple:

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF FLORIDA THAT: A new section for Article I is hereby created to add the following:
Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.

Despite its simplicity, the effects are far-reaching, Judge David Young explains:

The amendment (1) bans any legal union that is the "substantial equivalent" of marriage, (2) would jeopardize the benefits and health insurance that many employers provide to unmarried, heterosexual couples; and (3) puts at risk hospital visitations rights of unmarried couples. The same language has been used in other states to overturn civil unions and domestic partnerships.

Florida may learn from Ohio's experience when it enshrined an unconstitutional domestic partnership ban in 2004 that allows wife beaters to go free because the couple, though living together, are not legally married. The hotly contested Proposition 8 in California is being called for homophobes, despite a CNN poll indicating the issue would be defeated. And although Arizona rejected such a ban two years ago, for some odd reason, the majority of voters purportedly divorced themselves from equality this year.

On the positive side, the Connecticut high court ruled in October that all citizens have full access to marriage, becoming the now-second state in the nation to abide the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Massachusetts allows it; California reportedly rejected it this week). Lambda Legal reports:

In a 4-3 decision, the court stated: "Interpreting our state constitutional provisions in accordance with firmly established equal protection principles leads inevitably to the conclusion that gay persons are entitled to marry the otherwise qualified same sex partner of their choice. To decide otherwise would require us to apply one set of constitutional principles to gay persons and another to all others."

Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) filed suit on behalf of Beth Kerrigan and Jodie Mock in 2004. Eight states currently allow civil unions, and two allow full marriage, according to this Wiki map:

Marriage Map per Wiki commons
Laws Regarding Same-Sex Partnerships in the United States (from Wiki)

Same-sex marriages Unions granting rights similar to marriage Unions granting limited/enumerated rights Foreign same-sex marriages recognized Statute bans same-sex marriage Constitution bans same-sex marriage Constitution bans same-sex marriage and other kinds of same-sex unions

.
Wiki cc - Map showing the status of same sex marriage in Europe

¨€¨€ Same sex marriage recognized ¨€¨€ Civil unions recognized ¨€¨€ Unregistered cohabitation recognized ¨€¨€ Issue under political consideration ¨€¨€ Unrecognized or unknown ¨€¨€ Same sex marriage banned

In 2004, Rady Ananda joined the growing community of citizen journalists. Initially focused on elections, she investigated the 2004 Ohio election, organizing, training and leading several forays into counties to photograph the 2004 ballots. She officially served at three recounts, including the 2004 recount. She also organized and led the team that audited Franklin County Ohio's 2006 election, proving the number of voter signatures did not match official results. Her work appears in three books.
Her blogs also address religious, gender, sexual and racial equality, as well as environmental issues; and are sprinkled with book and film reviews on various topics. She spent most of her working life as a legal investigator for private lawyers, and five years as an editor. She currently serves as a senior editor at OpEdNews.

"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." Tell the truth anyway.

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12 comments

In 2004, Rady Ananda joined the growing community of citizen journalists. Initially focused on elections, she investigated the 2004 Ohio election, organizing, training and leading several forays into counties to photograph the 2004 ballots. She officially served at three recounts, including the 2004 recount. She also organized and led the team that audited Franklin County Ohio's 2006 election, proving the number of voter signatures did not match official results. Her work appears in three boo...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Rady AnandaIn 2004, Rady Ananda joined the growing community of citizen journalists. Initially focused on elections, she investigated the 2004 Ohio election, organizing, training and leading several forays into counties to photograph the 2004 ballots. She officially served at three recounts, including the 2004 recount. She also organized and led the team that audited Franklin County Ohio's 2006 election, proving the number of voter signatures did not match official results. Her work appears in three boo...

to see more of bio, click on member name

secret vote counting

"And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change." ~ Barack Obama, Nov. 4, 2008, Acceptance Speech

She may have cast her vote, but we can never know if it was accurately counted because software - whether running touch screen or optical scan voting machines or tabulators - can be changed without detection.

by Rady Ananda (133 articles, 301 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 1239 comments) on Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 7:07:21 PM

John Ervin is a freelance writer who has written extensively about voting fraud and corporate crimes and he has been the radio guest of Jim Hogue at www.wgdr.org, where he also made his solo debut, a year ago Bastille Day, singing all 7 verses of La Marseillaise. As a member of the American Federation of Musicians (local 4) he has performed as a concert pianist for the French; and he has also recorded for EMI and in broadcasts for the BBC and with the Cleveland Orchestra as a member of its choru...

to see more of bio, click on member name
muservinJohn Ervin is a freelance writer who has written extensively about voting fraud and corporate crimes and he has been the radio guest of Jim Hogue at www.wgdr.org, where he also made his solo debut, a year ago Bastille Day, singing all 7 verses of La Marseillaise. As a member of the American Federation of Musicians (local 4) he has performed as a concert pianist for the French; and he has also recorded for EMI and in broadcasts for the BBC and with the Cleveland Orchestra as a member of its choru...

to see more of bio, click on member name

How the Russian Bear sees US, from the folks at Pravda

It sounds like the editors at Pravda, the mouthpiece of record, for decades, in Russia, have a pretty good grip on our current situation. They haven't drunk our Kool-Aid, but it sounds like they are happy to "hear" from us:

"Only Satan would have been worse than the Bush regime. Therefore it could be argued that the new administration in the USA could never be worse than the one which divorced the hearts and minds of Americans from their brothers in the international community, which appalled the rest of the world with shock and awe tactics that included concentration camps, torture, mass murder and utter disrespect for international law. Yet in choosing Obama, the people of America have opted to come back into the international fold. Welcome back, friends! "

by muservin (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 73 comments) on Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 9:50:36 PM

In 2004, Rady Ananda joined the growing community of citizen journalists. Initially focused on elections, she investigated the 2004 Ohio election, organizing, training and leading several forays into counties to photograph the 2004 ballots. She officially served at three recounts, including the 2004 recount. She also organized and led the team that audited Franklin County Ohio's 2006 election, proving the number of voter signatures did not match official results. Her work appears in three boo...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Rady AnandaIn 2004, Rady Ananda joined the growing community of citizen journalists. Initially focused on elections, she investigated the 2004 Ohio election, organizing, training and leading several forays into counties to photograph the 2004 ballots. She officially served at three recounts, including the 2004 recount. She also organized and led the team that audited Franklin County Ohio's 2006 election, proving the number of voter signatures did not match official results. Her work appears in three boo...

to see more of bio, click on member name

awww... thanks for this

adding to world reaction... RJF posted this from Le Monde:

Sorry, we can’t, par Robert Solé

"Sorry. No column today. The keyboard is not responding. History is a page being turned. Three words on the screen: 'Yes we can.' While it is impossible to joke with genocide or disaster, it is equally impossible to joke with an event that makes you weep for joy. The first worldwide good news since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 needs more than a pirouette or an amused wink. At this moment - but for how long? - we can say with far more conviction than on 11 September 2001: we are all Americans."

by Rady Ananda (133 articles, 301 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 1239 comments) on Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 10:04:03 PM

Currently I'm a cartoonist and contributing writer for The New Orleans Levee. For those wishing to view my work you can see my latest at: nolevee.com
Mr MCurrently I'm a cartoonist and contributing writer for The New Orleans Levee. For those wishing to view my work you can see my latest at: nolevee.com

That this subject is in political arena, is insane to me

How some one's sexuality, or love should be a subject of political discussion for regulation of any kind goes against everything I would believe our Constitution stands for.

Only the most dim and vapid amongst us should care who some one else loves, or what gender they may be. What possible effect this could have on any one's life outside of the one's involved is beyond me. And if there is anyone reading this that can explain to me how it does, please, have at it, I need a good laugh.

This is one of those stupid "wedge issues" breed in small minds of religious zombies that have no merit in an intelligent political discussion.

by Mr M (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 51 diaries, 2037 comments) on Friday, November 7, 2008 at 12:02:12 AM

In 2004, Rady Ananda joined the growing community of citizen journalists. Initially focused on elections, she investigated the 2004 Ohio election, organizing, training and leading several forays into counties to photograph the 2004 ballots. She officially served at three recounts, including the 2004 recount. She also organized and led the team that audited Franklin County Ohio's 2006 election, proving the number of voter signatures did not match official results. Her work appears in three boo...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Rady AnandaIn 2004, Rady Ananda joined the growing community of citizen journalists. Initially focused on elections, she investigated the 2004 Ohio election, organizing, training and leading several forays into counties to photograph the 2004 ballots. She officially served at three recounts, including the 2004 recount. She also organized and led the team that audited Franklin County Ohio's 2006 election, proving the number of voter signatures did not match official results. Her work appears in three boo...

to see more of bio, click on member name

miscegenation, saphristry & other loves

The sexual doings of adults - within the bounds of safe, sane and consensual - falls within the realm of "it's my prerogative."

I was too pleased to find that photo.

thx for your comment, Mr. M

by Rady Ananda (133 articles, 301 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 1239 comments) on Friday, November 7, 2008 at 6:39:48 AM

Josh Mitteldorf was educated to be an astrophysicist, and has branched out from there to mathematical modeling in a variety of areas. He has taught mathematics, statistics, and physics at several universities. He is an avid amateur pianist, and father of two adopted Chinese girls. This year, his affiliation is with the University of Arizona, where he studies the evolution of aging.
Josh MitteldorfJosh Mitteldorf was educated to be an astrophysicist, and has branched out from there to mathematical modeling in a variety of areas. He has taught mathematics, statistics, and physics at several universities. He is an avid amateur pianist, and father of two adopted Chinese girls. This year, his affiliation is with the University of Arizona, where he studies the evolution of aging.

wonderful links

...especially The Onion's view of the election. So far it seems that the news organs with the largest reach that are still willing to tell us the truth about our elections are The Rolling Stone and The Onion.

Thanks, Rady!

by Josh Mitteldorf (19 articles, 64 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 46 comments) on Friday, November 7, 2008 at 7:56:57 AM

same sex marriage in Europe

Compare the state of the law in the US to Europe. Wiki Map

Gay marriage or civil union is authorized in England, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Demnar, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Finland, Norway, Spain, Iceland, Austria and more.

Canada has full marriage for gays.

The only countries with laws on the books banning gay unions are Serbia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Wiki full list of countries and status of gay unions

by Josh Mitteldorf (19 articles, 64 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 46 comments) on Friday, November 7, 2008 at 8:11:51 AM

In 2004, Rady Ananda joined the growing community of citizen journalists. Initially focused on elections, she investigated the 2004 Ohio election, organizing, training and leading several forays into counties to photograph the 2004 ballots. She officially served at three recounts, including the 2004 recount. She also organized and led the team that audited Franklin County Ohio's 2006 election, proving the number of voter signatures did not match official results. Her work appears in three boo...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Rady AnandaIn 2004, Rady Ananda joined the growing community of citizen journalists. Initially focused on elections, she investigated the 2004 Ohio election, organizing, training and leading several forays into counties to photograph the 2004 ballots. She officially served at three recounts, including the 2004 recount. She also organized and led the team that audited Franklin County Ohio's 2006 election, proving the number of voter signatures did not match official results. Her work appears in three boo...

to see more of bio, click on member name

cool European map

thanks for posting this, Josh... I've modified the article accordingly.

by Rady Ananda (133 articles, 301 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 1239 comments) on Friday, November 7, 2008 at 12:12:39 PM

Doug Rogers is a composer and playwright and for many years designed ladies' sweaters. He is now a student again at Empire State College in Buffalo NY.
Doug RogersDoug Rogers is a composer and playwright and for many years designed ladies' sweaters. He is now a student again at Empire State College in Buffalo NY.

Don't let the issue drop

Since there was obviously no theft this time around using touch-screen voting the impulse might be to forget about the issue. That would be a big mistake.

If such shenanigans have indeed been going on, such perpetrators may have chosen to lay low in an election that everyone knew that they weren't going to win. Unless we move agressively to fix the problem while the Democrats are in power it could raise its head in the future if an election comes down to a thin margin.

by Doug Rogers (15 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 120 comments) on Friday, November 7, 2008 at 10:29:42 AM

In 2004, Rady Ananda joined the growing community of citizen journalists. Initially focused on elections, she investigated the 2004 Ohio election, organizing, training and leading several forays into counties to photograph the 2004 ballots. She officially served at three recounts, including the 2004 recount. She also organized and led the team that audited Franklin County Ohio's 2006 election, proving the number of voter signatures did not match official results. Her work appears in three boo...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Rady AnandaIn 2004, Rady Ananda joined the growing community of citizen journalists. Initially focused on elections, she investigated the 2004 Ohio election, organizing, training and leading several forays into counties to photograph the 2004 ballots. She officially served at three recounts, including the 2004 recount. She also organized and led the team that audited Franklin County Ohio's 2006 election, proving the number of voter signatures did not match official results. Her work appears in three boo...

to see more of bio, click on member name

2nd tier races still in question

it's an interesting question - some think the lower tiered races were questionable.

And since ALL software can be modified without detection, we still have no rational basis for confidence in reported results.

So, you're absolutely right that we still need to get these machines outa here.

btw, I'm collecting essays from NY lever voters... will you write one?

by Rady Ananda (133 articles, 301 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 1239 comments) on Friday, November 7, 2008 at 12:15:30 PM

Hater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired
John HanksHater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired

Equality and Democracy are the True Measures.

Equality should be dictated economically. It is more than just "opportunity", which is just hot air. (The useless rich have stolen 90% and it is time to return the swag.) Democracy has to be transparent and it has to come out of a wholesome media environment.

by John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1485 comments) on Friday, November 7, 2008 at 12:47:23 PM

Seeker of Truth
Rob MageeSeeker of Truth

I thought at least California had grown past this Bigotry

"Marriage" is a secular contract between two people and the government which legally bestows numerous benefits and responsibilities on them.

Whether those two people also want to add further overtones to that contract by including a religious institution of their choice, is their choice, but if they ever decide to dissolve that contract (divorce), that legal action is done in a court of law, not a church or mosque, or synagogue, etc.

Allowing same-sex marriage could not conceivably endanger anyone else's particular "flavor" of marriage any more than a Hindu owning a home would somehow diminish a Christian's home ownership.

Marriage does not "belong" to Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Jews, Muslims, Catholics, Mormons, Hindus, Buddhists, etc. Each of these, and flavors within each, have their own ideas of the "approved requirements and behavior" of the married couple.. or in some cases, more than two people under one marriage contract.

Since the single grantor of the right of marriage is the government, which is governed by the Constitution, which guarantees Equal Rights to all, if you accept the Scientific evidence that persons, like a similar small percentage of animals, are born with their sexual orientation set, whether heterosexual, homosexual, or trans-gendered (male "wiring" with female "parts" or vice-versa), then you have to accept that denying these groups, who are what they are with no choice involved, the same access to the secular, legal marriage contract would be a violation of their Civil Rights.

This seems to be the point of contention. Certain religious groups deny categorically that sexual orientation is anything but a choice, classifying it as a sin... thus justifying their treatment of that group. Over time that group of extremists will shrink and become less and less relevant, but in the meantime a lot of wrongs will have happened to a lot of people with no other reason than fear and prejudice.

The religious extremist mantra that marriage is somehow related to the ability to procreate doesn't seem to apply to those couples, like my sister, who is well past child-bearing age, yet fell in love with a man and they were happily married earlier this year. Why deny this to others?

Congrats to Conneticut.

Shame on California, Florida, Arizona, and Arkansas, as well as the Mormon individuals who contributed huge amounts of money to the Proposition "Hate"marketing

We can do better that this, in my opinion.

by Rob Magee (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 12 comments) on Friday, November 7, 2008 at 11:35:45 PM