SNAKES ON A PLANE!

AfterElton.com has a terrific guide to summer movies, zeroing in on films of interest to the 'mo crowd. 2006 has the potential to be an entertaining summer in the multiplex. Of particular interest to moi is:

The Da Vinci Code, May 19. I read the book a couple of weeks ago. I think a lot of people want to take this work more seriously than it deserves, but the movie should prove to be a good thriller.

X-Men III: The Last Stand, May 26. X-Men have always worked as a metaphor for minorities facing oppression, and increasingly successful as an allegory for gay rights as the story line has progressed. It's also historically been one of the consistently smart AND action-packed comics in existence.

Nacho Libre, June 16th. Two years almost to the day after the release of Napoleon Dynamite, director Jared Hess returns with a much-anticipated 2nd film.

Strangers With Candy, June 28. The Sedaris family is rich with talent. Sister Amy brings her cult-favorite and endearingly weird tv show to big screen.

Superman Returns, June 30. Hot guy in tights + Bryan Singer = winner.

Pirates of the Caribbean II, July 7. Will elements from the movies now begin to be incorporated to the theme park ride?

Little Miss Sunshine, July 28. Steve Carrell follows up his turns in 40-Year-Old Virgin and The Office in this dark comedy that was the buzz of Sundance.

Quinceanera, August 2 (limited release). Because summer movie season isn't complete without at least one well-placed indie film to cleanse the palette.

Snakes On A Plane!, August 18. SNAKES ON A PLANE! Say it with me: "SNAKES ON A PLANE!!! Has there ever been a purer concept in summer cinema? Thanks to its bulletproof title, even if the film stinks, it's STILL great. And if the film is great? Then it's an instant classic! It stars Samuel L. Jackson and Bobby Cannavale and a parade of cameo appearances. Say it with me again, SNAKES ON A M*^&#*% F@^%*#(% PLANE!!!!

Another Gay Movie, no release date. Essentially American Pie gone gay. I'm skeptical. I doubt it will be as good as Trick... but hopefully it won't be as bad as, say, Cruising.

In search of an errant knight.

Does any body know where I can get a good hardcover copy of Burton Raffel's translation of Don Quixote? It's outrageously priced on Amazon and Half.com. Lorenzen doesn't seem to be able to get it. I'm going to try the CALS book sale this weekend, but I'm not anticipating any positive results. Edith Grossman's more recent translation is really great in-depth study of language. But I like Raffel's conversational colloquialisms more than Grossman's more literal phrasings.

American Idol Predictions

Ok... It may be unfair of me to make my first post in ages about something as terminally lame as American Idol. But I've got to get the ball rolling somehow.

First, a confession: I've never been a big American Idol junkie. At least not for the competition itself. Since the first season, I've made it a point to not miss the audition round. Or, the "Parade of Humiliation" as I've come to call it. Sure, this cycle kind of peaked with William Hung. But there is still some mighty fine entertainment in this phase. And there are still lots of genuinely deluded folks out there who think they have the talent or skill to be a star. The schadenfreude went to an extra special level in this year's auditions with what seemed like an exponentially higher number of contestants who had been getting "vocal training." These people had gotten lessons. They had their teachers with them at the audition. They had the confidence of a professional ready to step on to the national stage. And they sucked. Bad. I have a feeling a lot of people were asking for their money back and then some for the emotional distress. I'd have felt bad for those people if it wasn't so dang funny.

But I digress....

Typically, I check out once the public voting sucks. By that time I've picked a favorite or two I hope will make it to the final round (I didn't really have a favorite the first year that I can recall, though I remember rooting for Fantasia and Rueben Studdard very early on, and I thought Mario Vazquez would have been a real contender if he had not dropped out of the top ten--though I totally understand why he did it) but I don't really have the interest to follow what is, essentially, a sober, adolescent karaoke contest. So I'll watch something else till they get down to the final three or so, keeping tabs just closely enough to know who I hate and who I think might have a glimmer of talent.

This year, however, I've caught either the performance show or the results show, if not both, nearly every week. I don't think that this group is particularly stronger than past groups... I'm not even sure I'm more interested this year than in the past. I guess my Tuesday and/or Wednesday nights have just been a little bit freer. But even as the "cool" part of me pretends not to care, I have some definite opinions on the process and the performers, and, as we move into the final five, I'm going to publish some predictions to see how well I'm reading things.

Just to get things out of the way, here's who I'm glad to see gone (and please pardon me if I spell names wrong):

Kellie Pickler. She made it to the top six by being blonde, thin, and having a decent set of boobs. But she absolutely could not sing. And she was so dumb she made Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears look like Mensa members.

Kevin Corvais: Kind of a cute nerd, sure... and surprisingly confident. But his level of talent topped out at being able to generally hold a tune. He had no performing instincts or emotional connection to the music.

Of course, there's a couple of people I'm surprised to see gone:

Ace: He's pretty. He can hold a tune. He can work an audience. But, then, he really doesn't know his range and he can't confidently perform outside that comfort zone. His falsetto is nice, but he's not all that compelling when not delivering a song's money note. Still I thought he'd make it to the top five.

Mandisa: Based on talent, she was my early pick (along with Paris) for the top spot. But then she was found to have a less than empowering attitude about homosexuality. And when you're a plus-sized sister with a voice strong enough to dominate on a dance floor, you have to know gays and lesbians are going to make up a sizeable contingent of your voting block. Piss them off and you, apparently, go from "favored-to-win" to out the door in one week.

Now, of the five who are left I'm only sentimentally favoring a couple, but I have some dispassionate predictions on how the rest of the season will go down:

Paris: She's out on May 3. She's easily the best singer left in the competition. Her voice is well-trained, soulfully expressive with eloquent phrasing. Given the time and material, she could mature into an artist for the ages. Of course, I'll hedge this bet by reminding myself and everyone else that I also thought Tamyra Gray was going to be the biggest star to come out of season 1. I chalk that up to bad management that is way more interested in short-term chart success than building an enduring career. I would say that's why we've not seen much from Ms. Gray. And why Kelly Clarkson so publicly disassociated herself from the show and its producers this season. Back to my main point: Paris has also been a bottom three or bottom two vote getter for the last few rounds. So, I'm guessing she'll get voted off by the majority of AI viewers who all probably think Billie Holiday was a man.

Elliot: He'll be out on May 10. He's the judges' favorite. He's a competent singer. He has also been a bottom three vote getter more than the other three remaining contestants. As an interpreter of songs, I don't buy Elliot's performances. He's a skilled imitator of soulful singers. But I don't think he brings any real soul or emotion to the performances of his own. All of which makes him inimitably maleable and marketable to teenage girls. But, by my observation, as the AI voting block seems to be skewing older this season, I don't think that will pay off in his favor.

Taylor: This was a hard call to make, but I predict Taylor will be out on May 17. As I said earlier, I've noted what appears to be an older voting block making itself known in this years' selections, and I think that accounts for Taylor's success thusfar. Has be been bottom three more than once? I like Taylor and I think he's the performer in this year's group that needs the least development, who has the biggest handle on who he is on stage. I also think he'll have the broadest appeal of this year's crop when it comes to selling records or concert tickets. But as the field narrows, I think the age factor is going to become a more critical element. I'm betting Katherine is going to pick up most of Kellie's and Elliot's voters which will eventually cut Taylor out of the competition.

Chris: despite my unrequieted desire to make ravenous love to him each week, will be out on May 24. He's a strong performer. He's learning more and more how to make the creative choices that broaden his appeal while maintaining his own artistic integrity, such as it is. That said, I have the least idea what Chris will be like after the competition than anyone else in the running this year. Chris' taste in music (and his history of playing in bands) is the least likely to mesh with the pre-fab manufactured pop produced by the winners on their first efforts. Does he have his own songs he's going to push to record and perform? Will his image be crafted into the Nickelback/Evanescence/Godsmack mold? Will he be allowed to play with his old bandmates? Or will he get watered down like Bo Bice until he gets enough of an audience to push his own agenda? Chris is also the performer that will be the toughest sell to his target audience. Sure, doing covers of covers is original on AI, but it only works when your competition is Kellie Pickler and Kevin Corvais. It won't go nearly so well when he's competing for airspace with Red Hot Chili Peppers and Live. Because his interpretations of these songs have, in fact, been mostly the work of other, more popular artists, he is going to have to work twice as hard to establish his own presence when he can't crib so blatantly from one of his favorite bands. So, in the long run, Chris comes out as one of the artists most in need of development in order to score in the big leagues even as he continues to be one of the strongest performers on the show.

Katharine: I predict Katharine will be the winner on May 24. That said, I don't really get her popularity. She's competent, sure. She's pretty, she can carry a tune and hit her marks on stage. But she doesn't bring any real soul or feeling or committment to her performance. She's perfectly maleable and terribly boring. And I think that's why the judges love her so much. They all come from the music business. And in McPhee you've got an almost perfect marketing construct: She's attractive and sensual without being slutty. She can sing well, but she doesn't try anything really complicated or artsy. She's a confident performer, but creatively in need of a strong producer's guidance. I think the phrase I'm looking for is "pop robot." She can be programmed for success. But that doesn't mean we have to like her.

Now that my predictions are out of the way, I have a question: Where have all the past American Idol performers been this year? Seriously. I mean, Kelly Clarkson made a big stink about how she wasn't going to appear on the show this year and was going to police how her songs were used in the competition. But where has Clay Aiken been? Or Rueben Studdard? Fantasia Barrino? Carrie Underwood? Bo Bice? Tamyra Gray? Justin Guarini? William Hung? or ANYONE that's ever been catapulted to fame by AI? Are they ALL so disgruntled that they're keeping their distance? Or are the producers saving them until the competing herd is thinned out enough that they'll need to bring in older performers to fill up airtime?

I Love This Woman

Here is the complete text of the speech delivered on the floor of the Texas Legislature in early April 25, 2005 by Reb. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) in opposition of HRJ 6, the proposed amendment to the Texas State Constitution that would ban marriage, civil unions, and any official legal recogniztion or protection for same-sex couples.

I have been a member of this august body for three decades, and today is one of the all-time low points. We are going in the wrong direction, in the direction of hate and fear and discrimination. Members, we all know what this is about; this is the politics of divisiveness at its worst, a wedge issue that is meant to divide.

Members, this issue is a distraction from the real things we need to be working on. At the end of this session, this Legislature, this Leadership will not be able to deliver the people of Texas, fundamental and fair answers to the pressing issues of our day.

Let’s look at what this amendment does not do: It does not give one Texas citizen meaningful tax relief. It does not reform or fully fund our education system. It does not restore one child to CHIP, who was cut from health insurance last session. It does not put one dime into raising Texas’ Third World access to health care. It does not do one thing to care for or protect one elderly person or one child in this state. In fact, it does not even do anything to protect one marriage.

Members, this bill is about hate and fear and discrimination. I know something about hate and fear and discrimination. When I was a small girl, white folks used to talk about "protecting the institution of marriage" as well. What they meant was if people of my color tried to marry people of Mr. Chisum’s color, you’d often find the people of my color hanging from a tree. That’s what the white folks did back then to "protect marriage." Fifty years ago, white folks thought inter-racial marriages were a "threat to the institution of marriage."

Members, I’m a Christian and a proud Christian. I read the good book, and do my best to live by it. I have never read the verse where it says, "gay people can’t marry." I have never read the verse where it says, "thou shalt discriminate against those not like me." I have never read the verse where it says, "let’s base our public policy on hate and fear and discrimination." Christianity to me is love and hope and faith and forgiveness – not hate and discrimination.

I have served in this body a lot of years-- and I have seen a lot of promises broken. I should be up here demanding my 40 acres and a mule because that’s another promise you broke. You used a wealthy white minister cloaked in the cloth to ease the stench of that form of discrimination.

So, now that blacks and women can vote, and now that blacks and women have equal rights – you turn your hatred to homosexuals – and you still use your misguided reading of the Bible to justify your hatred. You want to pass this ridiculous amendment so you can go home and brag – brag about what? Declare that you saved the people of Texas from what?

Persons of the same sex cannot get married in this State now. Texas does not now recognize same-sex marriages, civil unions, religious unions, domestic partnerships, contractual arrangements or Christian blessings entered into in this State – or anywhere else on this planet Earth.

If you want to make your hateful political statements then that is one thing – the Chisum amendment does real harm. It repeals the contracts that many single people have paid thousands of dollars to purchase to obtain medical powers of attorney, powers of attorney, hospital visitation, joint ownership and support agreements. You have lost your way – this is obscene.

Today, you are playing to the lowest common denominator – you are putting aside the real issues of substance that we need to address so that you can instead play on the public’s fears and prejudices to deceive and manipulate voters into thinking that we have done something important.

I realize that gay rights are not the same as civil rights – but I can guarantee you we are going in the wrong direction. I can not hide my skin color. In fact, in most of the South, people as pink as Rep. Wayne Smith were still Black by law if they had a great grandparent who was African. I was unable to attend an integrated and equally funded school until I got my Master of Laws degree. There were separate and unequal facilities for nearly everything.

I got second-hand textbooks even worse than the kind you’re trying to pass off on every public school student next year. I had to ride to school on the back of the bus. I had to quench my thirst from filthy colored’s-only drinking fountains. I had to enter restaurants from the kitchen door. I was banned from entering most public accommodations, even from serving on a jury. I had to live with the fear that getting too uppity could get you killed – or worse. I know what third-class citizenship feels like. In my first term, one of my colleagues walked up and down this aisle muttering about how Nigras should be back in the field picking cotton instead of picking out committees.

So, I have to wonder about Rep. Chisum’s 3/5 of a person amendment. Some of you folks hid behind your Bible then, too, to justify your cultural prejudices, your denial of liberty, and your gunpoint robbery of human dignity.

We have worked hard at putting our prejudices against homosexuals in law. We have denied them basic job protections. We have denied them and their children freedom from bullying and harassment at school. We have tried to criminalize their very existence. But, we have also absolved them of all family duties and responsibilities: to care for and support their spouses and children, to count their family’s assets in determining public assistance, to obtain health insurance for dependents, to make end-of-life or necessary medical decisions for their life partners – sometimes even to visit in the hospital, even to defend our own country. And then, we can stand on our two hind legs and proclaim, "See, I told you homosexual families are unstable."

And nearly every one of you on this Floor has a homosexual in their extended families. Some of you have shunned and isolated these family members. Some of you, even some of the joint coauthors, have embraced them within your own family for the essence of Christianity is love. Yet, you are now poised to constitutionalize discrimination against a particular class of people.

I thought we would be debating real issues: education, health care for kids, teacher’s health insurance, health care for the elderly, protecting survivors of sexual assault, protecting the pensions of seniors in nursing homes. I thought we would be debating economic development, property tax relief, protecting seniors pensions and stem cell research, to save lives of Texans who are waiting for a more abundant life. Instead we are wasting this body’s time with this political stunt that is nothing more than constitutionalizing discrimination. The prejudices exhibited by members of this body disgust me.

Last week, Republicans used a political wedge issue to pull kids – sweet little vulnerable kids – out of the homes of loving parents and put them back in a state orphanage just because those parents are gay. That’s disgusting. Today, we are telling homosexuals that just like people of my ilk, when I was a small child; they too are second class citizens.

I have listened to all the arguments. I have listened to all of the crap. Mr. Chisum, is a person who I consider my good friend and revere. But, I want you to know that this amendment is blowing smoke to fuel the hell-fire flames of bigotry. You are trying to protect your constituents from danger. This amendment is a CYB amendment for you to go home and talk about.

God bless her courage and conviction. Her priorities seem to be in the right place. Which is more than I can say the the rest of the Texas Legislature, which promptly passed the measure 101-29, approving the amendment to appear on the November statewide ballot.

Shameless Plug

Indulge me for a moment while I sing the praises of a new dining establishment in the heart of Little Rock.

My friend Kevin Brockmeier (the award-winning author of The Truth About Celia and Things That Fall From The Sky) read a notice in the May 19, 2005, edition of the Arkansas Times on From The Garden, the new vegan soul food carry-out restaurant at Izard and Wright in downtown Little Rock.

Today, Kevin, Diane, and I (all of us vegetarian and members of the Manny Perry Movie Club) stopped by the restaurant for lunch today and could not have been more pleased. The food was delicious and appealing to a wide palette. The three of us sampled each others’ dishes and found them all to be equally flavorful and satisfying. Especially good was the Black Eyed Pea Patties served with brown gravy and sweet onions, the Seitan Pepper "Steak" over angel hair pasta, the wonderfully savory mustard greens, and the subtly sweet corn pones.

After years of hit and miss vegetarian options at area restaurants, it’s heartening to see a dedicated establishment with such hearty fare. I’ll definitely be going to The Garden often and urge others, even if you are not vegetarian, to do likewise.

From The Garden is located at the intersection of Izard and Wright streets in downtown Little Rock. It is open noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and closed on Saturday. Pick up a menu on your first visit and then you can call in your order to (501) 374-8494.

So, I went to see Star Wars today...

A co-worker and I took a three-hour lunch today to go see SWE3:ROTS. I'm reserving my final judgment on how good I think it is until I see it again in a couple of weeks and it all sinks in a little. But it's DEFINITELY better than the two most recently screened installments. Combined. Maybe.

I most appreciated the fact that in this film the characters drove the story rather than the story driving the characters, which not only was the case with Episodes I & II, but also would have been exceptionally easy, given that this film is the only of the three that had a pre-determined ending.

In fact, Lucas hit all the marks he needed to with this one, even though E3 is still in action overdrive. I wish at least one of the films had a beginning similar to Empire or Jedi in the sense in both of those films you had the first reel or two of the film to focus on the characters and how they relate to one another. Too much lately, Lucas has treated his actors like chess pieces; foils he plays off of one another in service of the plot. The end result is that even when you reach the finale in which the characters are more of the focus (because the plot is pre-determined), their relationships seem strained and unnatural. You believed Han Solo and Princess Leia were in love not only because Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher had chemistry between them, but because the bickering and insults that characterized most of their relationship belied a depth and range of passion and a conflict of desire that made their interactions all the more interesting. But then, there's not been a character as interesting as Han Solo in the new trilogy, and Hayden Christiansen and Natalie Portman might as well have been filmed on different soundstages for all the chemistry they deliver on screen.

So, in essense, my major gripe with this movie lies less with what occurs in this movie and more, still, with what failed to occur in the last two.

That said, this is the only one of the first three episodes I've wanted to see again almost immediately after the film ended. If my initial feeling holds up I think I think this one will be regarded more closely with Episodes IV-VI. And I have to admit, I teared up a little when the twins were born near the end of the film.

My co-worker Philip's nine year-old son has seen Episodes I & II, but not IV, V, or VI. So, when he comes for his summer visit in June, Philip's plan is to show him I & II on dvd, take him to see III in the theater, and then show him IV, V, and VI. Sounds like a real father/son bonding experience.

I realized a couple of weeks ago rewatching my dvd of RETURN OF THE JEDI that you experience the old trilogy differently after seeing the new one. for example, when the Emporer is using the Force lightening to fry young Jedi Luke, you now have a broader context in which to understand why Vader turns against the Palpatine. You call to mind Anakin's love for Padme, the lies told to him by the Emporer, his personal guilt for betraying the Jedi (not to mention the true horror and depth of his attocity) and the conflict that initially led Anakin to the Dark Side. In Luke (a Jedi whose passions are an ally with the Force) and Leia, you see how it is that Anakin brings "balance" to the Force and why the Jedi Order must also perish along with the Sith for this balance to occur. I also realize I am a tremendous geek and that it's a miracle I've ever been kissed.

Anyone else see it already? Did you spot the Millennium Falcon? And, if you haven't already, pay a visit to The Darth Side.

Wow. I really haven't posted since September. How embarrassing. Or would be embarrassing if anyone actually read this thing.

Still the time off has let me regroup a bit, given me a bit of focus on what I want this blog to be. I think I'll try to make the political aspect of it slightly less reactionary. Which is to say I'd rather argue FOR progressive policy rather than rail just AGAINST the daily outrage provided by the entrenched power structure. It may be a good to approach religion from the same perspective.

I've become obsessed with the mp3 blog culture that's emerged over the last few years. It is now what the indie zines were ten years ago. Made all the better,of course, because of the ability to include the actual music in the coverage. Plus, I enjoy writing about music. My challenge will be to contribute something that isn't virtually identical to the hundreds of other writers out there.

To that end, I'd like to post about the music I want to share with my friends. Old music. New music. Obscure music. Popular music. What have you... I'll have about ten to twenty people's faces pictured in my head when making my selections; people who share my musical taste to some degree, but are all unique enough that hopefully a general audience will want to visit.

Of course, I still have to work out a few hosting issues to make sure people can actually access the music without having to go through any undue trials and tribulations.

Watch this space.

"Pro-life" President?

In his "State of the Union," er, nomination acceptance speech at the RNC, Pres. Dubya said his administration was committed to recognizing the value and protecting every human life. By which he meant he's against abortion. Let's take a look at how his policies as President affect the lives of the 2/3 of us who actually make it out of the uterus:

Pro-Death Penalty. As Texas governor he dramatically increased the number and rate of executions of death row inmates.

Pro-War. The "Bush Doctrine" unilaterally pursues US interests at the expense of the world community. It is also responsible for killing 15 Afghan and Iraqi nationals for every American soldier that has fallen.

Anti-Environment. The Bush administration has deregulated air and water cleanliness standards that help prevent juvenille asthma and birth defects. He has also advocated drilling for oil in the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve and relaxing re-forestation standards on logging companies. His administration's energy policy was WRITTEN by oil and energy consortiums in secret meetings with the Vice President. These corporations were the biggest contributors the Bush/Cheney campaign in 2000 and include Mr. Cheney's former employers. These policies do nothing to encourage independence from foreign oil and pollution by developing alternative energy sources.

Anti-stem cell research. At best, no "lives" are saved by withholding government funding of new lines of research. Unused fertilized cells from fertility clinics, the source of all human embryonic stem cells for research, are routinely destroyed if not appropriated for research. At worst, these "lives" lose all dignity and meaning by being flushed down the toilet instead of given a purpose in the quest to improve the quality and quantity of life for everyone.

Anti-Condoms. The Bush administration has gagged federally funded clinics from providing life-saving information about contraception and STDs under the guise that such information "encourages" illicit sexual behavior. His administration has similarly inhibited aid to foreign countries hardest hit by AIDS by tying relief money and access to drugs to relief organizations use of "Abstinence Only" propaganda and soft-selling or ignoring condoms and other safer sex methods.

Anti-Workers. Currently, 1.1 Million fewer people have jobs than When Mr. Bush took office. Many of those have seen their real wages and salaries either decline or not keep pace with the cost of living. He has overseen the loss of millions of Americans' health care. He has championed a Medicare prescription drug plan that benefits drug companies at the expense of senior citizens. He has proposed restucturing federal employment guidelines to prevent many hourly wage-earning workers from qualifying for overtime pay.

Anti-Consumer. He has proposed tort and malpractice "reform" that would limit doctors' and corporations' liability to consumers when their goods and services prove to be harmful.

Pro-Fear. His administration has brazenly used fear for partisan political gain by issuing vague (and often misleading) "homeland security" warnings whenever the news is not particularly useful (or is downright damaging) to its agenda.

Oh, but he's against abortion.

More politics... music stuff soon.

Smear and Pivot
Bush's Campaign Strategery
Andrew Sullivan
August 28, 2004, Sunday Times

Last week, in this space, I crunched the numbers and found that, from the polling so far, this race was John Kerry's to lose unless the dynamic of the election suddenly changed. It appears that the Bush campaign has realized the same thing. And when the Bush family finds itself in difficult political waters, they have a long-established, sure-fire tactic. They find a way to detect their opponent's strongest card and discredit it. They do so using surrogates to keep their patrician hands clean, and they are absolutely not above the vilest of smears. And so last week, they made their move.

Kerry's undoubted strength is his service in Vietnam, his appeal to veterans (a key demographic), and his patriotism as a symbol of his fitness to be commander-in-chief. And so the Bush team went for the jugular. They knew that Vietnam is still a live issue among a certain generation. They knew that there were many Vietnam vets infuriated by the fact that John Kerry became an anti-war activist when he returned from combat duty. And they knew that in most chaotic military encounters, memories are blurred and details sketchy and that the military often gives medals to those who don't quite deserve them and fails to give medals to those who do. And so they decided to use some veterans to attack and discredit John Kerry's war service, to call into question his medals, and to depict him, in the title of the book now hurtling up the charts, as "Unfit to Command."

In some ways, you have to hand it to president Bush. He has cojones. Most politicians who found a cushy domestic out during Vietnam might be leery of attacking the war record of a man who volunteered for duty, took shrapnel, and got Purple Hearts for his courage and heroism. But not Bush. Recall that in 2000, at a very similar juncture in a tight presidential race against John McCain, the Bush campaign also unleashed the hounds against a man who had been imprisoned and tortured at the hands of the Viet Cong. Flyers appeared throughout South Carolina claiming that McCain had a black child, that he was the "fag candidate," that his wife was a drug addict, that his experience under torture had made him unstable, that he had "betrayed" veterans, and on and on. None of this could be traced directly to Bush, but no one was under any illusions. In public, Bush said he honored McCain's service. But his surrogates smeared him relentlessly. And McCain told Bush to his face in a debate that he should be "ashamed" by his campaign tactics.

But shame is not something that comes easily to this president. He had used similar dirt-ball tactics against Ann Richards, the single female governor of Texas whom he defeated. Rumors emerged from East Texas in that race, as CBS News' Dick Meyer recalled last week, that Richards was a lesbian and that she had appointed "avowed homosexuals" to her administration. This year, Bush has played the anti-gay card by backing a constitutional amendment against marriage rights for gays and also the Vietnam card against Kerry. It's a two-fer: the summation of every Bush dirty trick of the past twenty years.

The Bush campaign and its supporters defend themselves as follows. Kerry brought up Vietnam at his convention, they say, thereby legitimizing the attack on his war service. But the book that is at the center of the charges was written months ago, and published by the right-wing house, Regnery. It was hyped by the Drudge Report and mentioned darkly by conservative pundits during the Democratic convention. In other words, this was planned months ago, as soon as it was clear Kerry would be the nominee. The Bushies also say that the ads by the anti-Kerry vets were not coordinated with their campaign. But the lawyer for the group also happens to be a key lawyer for the Bush campaign, and he was forced to resign last week. The bulk of the money came from an old and close friend of Karl Rove, Bush's chief political strategist, and a trustee of former president Bush's presidential library. The "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," in other words, is as connected to the Bush campaign as the mafia is to the waste disposal industry in New Jersey. It's a front by any other name.

The first and most critical ad is also a classic smear. It's a smear because it mentions no facts. It cannot therefore be rebutted. It contains statements by veterans of swift boats in Vietnam that include the following: "John Kerry has not been honest about what happened in Vietnam." "He is lying about his record." "I know John Kerry is lying about his first Purple Heart because I treated him for that injury." "John Kerry lied to get his bronze star ... I know, I was there, I saw what happened." "John Kerry has not been honest." "And he lacks the capacity to lead." "When the chips were down, you could not count on John Kerry." "John Kerry is no war hero." "He betrayed all his shipmates ... he lied before the Senate."

This is ugly, ugly stuff. Notice no substantiation of any of this is provided in the ad. And although there are some minor discrepancies in the military record - the kind of discrepancies that often emerge in accounts of incidents in wartime - the bulk of the record and the accounts of almost all the men who actually served in the same boat as John Kerry debunk all the claims of the ad. Many of the statements read as if they depict a man who abandoned his comrades, when in fact, he saved at least one life. Many of them use the loaded term "lie" when, of course, the official accounts of Kerry's medals were not written by Kerry but by his superiors. And in the past, many of the men making these very statements had spoken glowingly of Kerry's service. The only real, live "gotcha" in this controversy is that Kerry claimed at one point that he had been in Cambodia at Christmas. He almost certainly wasn't. That's it.

Will it work? Yes, it could. The polls last week showed a sudden tilt in the president's direction. It's small - but the L.A. Times poll showed a Bush lead for the first time this year. Gallup showed a small Bush lead as well. In the polling internals, Bush soared against Kerry on his capacity to be an effective "commander-in-chief" and ability to lead. Veterans shifted measurably toward Bush, who never went to war. Kerry did all he could to rebut the charges and shame the president, but he was helpless under fire. John McCain called on Bush to disown the smear campaign. But why should he? When the polls show that on almost every issue, Kerry has a lead, and that the undecideds are leaning against the incumbent, you have to bring down the challenger. Almost all Bush's ads this year have either been gauzy feel-good ads or brutal attacks on Kerry. In fact, the only thing keeping the Bush campaign alive is the systematic attempt to demolish Kerry.

Bush is smart enough to know that this can backfire. And so next week, in a classic maneuver, he will present a moderate convention that will have "compassion" at its center. He will trot out all the social moderates, including McCain and Giuliani and Schwarzenegger. He will remind voters of 9/11 and the continuing war. And he will be in a far stronger position to do so having slimed his opponent beforehand. Call this strategy: smear and pivot. Get your low-life buddies to trash your rival and then appear above it all at your own convention. It worked for Papa Bush against Dukakis in 1988. It worked for W against Richards and McCain. It could work again against Kerry. But this time, of course, the opposition knows what this strategy is and might very well respond in kind. Everything is now "on the table," one Kerry adviser warned last week. Bush's past sex life? Drug use? Some other nasty smear? Mud-wrestling was never this sleazy. And it's still only August.

© 2004 Andrew Sullivan

How to speak with the dead

How to talk to dead people
Sean Gonsalves
Cape Cod Times, August 31, 2004
I can speak to dead people. And you can too. All you need is a medium. Not just any medium, but the medium of the written or spoken word. (For best results, speak only to Great Souls).
Unless you are asking a question, when you speak to the dead you can only imagine how they are responding. The voice will be vague in proportion to how intimately you knew, or know, the person. The more familiar you are with your deceased conversant, the clearer his or her voice will be.
Good questions evoke the clearest responses, through books, audio or video recordings the dead have left behind. I’ll demonstrate.
Seeing as how this past Sunday marked the 41st anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s celebrated–and co-opted–"I Have A Dream" speech, let’s talk to America’s most noted peacemaker.
Gonsalves: I’d like to talk to you about the "I Have A Dream" speech and see if you think it has any relevance in our post 9-11 world of increasing violence and growing poverty.
King (vague voice): I’d rather respond to your questions using a lesser-known speech I gave two summers before the March on Washington. It was a commencement address I gave at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1961. It deals with the same theme but with a much broader vision. It was called "The American Dream."
Gonsalves: OK. First question. What’s the most striking thing about the American dream?
King: "One of the first things we notice in this dream is an amazing universalism. Not... some men. But... all men. Each individual has certain basic rights that are neither conferred nor derived from the state."
Gonsalves: Yeah, tell that to President Bush or John Ashcroft and you might find yourself labeled an anti-American terrorist-supporter.
King: "Ever since the Founding Fathers of our nation dreamed this noble dream, America has been something of a schizophrenic personality."
Gonsalves: It does seem that American democracy is a bit anemic.
King: "But the shape of our world today does not permit us the luxury of an anemic democracy. Now may I suggest some of the things we must do if we are to make the American dream a reality."
Gonsalves: What must we do?
King: "First, I think all of us must develop a world perspective if we are to survive."
Gonsalves: But the dominant ethos of our political culture is to protect "our way of life" by any means necessary. What do you think of that?
King: "The American dream will not become a reality devoid of the larger dream of a world of brotherhood and peace and goodwill. Through our scientific genius we have made of this world a neighborhood; now through our moral and spiritual development we must make of it a brotherhood."
Gonsalves: But aren’t we Americans the good guys and "they" the "evil ones," to quote President Bush?
King: "We must all learn to live together as brothers, or we will perish together as fools."
Gonsalves: So you’re saying we need to make social and economic justice a priority?
King: "All this is to simply say that life is interrelated. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality."
Gonsalves: That’s the logical conclusion of globalization, isn’t it?
King: "Maybe we are spending too much of our national budget building military bases around the world, rather than bases of genuine concern and understanding. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the way the world is made. I didn’t make it that way, but this is the interrelated structure of reality."
Gonsalves: And you honestly think nonviolence is the only way to make the dream a reality?
King: "The practical aspect of nonviolent resistance is that it exposes the moral defenses of the opponent. Not only that, it somehow arouses his conscience and breaks down his morale. He has no answer for it. If he puts you in jail, that’s all right. But if you use violence, he does have an answer. He has the state militia."
Gonsalves: But don’t you think that’s a bit naive and unrealistic?
King: "In a day when Sputniks and Explorers are dashing through outer space, and guided ballistic missiles are carving highways of death through the stratosphere, no nation can win a war. The choice is no longer between violence and nonviolence; it is either nonviolence or nonexistence."
See. I speak to dead people. And you can too. Try it.
© 2004, Cape Cod Times

Conquering laziness and business

OK. I've been busy. I've been lazy. I've neglected my web log. I shall try to publish more regularly, even if, as I'm about to do in my next post, republish the thoughts of others that are relevant to my own line of thinking.

If I get lazy again, somebody poke me with a sharp stick.

Why are we still there?

Every day there are news reports about more Americans being killed.

Why are we still there?

We took the land by force, but the occupation causes us nothing but
trouble.

Why are we still there?

Their government is unstable, and there is no leadership.

Why are we still there?

Many of the people are uncivilized. There are more than 1,000 religious sects and almost as many languages and dialects.

Why are we still there?

We can't secure the borders.

Why are we still there?

They are billions of dollars in debt and it will cost billions more to rebuild, which we can't afford.

Why are we still there?

It has become clear....... We MUST abandon California.

I got this in an email from my grandparents and aunt & uncle. Usually I don't like these kinds of emails... and I'm not sure what kind of commentary this provides to the Iraq war... but it did take me by surprise and made me laugh.

Mir

Has it really been a week since I made a post. Wacky.

Local radio is finally picking up on one of Little Rock's better bands now that they're on a big time record label. The Kicks' "Mir" is getting airplay only five years after it was recorded. 'Bout time.

Here's to The Kicks! May their hits be many.


.

Sign me up for the Special Olympics

I am the king of morons.

It was sprinkling when I left for work this morning. So I turned on the wipers. Which meant turning on the headlights. Halfway there, the rain stopped, so I turned off the wipers. Guess what I left on? Guess what else I forgot to turn off when I got to work. So, now, I have a very dead battery in my car. No problem. There are plenty of kind co-workers willing to give me a jump. Why, I even have my own jumper cables in the trunk.

Amiable co-worker and I hook up the car and she starts up her motor. I get out of my car to make some idle chit chat while the battery soaks up life-giving electricity. And closed the door with the lock down and the keys inside.

Clearly, I am the stupidest man alive.

I also can't remember if I turned down the roadside assistance plan available through my cell phone carrier, or if they never really told me about it... but, now that I've signed up, it won't take effect for three more days (though the first two months are free!), so I'm still out $30 to get the lock popped. And then get the car jumped again. Hopefully all will be fine once I get back into my car and get it started. But it's put a severe kink in my day and my self-esteem.

Needless to say, I'll be getting another spare key made (the one I had fell out of my wallet) and I'll probably buy one of those jumper dealies that will let you start the alternator and charge the battery through the cigarette lighter. Of course, then, I'll probably remember to turn off the lights when I get to work.

Somebody tell me a joke... I need a good lift.

Circular motion is universal

The last 24 hours has been replete with new music to listen to.

I got the new Pixie's best of: Wave Of Mutilation yesterday. I had forgotten how good and important and far reaching the Pixies were/are. I'm not superkeen on the mastering job for the cd. Not that the Pixies were ever overly concerned with sonic fidelity. But, dangit, the Pixies should be LOUD! I guess that's why they made Wave Hammer. I think I am hereby inspired to use my next couple of month's Emusic allotments to download the rest of the band's ouervre.

I also got Junior Senior's D-D-Don't Don't Stop The Beat dirt cheap off half.com. Funky, fresh fun music. Well worth the money, especially since I got it primarily to use "Move Your Feet" in Antonio's party mix next Saturday.

Finally, Pedro The Lion's Achilles Heel was also in today's post. Like most PTL releases, it's a bit underwhelming on the first listen (especially coming directly after Junior Senior!), and many of the songs bear a striking similarity to each other. But most PTL recordings release most of their joy after multiple listenings when nuances and subtle shades become more apparent.

I give a thumbs up on all three.

Make a difference today.

"I have long said that everyone is either related to a gay person, has a gay friend or collegue, but doesn't know it because gays are afraid to come out for fear of reprisal. If every gay person came out, it would make a difference."
-- Senator Ellie Kinnaird, North Carolina.

One cd at a time? How archaic!

I am being treated like a child. Though I can not protest too much because I am the one dishing out the infantile behavior to myself.

Two weeks ago today, I had what can only be called the Exxon Valdez of coffee spills on top of my desk. I lost a lot of paperwork and, more importantly, soaked my cd/radio walkman and Odyssey 1000. For those of you who do not know what an Odyssey 1000 is, it's like an iPod, only made by a company called e-digital. It stores and plays back up to 5,000 songs in mp3 format.

The walkman was completely toasted. It won't work at all since the spill. So, I threw it in the dustbin. The Odyssey kind of works. The battery no longer draws a charge from the power cord, and I can't tell if it's drawing power to play when it's plugged in. I took the back off the unit so it could dry out, and when I replaced it, the hard-drive refuses to boot up if all four screws are completely tightened. If I loosen one particular screw one-half turn, however, it appears to work fine (except, of course, for the quickly draining, un-rechargable battery), except, of course, I know it is not working fine.

I called the tech support guy at e.Digital, but in the end I don't know how much help he'll be. He said I could send it back in, but this is the fourth time I've sent it in for repairs inside of a year, the company is no longer marketing the unit (in favor of selling the parts to other companies who manufacture and market their own mp3 devices), and the warranty is expired. So in the end I may wind up buying a replacement unit (if e.Digital even has any stocked replacement units. If not, I guess it's hello iPod...).

It's amazing how much these little boxes worm their way into your life. My Odyssey totally transformed my lifestyle. Since I was able to effectively carry most of my cd collection around in my pocket, it totally changed the way I listened to music. If I wanted to hear a particular song, I'd just push the menu button, dial it up, and press play. Instant gratification. Or, more often than not, by simply just setting the unit to play songs randomly, I would come across songs I ordinarilly wouldn't choose on my own, or selections I loaded into the machine because they were part of a "collection" I was putting together (80's music, punk rock, one-hit wonders, particular artists' singles and bsides) but that I hadn't previously paid a lot of attention to. This has led me to "discover" a lot of great music that I didn't even know that I owned. Since I sent the unit back into to be repaired, however, I'm back to my old system of making a mental note to myself (or, in some cases, a more reliable paper note) to grab a bunch of cds when I get home and put them in my man-purse. This is, of course, a far more cumbersome and thoughtful process which inevitably leaves something behind. It also occupies a lot more of my mental capacity than the Odyssey's "Shuffle Folder" option which was best compared to a mythical radio station that played nothing but 5,000 of your own personal favorite songs. And I never had to call the request line because it almost always knew what I wanted to hear next.

Perhaps that was making me a bit mentally dull, however. For instance, had I not soaked my Odyssey the day before I got the new gorgeous Loretta Lynn cd, would I have taken the time to listen to it as endlessly as I have? Would I have discovered the joyous musical nuances and the stories and characters hidden in the lyrics if I had loaded it in to the unit, given it a couple of cursory listens, and then let it fend for attention among over 4,000 other tracks?

There are blessings in disguise, I suppose.

As for the cd walkman, I have a rather irrational brand loyalty to Sony when it comes to portable audio equipment. My first portable cassette player in 1984 was a sony walkman. If I remember correctly, I owned two more before I upgraded to cds in 1988. I owned a terrible radio shack model for a couple of years before going back to Sony where I've stayed ever since (which is only three units in about ten years -- two were literally played to death and the third Antonio left behind in the Library). Anyway there's a Panasonic model on sale at Best Buy that plays cds, mp3s and radio. Or I can get a Sony model that plays cds and radio from ebay for about the same money.

Decisions, decisions...

I also am realizing that I have a brand loyalty to my Odyssey 1000. Given the prospect of switching to a brand that is a clear upgrade, I actually feel nostalgic for things I even thought of as shortcomings on the old unit. The devil you know, I suppose...

Anyway, why am I treating myself like a child? This is going to be extremely anti-climactic to anyone who has read this far, but I'm forcing myself to have a lid on any beverage I have on my desk from now on. At least while I'm at work. If I could think of some way to coerce Antonio to adopt the same practice when working at home, I'd probably try it there too. But I know how well that's likely to work. Plus, then I'd be treating someone else like a child.

Loretta Lynn's Van Lear Rose

I can't get over how good this record is. I've listened at least daily (three times today and counting) and it never fails to enthrall me. I don't know if it's because Loretta Lynn is such an inspiration to Jack White that he carried that spark back to her own creative process, or because Ms. Lynn had such a back log of worthy material because of her extended creative hiatus while she cared for her dying husband. Both scenarios are believable if you read the May 9, 2004, interview with Loretta and Jack in the New York Times. In any event, Van Lear Rose is a truly remarkable record that every music fan should own.

Relevant Magazine ran my review of the cd which I'll share with you all here:

Loretta Lynn, Van Lear Rose
Interscope Records
Produced by Jack White
By Brad Caviness


Those reading who attained consciousness before 1980, probably have a potent memory of going to the movies as a child with their parents (or in my case, grandparents) to see Coal Miner's Daughter, the film based on the life story of superstar country music performer, Loretta Lynn. If you're younger than that, chances are you've caught the film numerous times as a rental or on cable TV. If you're like me, even if you never bought another Loretta Lynn record, you still carried a soft spot in your heart for her and her music after seeing the movie.

If that's the case, her new release, Van Lear Rose, is sure to not only stir fond memories, but also give you a whole new appreciation for this legendary performer. It's a country comeback album on the order of Johnny Cash's American Recordings or Dolly Parton's Little Sparrow. Loretta Lynn not only reaches back to her roots to find what made her so compelling in the beginning, but also discovers she still has something new to say. The result is a record that finds Ms. Lynn at the peak of her creative powers.

Part of the revitalization, no doubt, is the involvement of indie rocker Jack White of the White Stripes as the project's producer. Just as renowned alternative music producer Rick Rubin was given much of the credit for orchestrating Johnny Cash's return to form, White is clearly the impetus for the excitement Loretta exhibits on this record. But unlike Rubin, who distilled Cash's sound by stripping away everything that wasn't Cash and then got out of the way, White's fingerprints are everywhere on this album. From the sound of an amplifier's hum that opens the record, to his vocal duet and the decidedly Euro rock introduction on "Portland, Oregon," and the raucous, noisy, garage-blues stomp of "Have Mercy" and "Mrs. Leroy Brown," this is clearly new territory for Loretta, but she's more than equal to the task. It's hard to say whether the excitement and confidence in her delivery is the result of or the inspiration for the young band's spirited delivery.

Which is not to say that there isn't plenty of "traditional" country music on the record, though it's a far cry from the rhinestone-studded, big-haired music of Loretta's earlier heyday. For one, she wrote every song on this record (one was co-written with White, and another with her late husband, Doo). Secondly, both she and White seem to understand that the most successful comebacks are the ones that not only energize old fans, but also win new ones. To accomplish that, the focus is squarely on Loretta's story telling — her ability to write songs that resonate with the listener on an emotional level, and characters real enough to make the song seem autobiographical, even when it's not.

Musically, though, she's got a new axe to grind. She's out to prove that over 40 years in the spotlight hasn't dulled her edge one iota. She's gone and made a record for those whose preference in country music leans towards the experimental approach of Wilco, the gut level busking of Old Crow Medicine Show, and the authoritarian stamp of the recent Johnny Cash, in which he took from disparate sources (such as folk and traditional country, heavy metal and alternative rock, and his own compositions new and old) and made each selection uniquely his own. She is at the top of her game on this record, thus Van Lear Rose seems much less like Jack White reinventing Loretta Lynn than Loretta bending White to her will.

The arrangements are kept purposefully simple: an acoustic and/or electric guitar, bass, drums and a fiddle or pedal steel. The songs are given just enough polish to sparkle, but not so much that the spotlight strays from Loretta for long. And she shines. She delivers the strongest set of material since her commercial peak in the ‘70s, perhaps since the beginning of her career. She celebrates rural living in cuts like "Van Lear Rose," "High On A Mountain Top" and "Little Red Shoes" (a stand-out cut in which White provides instrumentation to a spoken monologue delivered in a concert recording). "Family Tree" and "Women's Prison" tell two arresting tales of women scorned, while "Portland, Oregon" and "Mrs. Leroy Brown" are scorching, bluesy, honky tonk anthems. “God Makes No Mistakes” is a potent statement of old-time gospel faith in the face of life’s adversity. More touching moments come when Loretta references her late husband. "Trouble Down The Line" is a sad tale of a relationship drifting apart while "Miss Being Mrs." is Loretta at her most vulnerable, as she contemplates being a widow and reminisces about her 48-year marriage.

Van Lear Rose finds Loretta at the absolute zenith of her abilities. She sings with such passion and conviction that old school fans can surely over-look the rock 'n' roll bent, and new school fans will be astounded that a septuagenarian can rock so hard.

Weighing in on the Gay Marriage Debate

Since last summer when the issue of marriage for gays and lesbians moved into the mainstream arena courtesy of Appellate Court in Ontario, Canada and the Supreme Court of the U.S., I've avidly read and collected articles and editorials on both sides of the subject. March 18, 2004, my local paper, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, which frequently publishes Republican talking points under the headline "Editorial" published this screed on its opinion page. After reading it, I was incensed and spent the entire day composing my response. Fortunately, when you're typing madly at a computer console, you're boss can't tell if you're working or not if he doesn't see the screen.

Here is the "editorial" in quotes followed by my reply:

More light, less heat
And leave the Constitution out of it
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 18, 2004

REMEMBER when talk of a gay marriage evoked images of old-time movie stars William Powell and Myrna Loy romping through another Nick-and-Nora Charles mystery—with their little dog Asta happily yapping along?

If so, you're way behind the weird times. In this 21 st and very confused Century , it may be necessary to change the law of the land in order to spell out what was once simply understood: Marriage is a union between man and woman; one man and one woman, it was once unnecessary to add.

Now the country is about to make a federal case out of Gay Marriage. The issue is wending its way through the courts even now. And an amendment to the United States Constitution is now in the works solemnly repeating the dictionary definition of marriage.

It's all because a state supreme court in Massachusetts, or at least four-sevenths of it, stretched the Equal Protection clause beyond credulity, common sense, and meaning in general. The result, at least in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is that marriage is no longer to be considered a holy estate to be entered into "reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God," to use the quaint language of the Book of Common Prayer. Instead, those four judges in the majority ruled that getting married is more like applying for a driver’s license—only without any test. Anyone may apply, and the state may not discriminate against homosexuals who want to marry each other.

The next question is whether all the other states are obliged to give the Bay State’s new form of marriage Full Faith and Credit, to quote the constitutional formula.

Not even the federal Defense of Marriage Act, we're warned, will be enough to save the old meaning of marriage. Hence the rush to amend the Constitution of the United States to protect the traditional meaning of marriage--even before the courts have decided whether all the states have to recognize Massachusetts' novel definition of it.

Who knows, by the time this dispute goes through the courts, the people of Massachusetts may have decided to amend their state constitution, overruling their supreme court and saving all of us a lot of trouble. That’s what the people of Hawaii did when gay marriages were briefly legal there.

Some of us regard the U.S. Constitution as a kind of sacred covenant itself, and believe any changes to it should be made only reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and, yes, in fear and awe. Which is why we’d rather wait and see whether a constitutional amendment is necessary before adopting one.

Our first rule in these matters is the same as Hippocrates’—do no harm. To federalize the question, and deny each state its own marriage laws, strikes us as doing considerable harm to the whole federalist principle that informs the Constitution. Whether this new uniformity is achieved because of a rash decision by one state’s judiciary or the national overreaction to it.

So long as Massachusetts does not force the rest of us to go along with its supreme court on this issue, surely the country can abide this exercise of states’ rights, or even of a state’s wrongs. It is only when such "marriages" in Massachusetts become the law in Arkansas, and in the rest of the Union, that tolerance becomes tyranny.

The notion that there is some "right’’ to marry—whether to marry someone of the same sex, or several persons of the opposite sex, or one’s own brother or sister or father or mother, or even a pet (poor Asta!)—strikes us as quite an advanced idea, all right. It is advanced beyond all reason, let alone custom, tradition, and what the Declaration of Independence calls the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.

But before rushing to amend our federal and state constitutions, let’s ascertain what the law really is—through the usual, deliberate judicial process. If to wed in haste is to repent at leisure, changing a constitution in haste invites the same fate.

Some states might like to follow Massachusetts’ example, while others would deny homosexual unions any recognition. Still others—the most sensible and fair, we would submit—will offer their citizens some form of domestic partnership or civil unions. Not just homosexuals need apply. A civil union might be just the thing for elderly sisters who live together, or old friends who want to share their financial obligations and benefits. The structure of these new arrangements could be as varied as the states of the Union. It’s a big country. There is no reason to make it a uniform one. That’s the genius of states’ rights.

But at the moment, a number of states are rushing to amend their constitutions in order to preserve the traditional definition of marriage. It’s become a fad, much like leisure suits and bell-bottoms back in the more than slightly ridiculous Seventies.

NOT EVEN Arkansas, once safely tucked away in flyover country, is immune to the national fashion. Our attorney general has just certified the description of a proposed amendment to the state constitution that will appear on the ballot in November if enough voters sign the petitions for it.

This proposed amendment defines marriage as "the union of one man and one woman," essentially repeating current state law. Why it’s necessary to add such an amendment to Arkansas’ already over-amended constitution escapes us. If the Arkansas statute defending the traditional meaning of marriage proves unconstitutional in some federal court, then so will this constitutional amendment. Just as the seggish constitutional amendments of the Orval Faubus-Jim Johnson era proved pointless. (Thank goodness.) This new amendment is less a change in Arkansas law than a political gesture.

More worrisome is some of the language in the text of the proposed amendment. It would not only bar homosexual marriages in this state, but deny any "legal status for unmarried persons which is identical or substantially similar to marital status. . . ." That language comes too close to barring civil unions.

Do we really want to deny homosexual couples inheritance rights, pension benefits, and all the other mutual protections a humane law would grant?

If this state had a responsible legislature (and if pigs could fly) legislators even now would be working up a law to govern civil unions. It could be modeled on, say, Vermont’s. That way, the traditional meaning of marriage would be preserved, while the benefits of a financial and legal union would not be denied to people who want to be considered an economic unit. Which would be a reasonable compromise. But in today’s emotional climate, such a solution would be considered unspeakably sensible.

March 18, 2004
To the Editor:

Never in my life have I seen such an insulting and ill-reasoned defense of the contemporary majority view of marriage as in the editorial "More Light, Less Heat" (March 18, 2004). One thing the editorial board stated correctly is the assertion that the rush to codify marriage as a specifically heterosexual institution is hasty and ill-advised. Also stated correctly is that this is a battle for the definition of marriage rather than its sanctity. But let us not be mistaken, this attempt to legislate the meaning of marriage is about political and sociological power and ensuring that a significant minority of the population (i.e., homosexuals) remain in a lower status, effectively disenfranchised, than the majority.

In its opinion overturning the ban on gay marriage, the Canadian Appellate Court in Ontario stated, "same-sex couples are capable of forming long, lasting, loving and intimate relationships." Indeed, they long to do so. It was impossible to overlook the recurring profile of same-sex couples applying for marriage licenses in San Francisco. Many, if not most, had been in a relationship for numerous years and took very seriously their commitment to each other, no doubt made "reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God," to make equal use of the quaint language of the Book of Common Prayer. To suggest that gays and lesbians, most of whom can only dream of marriage at this moment, will take lightly the right to publicly affirm their commitment by comparing it to the privilege of receiving a driver’s license (minus taking the test) is not only insulting and dehumanizing to homosexuals and the depth of the love many of them share, it completely ignores the fact that any two heterosexuals, regardless of their commitment to each other, can walk into any county clerk’s office today and receive a marriage license, provided they can sign their names and pay the fee. If one of them should get hit by a bus and die while crossing the street, the other would immediately have more legal rights and protection (to property inheritance, the right to make funeral arrangements, or even to visit the dying spouse in the hospital or accompany them in the ambulance) than a same-sex couple who have spent a lifetime together. Even if a same-sex couple has power of attorney in each other’s affairs, after death the biological family of the deceased (who may not have acknowledged the deceased in years) can swoop in and claim his or her property and/or contravene funeral arrangements, and the bereaved partner is usually powerless to prevent it under the current afforded legal protections. The driver’s license analogy, likewise, pays no regard to the open discrimination that gays and lesbians still face in much of our society, or to the bravery required to publically proclaim their love and commitment when that will likely make them a target of reproach in many areas.

The editorialist himself demonstrates why civil unions are regarded by many gays and lesbians as an unacceptable substitute for marriage. To suggest that civil unions would be ideal for cohabiting elderly spinsters or old friends as well as homosexual couples further demeans the bond of intimacy experienced between many same-sex couples. Indeed, were they a heterosexual couple, after several years of cohabitation, they would be considered married by common law and receive more legal protection and social respect than a same-sex couple married in a territory where the marriages of gay and lesbian couples are recognized.

Further, to suggest that recognizing the marriages of gays and lesbians will lead down a "slippery slope" to sanctioning polygamy, incestuous relationships, and bestiality ignores the fact that polygamy and marriage to close relatives does indeed exist in many parts of the world, frequently as a condition of a society that grants few rights to women, and that has not caused a popular uprising to recognize or sanction such relationships here. Indeed, these relationships are seen as primative, exploitative, and discriminatory rather than advanced. Similarly, Neither can a dog or a cat or a parakeet make an informed consent to enter a relationship, so to suggest that sanctioning the committed, loving, familial relationships of gays and lesbians will lead to similarly sanctioning the relationship between humans and their pets is to purposefully entertain an absurd notion in order to discredit a rational reform which is long overdue.

Bon voyage of the mind (or: Imposing my random thoughts on the world)

Here it is. I am finally giving into the prevailing culture and intellectual guilt that I do not regulary record my thoughts and actions in a routine manner.

Actually, I think this will be exciting. I hope to get to know myself better through this process and let others get to know me as well. I'll not spill all my thoughts out at once, but I'll reveal these tidbits about me slowly (but regularly) so as not to give others or myself any preconceived notions. The first several entries are likely to be a clearinghouse of some of my recent thoughts and writings... perhaps a bit more impersonal than I'd really like... think of it as like the first couple of years of Charles Schulz's Peanuts where was still trying to work out his characters as well as the tone and perspective of the strip.

I tend to be wordy too. I hope I don't bore anyone unecessarily.

I suppose this is where I should break a bottle of champagne over the bow. Hmmm... does it count if I just pour coffee over the keyboard? Seems like I ruined a perfectly good mp3 player and cd walkman two weeks ago doing that. Maybe I'll just fire a gun off in the air.