It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

House Committee Passes Partner Benefits Bill

The Advocate reports: The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Wednesday voted 23-12 to pass the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act, which would extend benefits to same-sex partners of federal government workers.

The bill is now likely to move to a full House floor vote, which many anticipate could take place before the end of the year.

Debate over the bill split along party lines with Democrats emphasizing the concepts of fairness and equality and Republicans objecting to the legislation on the basis that it would begin to redefine marriage or would create special rights for LGBT people.

DC Doing Same-Sex Marriage Right

The DC Board of Elections and Ethics ruled yesterday that a measure to let voters decide whether to ban same-sex marriage in DC cannot go on the ballot because it would violate a city human rights law. Bravo! This makes me proud to be a DC resident. Why can't other places get the fact that voting on civil rights doesn't work? Would there even be interracial marriage in many southern states if it required a vote? I don't think so.

The DC Council is expected to approve same-sex marriage in a vote on December 1, but it has to be voted on twice before passing. Apparently, DC can't be trusted with just one vote. We need an "Are you sure?" vote. Then, because DC government apparently rides the short bus to work, the U.S. Congress can override the vote.

The DC Council seems to be standing up to the Catholic Church threat of leaving a third of the city's poor in the lurch if the bill passes. The church has threatened to abandon its charity and adoption work in the city because gay marriage would violate the institutions core values. As we all recall from our bible studies, "the Lord said, feed the poor and clothe the naked, unless the gays can get married. In that case, let them go to hell." With all the gay priests out there abusing children, isn't it a bit self-righteous of the church to take such a hard line? I'm happy, at least, to see the tactic not working. I wouldn't think it is helping make the church look very Christian.

UPDATE: 11/19/09 -- Lawyers for the Alliance Defense Fund and Stand4MarriageDC have filed a lawsuit in DC Superior Court to get the initiative on the ballot.

Flowers at Eastern Market

We had a great weekend. Friday night after work I ran 10K at the gym and came home and made my first quiche. OK, technically I bought frozen stuff in a carton, which I thawed and poured into a pie shell and baked. It turned out delicious.

Saturday we had a lazy day and then went to Archer and the Boyfriend's house for one of their trademarked dinner parties. The boyfriend outdid himself with a wonderful dinner and the wine flowed all night. We had a great time. I was a little hung over this morning, but not too bad.

This morning I had some leftover quiche for breakfast and this afternoon we went for a walk to the park and browsed around at Eastern Market. It was a warm and beautiful day, perhaps the last nice day on a weekend for the year. I took the photo of the flowers while we waited in line at the Market Lunch, where Shane got a burger. I was still full from the quiche. You can get a better view by double clicking the photo,

Delay Getting Florida House

We were suppose to be the proud owners of a beautiful house on a canal in Punta Gorda, FL, by now. Closing was set for yesterday, but good old Friday the 13th lived up to its reputation. The survey on the property discovered a bit of a problem. This is how it was explained to us:

I understand that you have been made aware of the problem where the home sits on the land. Apparently when this home was built the City Board looked the other way and let it be built without a variance. Also everyone who has purchased the home before you either paid cash or didn’t request a survey. Today with all the problems with foreclosures every mortgage company is requiring a survey. This home is one of the reasons.

If we don’t get this cleared and you were to close, then you may never be able to sell it or even give it away. Back in Illinois I saw a property that didn’t get a variance and when the seller tried to sell it, the County told him that he could not sell it or if he did he would have to tear down the home first. Not many options. We have an option today and we must take that option in case it may not be there down the road after you own it.

Now I know that is not what you wanted to happen since you must cancel all of your plans and change dates on your insurance etc and I feel very bad for you. But your lock is good until Dec 13th so I would change my insurance date to Dec 11th and see what happens. The zoning official said that it would take 21 days from the time of application before we could close. It is my understanding that the Seller’s Agent has started working on getting the application completed at this time and I am picking up the revised Survey tomorrow to take down to the zoning official.

Before this week, I didn't know the meaning of the word "variance." Basically, the house has an easement -- the house is built over part of the land the city could claim for utility use, or for whatever. We are waiting for the city to give us an exemption. So, we do not own the house yet. We will not own the house by Thanksgiving, so we won't be going to Florida over Thanksgiving week as we planned. We hope to go to closing sometime during the week of December 7th and are planning to start driving to Florida on December 11th for a week. Cross your fingers!

UPDATE 11/19/09: As of today, the bank that owns the house has still not submitted the variance application. It takes 3 weeks after the application is submitted! The bank can't sell the house until this problem is resolved, so WTF are they waiting on?

Sugarland - Keep You - CMA Awards 2009

Recent TV Observations

I'm not proud, but when I was off of work yesterday for Veterans Day, I watched Tyra.  She was back in the fat suit learning that straight men discriminate against big girls.  What I found to be the most interesting thing about the show was that part of her sermon on the subject stated that prejudice against fat people is the last acceptable form of discrimination. 

 

Really?  Fat people can't get married because they are fat?  Do they have votes about the rights of fat people?  Can you not adopt a kid if you are too overweight? 

 

Another thing -- she was all self-righteous about the three guys she went on blind dates with as a big girl.  She thought they treated her differently than if she showed up as say, Tyra Banks.  Instead of dressing up as a fat girl Tyra, why not actually date a really fat man?  I'm sure there are lots of grossly obese men that would love to date her.

 

After Tyra, I watched Oprah interview Charla Nash, the victim of the chimpanzee attack earlier this year.  It was mesmerizing TV.  I have to admit that it took me a bit longer to fall asleep last night.  I couldn't get that image out of my mind.  That poor woman deserves every cent she can get from the chimp owner for the hell she has been put through. 

 

I also watched some of the Country Music Awards last night.  It was nice to see that Darius Rucker (formerly Hootie from Hootie and the Blowfish) won best new artist.  It is interesting that he is considered a new artist, since he's been a singer for years.  I guess he's new to country. 

 

It was the first time a major CMA was won by a black man since Charley Pride in the 1970s.  It was also interesting that as Rucker wondered around the audience during his number that he was the only African American person in the room.  I hadn't seen that many white people in one place since the Republican National Convention. 

 

The highlight of the CMAs was the performance by Sugarland.  They are awesome.  They won for best vocal duo (although only one of them sings).  Taylor Swift won entertainer of the year.  Is it me, or does she sound flat a lot during her live performances?  I don't get her appeal unless you're a teenage girl.  Maybe that is who votes on these things. 

Perfect Song for a Cold, Rainy Day

Yo Yo Ma and James Taylor do an amazing version of "Here Comes the Sun" from Ma's album, Songs of Joy and Peace, which came out last year. It is the perfect thing to listen to on a cold, rainy day. Skip to about 1:45 into the video to get right to the song.

Pentagon Rainbow

We can see the Pentagon from our office window. Today, a rainbow
sprang out of it. DADT!

Haters Win in Maine - My Letter to Sen. Snowe

Below is my letter to Maine Senator Olympia Snowe after the defeat of ballot question 1 overturned marriage equality in Maine.  Please feel free to send similar letters to her and Maine Senator Susan Collins.  They both remained mum on the vote. 

 

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November 4, 2009

 

The Honorable Olympia J. Snowe

United States Senate

154 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC  20510-1903

 

Dear Senator Snowe,

 

            I would like to be able to thank you for your support of the civil rights of Mainers regarding the vote on marriage equality on November 3, 2009.  I would like to thank you, but I cannot.  Your silence on the subject helped ensure the bigots and haters in Maine won, taking away a basic civil rights to many Maine citizens before it was even enacted.

 

            It is understandable why you remained silent on Ballot Question 1.  Why risk losing support from either side on such a divisive issue?  Your silence keeps everyone guessing on where you stand.  Why get down in the weeds?  Perhaps your support of marriage rights for all Mainers would have made a difference (and perhaps not).  We will never know.  It seems to be easier to play it safe with the goal of staying in office.  Why bother to have the integrity to stand up for what is right and lead on important issues?  Those politicians may not win re-election. 

 

            Of course the consequence of this vote is that gay and lesbian couples are not afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples.  That may seem a small price to pay.  However, the youth of Maine get a message from a vote like this – that being gay or lesbian is wrong – a defect – something of which they should be ashamed.  I hope you are not too troubled that, by remaining silent, you are basically reinforcing that message.  It is easy to understand why the suicide rate for GLBT youth is many times higher than it is for straight youth.  Try to imagine growing up in rural Maine knowing you are a homosexual and the overwhelming message you get is that you are sick and not deserving of the same rights as "normal people."

 

            Though I am currently not a constituent of yours, my partner and I do own land in Sedgwick, ME.  My partner grew up in Maine (he knows first-hand what that is like for a gay kid).  We still love Maine, though.  We had hoped to build on our land and to live there in retirement in 8 years.  Obviously, we are rethinking that plan. 

 

In addition, we have always enjoyed vacationing in Maine every year.  This past year, we rented a house on Little Deer Isle for two separate weeks.  We won't be returning to Maine next year.  We won't be buying any Maine products (we're going to miss shopping at LL Bean).  We don't support places that basically tell us that our rights do not matter.

 

I am hurt and angry that Maine has rejected marriage equality.  I am also saddened that you have chosen to remain silent on this issue.  I hope you will reconsider your actions and, in the future, show Maine the way a leader leads.  Thank you. 

Proposal at Washington D.C. Gay Marriage Hearing