It's time to send out some "kudos" to.......1. The House--Hhheeeeyyyyyy! The House voted Thursday to make it a federal crime to assault people because of their sexual orientation. Matthew Shepard would be happy. RIP Matthew.
2. SAG (Screen Actors Guild)--The Screen Actors Guild has officially endorsed the National Equality March taking place Sunday, October 11, in Washington, D.C. SAG announced in a press release that members of the guild, SAG's National LGBT Actors Committee, and SAG staff will join with grassroots activists from across the country in the nation's capital to demonstrate support for passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and the Uniting American Families Act as well as repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. SAG members who have individually endorsed the march include Annette Bening, Neve Campbell, Gavin Creel, Wilson Cruz, Alan Cumming, Dana Delany, Joely Fisher, James Franco, Mariska Hargitay, Helen Hunt, Chad Lowe, Camryn Manheim, Ewan McGregor, Sir Ian McKellen, Julianne Moore, Kathy Najimy, Peter Paige, David Hyde Pierce, Anthony Rapp, Meg Ryan, Hilary Swank, Jennifer Tilly, and Marisa Tomei.
And finally...I saved the best for last.....
3. FAMILY--This past week, I was thoroughly reminded of how fortunate Dora and I are to have our family....Eva Dominguez, Rain Garcia, Josie and Jabier Hernandez, Amy Veliz, Betty Gamboa, as well as the rest of the family members AND our friends in Tomball, Texas, who are like family to us, Cindy Welch and Jana Moore, the women of the hour!!! May all of you get back what you have given a million, billion, jillion, trillion, zillion times over!!!!! And you will! get it back because you have truly invested in your karma. And the karma gods are watching! Once again....THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU!!!!!!!
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Another year, another Nobel Peace Prize winner...congratulations to President Obama. But there has been so much fuss about Obama being awarded the prestigious prize by the committee. Some have stated, "It's too soon." Others have said, "He hasn't accomplished enough." And I can't believe what the right is saying...or should I? Rush Limbaugh called it a "greater embarrassment" than losing the Olympics bid for Chicago. Glenn Beck called it a "participation trophy." (Disclaimer: I don't ever take anything these two clowns say seriously, as I think they are complete idiots!)
What do I think? Well, I think there are two obvious points: (1) this is premature and (2) this is deserved. I don't think Americans are fully aware of how negative this country's reputation had sunk under the Bush-Cheney regime. The world's view of America since Obama's inauguration has made a complete turnaround. Granted, this has yet to bear real fruit, but do we not see the possibilities? Come on people! He's addressed quite a bit of issues--climate change, women's equality (remember the passage of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Act in January?), nuclear proliferation, torture, gays in the military, health care reform, the economy, and foreign relations. Does he have a lot to do still? Abso-fucking-lutely! But come on, the previous administration left the country in tatters.
More than anything, Obama has restored America's prominence in international diplomacy. He has reached out to the Muslim world. Remember the speech addressed to the Muslim world in Cairo, where he stated, "America is not at war with Islam"? (June 4, 2009)
Let's be honest. The right wing has never really liked the prize. Their vision of a peaceful world is essentially a Roman one: the eagle victorious atop crushed 'enemies,' a fearful prospect to allies and rivals alike. Oderint dum metuant = let them hate so long as they fear. Sound too much like the previous administration's arrogant attitude? But this is not really peace, is it? So if anything, Obama deserves the recognition for repudiating the imperial course laid by W and his idiot cronies.
I have also read the argument that the committee would never have given the prize to Ronald Reagan, giving it instead to Gorbachev. Excuse me!!! Hello!!!! Gorbachev did more than Ronnie Reagan!!! "Out-of-touch" Reagan vetoed the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1985, an act that would have significantly helped South Africa! And let's not forget how his administration brokered illegal arms deals for hostages with...guess who...IRAN!!!! (Iran-Contra Affair)
I like what my former professor, Dr. Derek Catsam, wrote in his blog about the prize and why Obama should accept it, regardless of what others have said about not accepting it. He wrote: "Take the prize as a gesture of the peace we want and use it as whatever leverage you can to succeed in bringing about peace or at least a world that resorts to diplomacy first rather than last." Indeed!
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