Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Mitch Mitchell rides on into the sky

Sad to see you go. The joy and power of the music you made with Jimi Hendrix had a huge impact my life. Even though it was first recorded before I was born.





Here's to the rhinestone-studded drum throne that awaits, at the Great Jam in the Sky.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYgvK9u7-N8

If you could, say hi to Studs Terkel for all of us, as well.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Hey, Ads by Google? Go fuck yourself. ->

For the next day or so, as you look to the right of this article, you may see a "Yes on Proposition 8" piece of shite camouflaged as a blog ad.

They are shovellin' that shite far and wide.

So, let it be known that I don't agree with it, and if that link makes me any money I'm donating it to the most pro-Gay Marriage charity I can find.

Honestly. People need to not deny rights to other people. It's that simple. All the things going on with our present and our future, and people are spending their money holding onto a past that was only an illusion anyway. Gay people were around, in love and having long relationships since before history began. What's their love got to do with yours? How does their calling what they have "marriage" and them applying for the legal protection they want, lessen anyone else's marriage OR legal rights in any way, shape or form?

Come on people. Use what's between your ears - because while you're worked up about this, your preachers, pundits and still-standing Presidents are stealing your wallets and selling them to China.

Update: Well the vote's over now, at least. I can only hope that once all the votes are counted, Proposition 8 still goes down into the dust. Or, failing that, the California Supreme Court shitcans it like the shit it is.

Turns out the Utah Mormons are behind it. I guess if they can't have their wacky marriages, no one can. Well, here's the deal you fuckers: first Nevada went blue, and now you're next. Better retreat to Area 51.

Update 2: So much for that.

There is one consolation, one hope and one lesson. The consolation: this passed with lower numbers than the the last one. The hope: that this one will get shot down as unconstitutional, just like the last one.

And the lesson, that it seems liberals and progressives have to keep learning: thinking we're right is not enough to win.

I've heard some blame Proposition 8's passage on African-American and Latino voters - but what did white liberals and progressives do to convince them to vote against it?

Many Californians, me included, were sure this proposition wouldn't pass. So we didn't reach out beyond our convinced circles. So a bunch of freakin' white-bread conservatives and even MORMONS were able to connect more with African-Americans and Latinos than we did.

That's right. Conservatives, who routinely tar all Latinos as illegal immigrants to blame for all their woes, while they at the same time exploit them for cheap labor...and Mormons - who belong to a church so racist at it's core that until recently they publicly forbade all non-caucasians from any positions of power.

How could we blow that kind of advantage?

Right before the vote I saw a deluge of ads for Proposition 8, and barely any against. So I thought we were just outspent; but I was surprised to find out that's not the case. Funding against Proposition 8 was even greater than that for it. Perhaps those for Proposition 8 had a more united strategy.

In any case, just buying a bunch of ads is clearly not enough. We need to go in there and connect with people we disagree with, and find a way to sway them. If Mormons and conservatives can connect through religion, then we need to get comfortable with religion. Or really, just more comfortable...that might be another ugly truth Proposition 8 reveals: even though us white liberals and progressives and want what's best for all regardless of skin, religion, income, background, race, gender, sex preference etc. I really aren't hanging out with our fellow non-white Americans.

I'm not saying we should go out and self-conscisously try to get more "non-white friends" or something. Honestly, what's more false, disgusting, and patronizing than that? Turns my stomach just to think of it. But we do need to be more with other communities, and not just try to change the world by sending anonymous money to ad campaigns.

Hell, there's probably a lot of social conservatives we could have convinced to vote against Proposition 8, just by pointing out over some beers how much money all those weddings make for California.

We've got to plan better and do better. We've got a lot to do in this country. Let's get it together.