The Lovely Mona and I were up late last night, watching the returns and waiting to hear President-elect Obama's acceptance speech. I had to get up early for our Wednesday Eucharist with Healing. The mood at the parish was jubilant; people were so happy that Obama won and by such a high margin. People offered prayers of thanksgiving and prayers for Obama and the U.S.A. and several people said "This is the work of God!" Today is also a holiday here in Panama (we're celebrating the day the folks in Colón learned that Independence from Colombia had happened) so I came home right after church. A neighbor came by to congratulate us on our new president. People are very happy about this. Let me tell you, this did not happen in 2000 and 2004!
So just to make sure I wasn't too happy, I visited the reasserters at that blog with a Bible verse for its title. I'm sure you will not be too surprised to learn that they are very sad and see this as The End of the Republic. Posters there actually claim to believe that by electing Barack Obama president, the nation has turned its back on God and will suffer the consequences! Because, you know, God has just been showering the U.S. with blessings for the past eight years!!!/ snark
And while I have very upset that the folks in California decided that its better to make life comfortable for chickens rather than allow Gays to marry (wadda bunch of morons. Why on earth couldn't they agree to both? I am so ashamed of my home state!!!), I think that, overall, the people of the U.S. have rejected the authoritarians. They are tired of being bullied by fundamentalists of both political and religious nature. The folks at the so-called orthodox blogs are going to spend a lot of time rationalizing their loss and trying to explain that people really didn't know what they were doing and actually want to be bullied by mean white men, but it's over. People are ready to move on, people are tired of being frightened into doing what the bullies want, people are simply tired of being told that those at the top deserve everything and that the economy will fall apart unless the poor are extorted to keep the rich on top. Eight years of authoritarian Republican rules, eight years of authoritarian right-wing values and policies have destroyed this country and the people finally said "enough."
Just as our brothers and sisters in San Joaquin and Pittsburgh are rebuilding their dioceses, the people of the U.S.A. must now work together to rebuild the nation's infrastructure, political system, trust, and prestige in the world. There's a lot of work ahead of us; let's get cracking!
6 comments:
Cracking indeed!
Let's go.
Just got off the phone with my friend Peter in LA, who worked tirelessly on No on 8. He is devastated.
It sucks. A lot.
There were two other states who passed the same thing. It will be interesting to see if the California Supreme Court overturns it.
The rabid Republicans never suffer a defeat, they just deny that it happened and act like they are running the show anyway.
On the other hand, I think those who supported Sarah Palin, the Fred Barnes and Noah Lowry types, are going to be asked by the rest of the conservatives to drink a nice steaming cup of Shut the F@#k Up!
Maybe people are tired of anybody religious telling them what to do.
I hope that last night was the last time that I'll see Mr. Obama with a pastor by his side.
The religious left is as smug as the religious right. We should lock you both in a room and place bets on who'll win and come out.
Sheesh! I'm looking forward to America's first openly atheist president-talk about a dream deferred!
Prop 2 was very important. Animals are, of course, God's creation. So I don't compare that with Prop 8.
Prop 8 was, though, a disaster. I just posted a linkie on my site to a discussion of the three suits moving forward. I'm sure there will be more, and also some Friend of the Court briefs filed, as well.
If the courts over turn, we STILL have to be prepared for another ref. in 2010, UNLESS the issue of amendment (e.g. initiative) v. constitutional conference (through the legislature in CA) is settled.
It won't go anywhere in the CA leg., so now the question is about the WAY we amend (and what "amend means, legally in this case because several sections are invovled and thus the argument that this is note merely a small focused amendment, but something broader requiring the leg. to act) or not.
Other suits are different.
Well, at least 4 didn't pass either, so that is good news.
California blew it.
The who, how, why etc. of organizing on this issue needs to be revisited. using an Obama-like structure (which we KNOW works) seems the ticket if we have to fight one way or another again.
AND, this was largely a religious issue, as well and some of that appears to be culturally based.
Lots of work to do.
Looks like the snarky Fred P has found his way here as well.
So far, at the Mad One's and Father Mark's, I have not seen him post something that was not snarky.
If he is an atheist, an atheist very unlike our IT, why does he parade the progressive Anglican blogs?
Well Fred, If an openly atheistic person runs for president and I agree with her/his programs, I may vote for the person, too.
I dare you to try to lock me in a room with anyone.
Whoops, I'm sorry; that was a religious person telling you what to do!
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