Meet the next President of the United States.
CNN just called it for Obama. I’m so happy. It’s been a long time coming….  Â
Let the change begin! (Actually, it already has)
Here is his victory speech, in case you missed it – or want to watch it again.
Yes, it is a great night! Let the positive changes begin. Let’s start moving in the right direction again.
Hooray for Obama! Hooray for America!
YAYYYYYY. Finally we are on the right track. I loved his speech, he is nothing short of inspiring.
I HAVE HOPE!!!
I’m just glad we now won’t have to move out of the country….
History was made. Good bye Bush.
HELLO MR. PRESIDENT!
Hooray for America, good for you!
I am so glad that Obama is our new president!! This is a great day in history! 🙂 Congrats to you President Barrack Obama!
However, I am seriously dissapointed in the fact that Proposition 8 was passed. I think that it is a terrible thing to take the right to marry away from anyone!
Like Kaylyn our joy is bittersweet. Hurray for all of us because we were smart enough to elect Obama, but we are devastated that 52% of Californians decided to write discrimination into the state constitution. Who can we sue??? The citizens of California? The Mormons and the Catholics for spending their millions to relegate us to a lower class of citizen?
Paul and I still feel married but our special day has definitely been tarnished.
Kristin and I were talking about this today and feel heartsick. This should never have even been taken to the ballot – no one should be able to vote someone else’s rights away!
I’m hoping there will be a legal challenge to this. It is sick and wrong. And I’m disgusted with the churches, organizations and individuals that pushed so hard to pass Prop 8.
Well let me add my 2cents worth.. I can’t take it anymore. I can’t take any interaction with an active Mormon, even ones I’m relate to. The Mormon church supported and participated a smear campaign in California just like McCain did against Obama. But unlike the country at large, it frightened Californians and they couldn’t see reality.
It amazes me how Mormon relatives, on the one hand tell you they love you, but then support financially and in other ways a church that just spend tens of millions of dollars taking away the most basic civil rights a person has. That is not love. And I will never accept it as such.
All I can do right now is walk away from anyone who contributes to that cult that thinks it is proper to decide what is right and wrong for everyone.
Am greatful for the words here.
And just an additional note. I did read today that three lawsuits have been filed with the State Supreme court. Apparently they can invalidate the amendment, and I am hoping they do. But expect they will not. But they should. Let it be a very expensive civics lesson to the Mormons that they cannot vote away equal treatment under the law. I read that many Mormons refinanced their homes to fund this evil. May they have super high interest rates and large payments for many many years. And may they enjoy those expenses AFTER the California supreme court throws out their pathetic little amendment.
New York is next. The Democrats took over both houses of the legislature and they will pass a marriage bill this year, with a Governor who is chomping at the bit to sign it. With Bruno (who has blocked the legislation for 3 years) retired now, and his Republican party out of power, it will be sooner than later in the new year. The Governor has already legalized gay marriage in New York even though they can’t yet be performed here. Any out of state or out of country marriage is recognized in New York.
The Mormons won’t have a say about that. 65% of the residents here support gay marriage. Their smear campaign won’t work.
Marriage is legal in Canada for over 10 years, and in many other countries, some for more than 10 years. Not a single heterosexual marriage was affected in the least. So the idea that the Mormons ‘saved’ marriage is idiotic.
I absolutely detest that church, and it gives me great pain that at one time I loved it more than life. That I ever gave a dime to it makes me sick. That I have a tie to it through the relatives only means I’ve got to walk away from them for good. It has only caused me harm.
It was one reason I moved across the continent. The internet has maintained a tie, but no longer.
I’m greatful for Allison and Kristin and anyone else on this blog who is supportive of we who have been so demonized and marginalized by both church and family.
Thanks for the support…
Sorry if I am overly negative.. I’ve just had to put up with it for a lifetime.. it would be easier I think if the institution funding these efforts wasn’t the one I grew up in or the one my ‘family’ supports with all their hearts and dollars.
I’ve just been heartsick all day.
Robert, thanks for sharing your thoughts and I couldn’t agree with you more.
Thanks Michelle… I appreciate that. After I posted this I began looking for a delete button, but discovered there are none. LOL.. Allison, I’m sorry.. I know you’ve worked hard to create a place of peace and friendliness.. But there are some wrongs that are just really really wrong. And this is one of them. Very un-American.
The Mormons funded that BS here in Arizona, too, Robert. I wish I had half of your courage to say “no more”. Unfortunately, half of my marriage agrees with it. 🙁
Good luck to you Robert…I am infuriated with California for passing that ban….I expected here in the heart of the ‘jello belt’ though.
I just can’t help but wonder at the reaction there would be in Utah if Californians or Nevadans, or Washingtonians, or New Yorkers or anyone else of Catholic or Protestant or any other religious persuasions decided to lobby for (or against), and influence laws in Utah….
Isn’t there already a federal mandate that prevents us from discrimination on the basis of sexual preference? It’s hard to imagine a more basic form of discrimination than the restriction of rights.
We love you, Rob. 🙂 And Paul, and Craig (and Brad and Mike, and so many more).
It just makes me sick that anyone supported this proposition. I just honestly cannot understand why?? And how can they feel justified in denying rights to those who so completely deserve them (and would have more appreciation for them).
I am disgusted by all those evil bigots who contributed money to make sure your rights were denied. I’ve been angry and discouraged about it all day.
I’ll be sending a nasty note to my neighbor who sent in $1,000… Disgusts me.
It amazes me that a church that fled to Utah to keep from being persecuted for it’s marriage practices (polygamy) would throw their weight behind such discriminatory legislation. The irony of it, and mental disconnect it must take the members is huge. I hope the LDS church experiences a major backlash over their involvement. I do know of people who are resigning their membership because of it.
Thank you so much for the words of support. It really helps. I can give you an idea why this happened…
I have a co-worker I’ve been friends with for years. She does the payroll where I work. She recently moved back to California in August to care for her elderly parents. She has been very very pro-gay rights. We joked in September when she realized she didn’t like California and missed NY that at least she would be there to vote against the amendment.
The day before the amendment she instant messaged me at work to say that while she really really believed in equal rights for everyone she would have to support the proposition because ‘it elevated gay rights above religious rights.’
At first I thought she was joking. When it became apparent she wasn’t, I told her that no religion could be forced to perform gay marriages or to change it’s policy or intepretation of scripture. She replied, “No, if you read the proposition you would see that it puts gay rights above religious rights.”
I was stunned that an otherwise intelligent woman could make such a stupid uninformed remark. I told her that the proposition did NOT give any group rights, that it only took them away. I told her the court gave gay people the same rights a straight, nothing more or less, and the proposition is worded to remove those rights.
So somehow, someone got her to believe that this proposition would was not a proposition to reverse gay marriage, but a proposition that would grant gay people rights over religious people.
Her last post said, “I have to vote my head over my heart.” I did not reply. Nor will I ever again.
I thought, if they could put that kind of untrue fear into the heart of a supporter, then 1)again, my belief that we are a nation of ignorant nitwits has been reaffirmed because the people who bought this idea that they were protecting religious freedom obviously didn’t understand that all they were doing was protecting religious prejudice, and 2) the Mormons and Catholics and others who pushed this amendment used lies to push fear into their minds.
I think the arguments against the legality of the amendment are sound. The court can throw the amendment out. I hope they do. It has happened before. Voters there passed a term limits amendment and the court invalidated that – so maybe it will happen. But judges are elected in California, and I don’t know if the same ones who voted for equality will vote to invalidate the amendment. If they did, those supporting it will cry out about how the vote invalidated the will of the majority. They don’t understand that one of the court’s main functions is to protect minorities from the tyranny of the majority. This would be the finest example of the court using it’s power to do just that.
Robert,
Paul and I are wondering if the three of us are triplets that were seperated at birth in a hospital somewhere in Utah years ago because a Mormon doctor somehow knew about the still undiscovered gay gene and said, “we can’t leave these 3 together…they’ll destroy mankind as we know it”.
Our stories seem to mirror yours. We left Utah 7 years ago to escape the all enveloping arm of the Mormon church in Utah where we both were born and raised. We moved to “Gay Zion” here in California and were so thrilled to marry after 14 years of happiness. And now the time and money spent by our Mormon siblings and family have taken away our fabulous day….for now.
The fight is not over. Every civil rights struggle takes decades. Gay rights are truly the last frontier. Paul has a great way of stating it…he told me that every other minority is born into a family of minorities that love and support each other through the trials of discrimination. When you are gay you are born a minority into a family that is in the majority and you have to fight to win their support.
Both Paul and I have been unsupported in our life by many members of our immediate family. We know from whence you come.
The saving grace is that the extended family all of us create becomes enough. Paul’s boys both have called me Ma since we got together 14 years ago (as did all their friends). I can also include many contributors to this blog (Allison and cousins and…) That is what family really is.
OK – Paul says I should shut up and give someone else the mike.
Love this blog thing…it’s a great outlet for venting all the BS in our lives.
Thank you Craig. I understand what you are saying. For so many, the term ‘family’ means biological connection, and that alone is reason for interaction.
For those of us who are gay, we know differently. Family is a term where one can expect support for the most basic human rights… the right to be oneself openly and without judgement or guilt. The right to have the same opportunities at happiness that is enjoyed by everyone else.
There’s such a difference between being merely related biologically to someone, and being ‘family’ in the real sense of the word..
Since we generally don’t find that required acceptance from biological relatives, so many of us move on and create our own families. I’ve been very lucky in that effort recently.
I am happy that I have 3 biological relatives that I can still regard as ‘family.’ to me. Allison, Kristin and Pam have done more than pay lip service to acceptance. I can’t state how much I appreciate their support.
And in the last two years, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to become part of a family here in New York (as well as Colombia) – a family that is so accepting and so uncontaminated by the disease of religion. They understand that gayness ia a natural part of human sexuality that has always existed, and always will.
So I am Grandpa to all of them. Not just the children (there are 7), but even the father, who has become not just my best friend, but like the brother I’d always wanted to have. A brother who accepts me 100% – not making excuses for my discrimination while paying 10% of his income to the church that uses that money to keep me marginalized. Javier is 1000% straight. I know studies show that men who are truly 100% straight are the men who are not threatened by homosexuality, so they are more accepting. That is the case here. It’s the men who claim to be heterosexuals who are truly bisexual who are threatened and who are intolerant.
Anyway, even he calls me Grandpa, and I like that. All the mothers of his children call me Grandpa too. In fact, I would be surprised if the mothers even know my real name.
This is not your traditional family in any stretch. Three mothers, 7 children, and a gay grandpa who adores each of them. No, we’re not traditional, and thank God for that..
I finally feel I have a family again. And after decades of loneliness and despair, it is heaven. Even when I am dead tired after working all day and there are kids running around being noisey and wanting me to read them a story. I cherish every moment of it.
I so enjoyed the entry here on your and Paul’s wedding.
Oh and don’t worry about passing the mike on.. I’ve a history of verbosity. Allison went so far once as to take an anonymous poll on the subject. LOL..
Hello all, many of you do not know me, but my name is Josh Adamson, and I am Craig and Paul’s nephew. Craig told me about this blog and I, as a lover of blogs, just had to join in. A little more about me: I am 24, gay, and live in Salt Lake City, UT. I came out at 17 and have dealt with the overwhelming force of the Mormon church my whole life.
So, onto the topic at hand, it makes me sick that proposition 8 passed, and that so much of the support came from Mormons in my own state. The last few months have been exciting as I’ve seen my uncles and many friends marry in California, but that has turned to heartbreak.
Two years ago my own state passed a gay marriage ban with only 1/3 of the citizens voting against it. Unfortunately, it was completely expected and most of us here just went on like nothing ever happened.
But now, bolstered by a fantastic and hopeful new president and galvanized by the debate of proposition 8, many of us here in Salt Lake are ready to take a stand. It may not mean much, but I, along with possibly hundreds of others, will be marching in downtown Salt Lake at the LDS Church Office Building, in protest of the church’s involvement in prop 8. I think that the GLBT community is finally ready to stop rolling over and taking it and actually taking up the call, along with our straight allies, to fight for equality, rather than be on the defensive every time.
I’m not sure what will come of this or what this will mean in the weeks to come, but I have hope (thanks in part to Mr. Obama) that things will change and will get better.
Well that was dramatic. I look forward to getting to know all the rest of you folks on this here clammy blog!
Josh
Welcome, Josh – the more the merrier!When is your downtown march planned?
(BTW, I LOVE your halloween costume…..)
Please don’t shun me, but I am mormon. *gasp!!*
However, I have the best mother in the world (the owner of this blog), so she raised me to know that I don’t have to believe everything I hear. I am more of a “liberal” mormon, or what some might call a “jack” mormon, so if something doesn’t sit right with me, I choose to not believe it. Or I might tweak it a bit to fit my own beliefs. For example, I do NOT agree with what the church has done regarding this issue and, frankly, it really pisses me off. I have quite a few LDS friends who are very upset with the passing of Prop 8, as well, and I also have many gay friends and relatives whom I know this stupid proposition deeply hurts. I am embarassed for the church and for the idiotic people who can’t understand how asenine this ban is. How in the hell could Paul and Craig’s marriage (or anyone else’s, for that matter) even REMOTELY affect my own? Somehow, them getting married is supposed to make mine less “special??” SERIOUSLY!!!
I, personally, think that the church is being hypocritical on this particular issue. Now, I can’t believe I’m actually quoting scripture on your website, mom, but it’s to make a point:
Article of Faith No. 11:
“We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and ALLOW ALL MEN THE SAME PRIVILEGE, let them worship how, where, or what they may.”
(I know you cringed a little when you read that, didn’t you, mom?)
Ok. I don’t know what that says to you, but seriously. How many ways can that really be interpreted? Isn’t that basically saying that the church shouldn’t interfere with how other people choose to live their lives? Maybe I’m way off, here, but that’s what I get from it. And if I’m wrong, well, then, that’s just another thing I will tweak a little.
(Enough tweaking and I’ll have started my own religion.)
That’s my girl 🙂
Allison, the protest will be tonight at 6 pm, MST. So watch for it in the media.
Ashley, it’s wonderful to here from LDS people such as yourself who feel the way you do about this issue. My own mother is in the same boat. She is a devout Mormon, but has been very conflicted over the church’s involvement in prop 8. And I have heard from dozens of other LDS people just like you, and it really does give me hope that things won’t always be so frustrating.
I called myself a Mormon until age 17, and just this year had my name removed from the records. But I still have a great deal of respect for the church’s values and the enormous kindness and charity they continue to show the world. But it is this issue that I cannot stomach, and that’s why I will show my support in the protest tonight.
P.S. I just received an email from my wonderful mom who said she supports me in going to the protest tonight. Brings tears!
I wish I were there to go too!!! This is important. We can’t just give up on this. My hope is that with Prop 8 challenged, the courts will have to take a real good look at it, admit this is unconstitutional and not subject to a vote, and that it will then spill over to other states that voted to deny you these rights.
I was on the CNN site today and read a comment from a guy in Utah that I liked. Not a new thought for any of us, but it was just good to read it. Maybe I’ll have to write another letter to the editor of my paper. They’ve published two of my submissions before -back when San Francisco started granting marriage licenses a few years back – even though my view isn’t very popular in this town.
“Why are people under the delusion that standing up for your beliefs means that you work with all your might to FORCE them on OTHER people? Standing up for your beliefs means that YOU do not engage or indulge in whatever it is that you believe is wrong, not trying to make OTHERS abide by your code. If you believe gay marriage is wrong, don’t marry a person who is gay. You are free to choose. Freedom FROM religion is just as fundamental to the Constitution as freedom to practice.”
Hi kids: first off, I can’t type, can’t spell, and can’t punctutate, but I’m a darling person. That being said, If you can’t make it through this, I don’t blame you. I had some thoughts I wanted to express. First off, I love the support I’ve felt from all of you, and I’d like you to know how I feel. Craig and I have been together for 14 years and have a very strong and happy relationship. We never considered that a marraige license would be that important. We talked about getting married just for medical decisions and saving our assets for our children and not for reletives who come out of the woodwork when one of us dies. The fact is, is that when we got married it did mean something more. It made me fell like our relationship was finally ligitamate. It was different and it was really great. I say was because even though by law we are still married it doesn’t feel the same anymore. It feels more like it was, which is totally fine but second class. We were put back in our place. I don’t know wheather anyone has seen the commercials that were run in California, but the negative campaign funded primarily by christians was all a lie. They talked about how the school system would be forced to teach about gay marraige and that domestic partners had the same rights as married couples and on and on. The whole thing is an outrage. My montra in life is to stay posative and understand that everthing happens for a reason but this is a real test for me because I am trying really hard to not become angry. So far so good. Paul
Saw a little of the SLC protest on the news. Way to go Josh et al. We are now watching live coverage of a huge demonstration in downtown San Francisco. It is inspiring us and healing a small bit of the open wound. Maybe this is the beginning of our MLK-like groundswell of enough is enough! Keep hope alive!!!
Not only are you darling, Paul, you are adorable. Punktuashun we dont need no stinckin pucktuashun 🙂
I’m really sorry that your special day and your marriage feel diminished… it’s not right and it’s not fair. I know very few straight couples who are as happy and committed as you two are.
Ok – back to the original topic of this blog…seeing the Bushes welcome the Obamas to the White House this morning was very moving…a few more tears of joy!
Craig, I agree, this is one of the most emotional transitions I’ve ever seen. I’m so grateful that people stood up to begin this shift of consciousness. I too was saddened about Prop 8(I too live in CA).
On election night our meditation group met to help release the fears within people’s hearts throughout the country who are scared about this change in direction. It was one of the most powerful meditations we as a group have ever experienced.
It was also interesting, prior to the election, to see so many people outside this country who were praying for Obama to win. How delightful that they could see the difference… obviously because their egos are not involved, and wanted to help facilitate the energy of change.
Today is a very significant date in numeroly 11/11. This is the beginning of our physical world stepping into a new consciousness. How appropriate to have a more evolved leader to begin this journey.
Tonight our meditation group is holding a Mayan Fire Ceremony, again to open the hearts of people to accept “peace”… something you would believe that people want. Yet, fear still holds many people hostage from accepting what they really desire. They fear change, not knowing what will be required of them or what to expect.
I encourage you to also participate this day in your own fire ritual. If there is something you wish to release (resentment, unforgiveness, anger, shame, guilt etc.) or something you wish to create in your life, write it in a letter, or meditate/pray it into a stick or herb, something you can burn. Say a prayer and burn it. If you don’t have a fireplace or firepit, a pie tin works great also.
Invoke peace this day in your world!
Namaste
I just now discovered your post Jana – thanks! Can’t wait for you to start your own blog….
I have been as excited as anyone over the Obama win… He clearly was the best choice.
However……
Back when this financial crisis first exploded in October, and he not only jumped on the bandwagon of bailouts, but became the leader of that chorus…. I read articles by Dennis Kucinich, the only politician I trust 100%. And I became convinced the bailouts weren’t the right answer.
I have not been a supporter of Obama in his efforts there. But I’ve also realized I could be wrong and he could be doing the right thing too. And it’s been refreshing to see SOMEONE stand up and take charge of the situation. Bush certainly has not. And although it is unprecedented for a President elect to basically take over the handling of a crisis, he has. So, I’m thrilled about someone who has the instincts to lead.
But, has anyone else noticed that for all the rhetoric about putting Main street above Wall street for a change, that all of his economic appointments thus far are Wall Street insiders who presided over and pushed the deregulation that created this mess?
Here is an article I’d have a hard time disagreeing with:
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20081125_obama_chooses_wall_street_over_main_street/
Why hasn’t he chosen economists from academia who are not part of the Wall street crowd to offer real change?
This is disturbing to me..
McCain and Palin charged he was a Socialist.. Oh that he were. He has chosen the greediest types of Capitalists to lead us out of a mess they created..