The Hangover, Part 2

Ok, I'm a little calmer today, but a promise is a promise. We've covered the alarming results in Oklahoma, but so many other disturbing things happened on Tuesday. Let's make Human Rights our theme for the day....

1) Iowa votes out ALL of the Supreme Court Justices up for re-election just because they ruled in favor of gay marriage.... seriously? Those positions are always a rubber stamp in election season because frankly no one ever pays attention to what the Iowa Supreme Court is doing unless it has to do with gays or guns (imagine the press surge if they were talking about giving guns to the gays!) Again with the fear-mongering! I would be way more respectful of the decision to oust the entire court if the people that voted for it could list me 2 other rulings each of those justices had made, but I would lay some money down that they can't. But more importantly, what happened to us as a country that we are trending towards REMOVING rights? I know I am not subtle about my gay rights beliefs, but this is becoming a human issue, not a sexual preference issue. We are fighting about the right to committ to someone and have that relationship legally protected. No one is trying to outlaw straight marriage, so opponents' rights are not on the line here. It is troublesome to me how threatened people get by the choices other people are making that don't even affect them at all. Nothing will up voter turnout like a good gay-bashing referendum, and still we puzzle over increased suicides and cries for help. I had to choose between my job security and my belief about gay rights just one time, and I have never questioned my decision... I hope the same is true for the 3 judges that lost their jobs for their integrity this week.

2) Oh, Arizonia... you are such an enigma. Here is what you accomplished this week: hunting is now a constitutional right, affirmative action is now illegal, but medical marijuana is now legal... ???? I am a little confused (I'm not actually, but that sounds nicer than I think you're dumb and I should stop saying that about the entire state), you made the effort to ensure the rights for guns and drugs but took away the rights of the minority and still are unapologetic for what you have done to the rights of the immigrant. It is starting to look like you love freedom as long as it is only granted to the people who look, act, and believe exactly like you do.... do you get how elitist that looks to the rest of us? Some rights are more important to be in the constitution than hunting, for example: the right to due process, the rights of search and siezure, the right for equal employment opportunity, and even the right to be non-white or non-male in Arizona. You can check out those rights in the constitution that the rest of us believe in. Just sayin'

3) I was going to keep going, but some of the irritation is coming back - so lets save a little of my self-righteous ranting for tomorrow.... just 2 more years until we get a chance to try this again.