Bigot of the Week Award: February 25

Bigot of the Week

I knew Mike (I appear to be sane) Huckabee would eventually earn at least one of these awards, but was hoping it would not be so soon in the year. Huckabee earns this week’s BWA after calling gay families, “guinea pigs”:

“I believe that we’re in denial about potential problems as we see more and more homosexual couples raising families. Essentially, these are experiments to see how well children will fare in such same-sex households. It will be years before we know whether or not our little guinea pigs turn out to be good at marriage and parenthood.”

Huckabee has made it clear that he will be running for President in 2012–he certainly is courting the gay vote with comments like the one above. Click here to see the full article on Jeremy’s blog. What make Huckabee so dangerous is that he does not appear as crazy as his peers in the Republican party. The bigot Huckabee goes on ad nauseam about how horrible marriage equality is and the evils of repealing DADT. He also says that, ”[Marriage] is the foundational form of government,” Huckabee told CBS News.  Click here to see the full article. Once again, I would like to underscore that I don’t really care if people like the bigoted Huckabee like or dislike, approve or disapprove of the LGBT community. What I do care about is that people like Huckabee DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT to deny us our civil rights! YOU DO NOT GET TO SAY WHAT I’M ALLOWED TO HAVE LEGALLY.

Celebrating Black History Month: February 25

A Voice of Social Justice

Today I would like to honor and pay tribute to Marian Wright Edelman. Edelman is probably best known for her work in the Civil Rights Movement and as the Founder of Children’s Defense Fund. Edelman was the first black woman admitted in the Mississippi Bar when she began practicing law for the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Educational Fund.  Edelman has dedicated her life to issues around social justice, specifically in protecting and giving voice to youth. She helped to create the Head Start Program. Included in the many awards she has earned are: the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Prize, the Heinz Award, and a MacArthur Foundation Prize Fellowship. In 2000, Edelman was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Edelman has written eight books including, Agenda for Social Change and I Can Make a Difference. I hope I will be considered a great agent of change as we have in our Marian Wright Edelman.

A lot of people are waiting for Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi to come back – but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us. It is up to you.–Marian Wright Edelman

We Must Protect the Rich At All Costs (?)

Help Protect The Super Rich

“Hey, all of you jobless and soon to be homeless, can you spare a dime for the wealthiest of the wealthy?” It would seem that when Congress passed the law that protected the super rich from taxes for the next two years, they also sealed the fate for those that are middle class or lower. So is it really any surprise that the gap between rich and poor has widened into a chasm–that we continue to become a country of haves and have nots?  To add insult to injury, the current House of Representatives, controlled by John (He makes me cry) Boehner and his cadre of white cronies continue to introduce legislation that works AGAINST the American people. So much for civil servants. Yes, let’s eliminate social programs, social services, healthcare; let’s do everything in our power to make the poor even poorer. Most of us better get used to eating cat food soon.  When will we see the breaking point? When will we be inspired by the good working class of Wisconsin railing against the rich and health-insured GOP that has now proposed to use physical violence against the working class protesters?  When do we stop thanking the rich for raping us?  See the full article here.

Boehner Evades Reality (Again)

Why lead when you can loathe?

It was just a matter of time before the Republicans began to attack President Obama’s announcement that his administration will no longer defend the odious Defense of Marriage Act in court. As Speaker of the House, John Boehner (R – Wonderland) was certainly expected to make a statement. Perhaps less expected was the statement he made (through spokesman Brendan Buck):

“While Americans want Washington to focus on creating jobs and cutting spending, the President will have to explain why he thinks now is the appropriate time to stir up a controversial issue that sharply divides the nation.”

Excuse me? Besides the bizarre dodge behind job creation, has this man at last no sense of decency? The man who just lead the House in a budget proposal that eliminated public broadcasting and eviscerates family planning and women’s rights accuses someone else of “stirring up controversial issues”?!? This doesn’t even consider the colossal waste of Congressional time and taxpayer money that the Speaker has presided over, starting with the pointless puffery of health care repeal (which most Americans oppose) and getting nastier from there.

So far this House has done nothing to create jobs and has spent a lot of time grandstanding on tea-stained issue politics. Fortunately, our president is demonstrating an understanding of leadership, rather than pointless partisanship. For more on this story, visit AMERICAblog.

Clouds of NOM

The Princess of Prejudice

In reaction to our Ray of Light from President Obama, yesterday, good old Warrior Maggie, Princess of Prejudice, and NOM are foaming at the mouth, (while hiding all of their secret gay porn stash) to fight for “Marriage.”  In a statement released yesterday, our Princess of  Prejudice’s lap boy, Brian Brown said, “we have not yet begun to fight for marriage.”

I guess this leaves no choice but for my husband and me to take up war arms to do battle. Why even now, I am dressing in my best formal/downtown casual wear (with great flair) and we are going to see how many hetero marriages we can knock out in one day. For I know that just one look at how happy my husband and I are together, it will force all hetero couples to go gay! Bwahahahaha!!!

Click here to see the full article on Jeremy’s blog.

Women’s History: February 24

Henrietta Szold

February 12, 1912, Henrietta Szold found Hadassah, the world’s largest and oldest women’s Zionist organization focusing on healthcare and education in the US and Israel. She is best known as a social reformer, educator, and Zionist Leader. In 1933, Szold immigrated to Palestine and helped run Youth Aliyah, an organization that rescued 30,000 Jewish children from Nazi Europe.

February 24, 1981, Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles announce their engagement to be married.

Celebrating Black History Month: February 24

Honoring Sojourner Truth

Today I would like to honor and pay tribute to Sojourner Truth (Isabella Baumfree).  Truth was born a slave onto Hardenbergh Plantation, in upstate New York. At age nine she was sold to a new master and was taken from her family. In 1826, Truth finally escaped from her latest owner/master with her daughter Sophia. The State of New York would start its own emancipation of slaves in 1827. In 1851, Truth was to give one of her most famous speeches in Akron, Ohio. Her Ain’t I a Woman speech was delivered at the Women’s Rights Convention. Here is just a delicious bit from her powerful speech off the cuff:

I am a woman’s rights. I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man. I have plowed and reaped and husked and chopped and mowed, and can any man do more than that? I have heard much about the sexes being equal. I can carry as much as any man, and can eat as much too, if I can get it. I am as strong as any man that is now. As for intellect, all I can say is, if a woman have a pint, and a man a quart – why can’t she have her little pint full?

Our William Lloyd Garrison published her speech in The Liberator. During the Civil War, Truth helped to recruit black soldiers for the Union Army. For more information on this national treasure, click here.

Here are two beautiful poems that were submitted to TSM:

The Legacy of an Extraordinary Woman
By: Omarr RaSharjd Lee

From the breath of my lungs,
To the depths of my soul,
On this day,
We celebrate the life,
Of a great woman, therefore
Poetry is told;
During her time on earth,
Her courage gave light,
To very dark days,
She chose to travel and preach, and
This was inspiring,
In so many remarkable ways,
Because of her strong-will, and
Outspoken temperament,
Her legacy will live forever,
Always believe that you can achieve;
Always think before you do; and
Always wish upon a star, because
That star could take you to a phenomenal height,
As a poet writes,
A phenomenal verse,
A phenomenal phrase,
For a (simply) phenomenal woman named,
Sojourner Truth.

A Phenomenal Poet Named Maya Angelou
By: Omarr RaSharjd Lee

One of the best poets to ever live,
One of the best poets to ever write,
Her words (simply) lift your self-esteem and your dreams,
To a phenomenal height,
Her poetry is unquestionably,
One of the greatest works of art,
Each verse comes straight from her heart, therefore
Each phrase must come from her soul,
Her poetry is as precious as gold, therefore
She will always be,
A phenomenal woman,
Phenomenally.

Ray of light for Marriage Equality from President Obama

Repeal DOMA

My guess is that most of you already read this in the NYT, but I’m publishing it because I want the good news to spread!  President Obama President Obama, has directed the Justice Department to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) – the 1996 law that bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages – against lawsuits challenging it as unconstitutional.  Bravo, President Obama for moving in the right direction and working for civil rights!  Bravo, to Attorney General, Eric H. Holder, as well.  Click here for the NYT article.

Right Wing Racist Reach Wrong Resolution: Refuting Reality

Michelle Obama: Fighting Fools

I was hoping not to have to do yet another article on the right wing racist NUTS, for fear of crossing the Bachmann line. Due to the recent flurry attacks from Palin, Bachmann, and Limbaugh on First Lady Michelle Obama, I felt the need to address such incredible ignorance and blatant racism, a la Andrew Breitbart’s racist cartoon. I’m frankly surprised that have not called her “uppity.”

Really? Really? This is where we are as a nation? We are attacking the First Lady because she is preaching against childhood obesity and advocating breast feeding–am I alone in thinking this is not only ignorant racism at work, but PROFOUND STUPIDITY on behalf of anyone listening to this noticeably white cadre of critics. Childhood obesity is a real problem in America right now, which also weighs heavy on the healthcare system (no pun intended). Have any of these critics of the First Lady done any research on the dangers of childhood obesity, or on the benefits of breast feeding? No, they are all graduates of the Bachmann Skuull, or is spelled Skool?  Click here to read a comprehensive study about the benefits of breast feeding.   Lest we forget the benefits and links between mental health and physical health.

When as a culture do we say enough is enough! When does intellect defeat ignorance? When are we willing to examine truth and reflect and take action, which is what the First Lady is asking us to do.

Women’s History: February 23

Pioneer in Aviation

Happy Birthday, Ruth Nichols.  While most people know who AmeliaEarhart is, far fewer people know our Ruth Nichols. Nichols was a contemporary of Earhart and one of only a handful of women pilots.  Nichols became the first woman in the world to earn an international hydroplane license. In 1927, she was one of the first two women to receive a Department of Commerce transport license. In 1931, Ruth Nichols broke three major women’s records: altitude, speed and distance. Nichols and Earhart founded the Ninty-Nines, an organization promoting women pilots.

Happy Birthday, Katherine Pettit. Pettit was a social reformer and progressive educator. Inspired by Jane Addams’ Hull House, Pettit raised enough money to establish a permanent settlement in the mountains.Pettit and May Stone co-founded Hindman Settlement School, in Knott County, Kentucky.