liberal

At its core, liberal means 'free.' Liberty. While there isn't much of this in todays politics, I identify with this as much as anything. I am a small l liberal more than a big L Liberal. Civil liberties and Civil rights are at the core of me through my life observations and upbringing. It is why I work in Haiti. It is why I break up fights. It is why I participate. It informs who I am, but because I put the small l before the big L, I don't hate the other side. If I am a true liberal, I believe in the existence of more than one opinion. But lets get more specific.

I have something of a Robin Hood mentality when it comes to wealth. I wholeheartedly believe that someone who works hard to acquire wealth has a responsibility to help those who have little. In the short history of our little country, I see that we've been the strongest when we have a thriving middle class and we only have a thriving middle class when the wealth at the top is spread out. For me, it really is the difference between the wealthy having two mansions or one. I think they should only have one, so that fifty people can have a home of some kind. Until there is a system better than the government to handle that process, I see most of it happening through taxes. The fact is, from what I have observed, the wealthy in a capitalist system are hard-wired to not give up their money. We award greed. I am opposed to that.

I believe that health care is not a privilege, it is a basic human right. A healthy population is a productive population. We have the best services and it is irresponsible and beyond the pale that only those who have money would have access to it.

I am a supporter of gay rights. To say that it is a sin or a choice seems so obtuse. Actually, it is more representative to say that in a perfect world, gays, straights, blacks, whites, asians, native americans, muslims, jews, Africans, Canadians, Eastern Europeans, women, senior citizens, country singers, rappers, Nascar fans, soccer fans, garbage pickers, doctors, Red Sox fans, Yankee fans, conservatives, celebrities, and everyone else would be on equal footing. This is not to say that conservatives don't feel this way, I have just found that liberals have a bend towards non discrimination more than conservatives, so I identify with libs easier. Under God, for me, we are all equal.

God is incredibly important in my life, but I don't think that He belongs in policy or in school, although, healthy discussion in school doesn't seem like it would be a bad thing if it were left open. Maybe not exclusively teaching Christianity, but then again, you're counting on teachers to try and draw the line. I guess in my perfect world, school's talk about God, but not in that Pakistani Madras kind of way, but in open debate.

I am pro-choice. It is nothing I come to easily and of all my liberal leanings, this is the one that seems the hardest. Many Liberals who are pro choice have never seen a picture of a 3-4 month old fetus (which looks alarmingly child-like), laying in a pan, drenched in blood. It is a harsh image that begs debate on the wisdom of an abortion. That being said, I believe in a woman's right to choose. Here's another harsh image; in a overturned Roe v Wade world, a 19 year old girl who is raped and gets pregnant visits a man in a cold house and has a procedure done to abort the child with instruments that are less than sterile and goes through an incredible amount of pain to get the procedure done and three torturous months later, she dies of infections. That would happen. It's a woman's body and for me, I can't say what's best for her. I know what the arguments are and this is where I fall on this one.

War. This is one that both political parties own, but as far as I'm concerned, it sucks. Would I have fought in WWII? Yes. Vietnam, if I was drafted, but I would have hated it. Iraq? No. We have moved far enough as a society to avoid war but it has become such a money making tool that I don't see it stopping anytime soon. I think there are multiple ways to fight, AK's and bombs seem like a waste of time and life. I support troops and detest those who make decisions.

There is so much more that makes me a liberal and to be honest, this is just a snap shot of me as a 34 year old liberal. It is, like our constitution, subject and intended to change. What are we if not allowed to change?

Search This

Where was all of this uproar when they started making us take off our shoes? This is the next inevitable step in the direction Homeland Security and the TSA have been going since 9/11. Everybody acts like it just got bad. Come on maaaaaaaan?!?!

I am of the INCREDIBLY unpopular opinion (and have been for quite some time) of reverting to what it was on 9/10/01. Sure we may have some more attacks but relinquishing our freedoms makes it hard to be free. It's not even about the terrorists winning. It's about us winning.
The entire world deals with terrorism, why shouldn't we? Are we a better pedigree of human being? No, we're not. My life and my sons life are worth no more than an Afghan family who is torn between alliances with NATO troops and local Taliban. I recognize that I live in a place where I don't have to decide and so that is why I will be on the first flight with security rollbacks...with my son Miles.

Ben, I wholeheartedly agree that we should and could start addressing diplomatic ends to coincide with lessening restrains at the airport, but more importantly, the strains of our fear. What has fear done for you lately? Has it helped? Has it payed your rent or your mortgage? Has it gotten you a job? Has it helped raise your kid? Has it gotten you laid? Has it helped the your favorite team beat the Yankees?

In the words of FDR, "Fuck fear and the Fox News broadcast it rode in on." (I may be paraphrasing.)

War

Happy Veterans Day!



There are two wars being fought that America has a direct involvement in. One war in Iraq. Another in Afghanistan. The one in Iraq started in 2003. Afghanistan even earlier in 2001. These are wars on terror. The total number of American troops killed to date are around 5,500. Total civilian deaths are around 60,000. And the money? Check this out.

What about post traumatic stress disorder? Or is a troop a pussy if they are 'just shell shocked?' Aren't they told to 'get over it?' Isn't there a stigma against troops who try and get help after they have come home from killing people? What if these troops didn't kill anyone? What if they just tortured different locals for information? Why do people on the left scream and yell at the military for torture but now that Obama has taken over the wars, see no issue with the killing of civilians? Would you rather be water boarded or decapitated? Regardless, what is the mental strain of performing these acts? And why is there a stigma?

And what about the husbands and wives of our troops? Are we doing everything we can to ensure their quality of life? Doing everything we can for their families? Does supporting them in any fiscal way go against the Tea Party principles? Isn't it a little socialist of us to provide entitlements for these folks and their families? Shouldn't the Tea Party look into making huge cuts in defense if they want to lower the debt?

What about the countries we are in? What's going on in Iraq right now? Are the vendors in the streets of Baghdad coming back? Are kids going to school in Tikrit? Are girls still being doused with acid on their way to school in the mountains above Kandahar? Is the NE border region, a place appropriately dubbed 'Swat Valley' safe? Are we making progress?

W was interviewed yesterday by Matt Lauer and said that he doesn't regret going into Iraq without WMD's. An apology wouldn't change the way I feel about the man. No matter the amount of rhetoric, I never thought he was an evil man, just stupid. An apology at this point would be like Buckner apologizing for 1986 or Costner apologizing for everything, needless and way too late. But as a self serving exercise, you may want to reconsider Mr. President.

It's no wonder that so many people hate Muslims. We have been killing and torturing each other for awhile now. They hate us in some of the same ways we hate them. For just being who they/we are. I like to think there are a lot of people in Iraq and Afghanistan who think the same way that I do. They don't hate Americans, they hate war. They want this to be done.

This Veterans Day I'm thinking, writing, and asking questions about war. None of the politicians that ran in the midterms on either side did this. Some of my questions have answers. Some don't. Some are skewed by my being a liberal and some are bipartisan, (because all questions involving government and defense have to viewed through this lens right?)

I encourage you to ask questions. Have uncomfortable conversations about war. Write a poem about Kabul. Watch Saving Private Ryan. Tell a person in uniform thank you. Create opportunities to think about it and not ignore it. Understanding and discourse are the only way that war ends.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." - Jesus Christ

Oh yeah, also, end this bullshit.

The Crap Heard Round The World

Let's list off some things that I'm proud of:

1. Being a Red Sox fan
2. Going to Haiti after the earthquake
3. Subsequently getting a non profit job that works in Haiti
4. Traveling around the world by myself
5. Being part of a successful arts non-profit
6. Never hesitating to speak my mind
7. Having an abundance of people to love in my life who also love me
8. My strong relationship with God
9. Dating women that are far more attractive than me
10. Having a strong moral sense

There are a few more but you catch my drift. Many of you know that I have a three year old son named Miles. I am proud of him every single day. Perpetually. That pride stays at a single level, which is pretty high, but from day to day, steady. Last night may have been one of the proudest moments of my life.

After months of trying, my son finally pooped on the potty.

Now, at first glance, this might seem odd. 'Why all the pride?' Last night was an achievement. I felt last night the way that I will feel when; he brings home his first A+, he hits his first home run, he asks a girl out, or any one of the 'fit for a Tom Hanks' movie moments.

He sat on the potty for 20 minutes like he had done so many times before, while I took a shower. I got out and was putting on deodorant when an unseemly voice behind me said, 'I pooped.' I thought, yeah right and then I looked. My face exploded with joy and pride and so did Miles'. I picked him up and twirled around. We went to get ice cream at 9pm and watched movies WAY past his bed time.

It doesn't feel like it all the time, but the moments as a parent when your hard work pays off, when you feel proud of your kid, are the some of the best moments in life. Way to go buddy.

Wedding Sermon for the Sheltons

Love you Ben and Rach!

Mawidge. Mawidge is what bwings us here togever, today. I had to do it. Please be seated. They call that an ice breaker. Hello and welcome to all of you who have traveled from far away from places like Florida, California, and The Eastside to be with Ben and Rachel this evening. Your presence means the world to them and it is a confirmation that you believe in the love that they posses.

For me to describe the feeling when Ben and Rachel asked me to officiate their wedding as “an honor”, would be an exercise in making an extraordinary understatement. What an opportunity for me, to be here and share this moment with the two of you. What an opportunity for all of us! And what an amazing opportunity for Benjamin Shelton and Rachel Lauritzen. We are all blessed to spending this evening, in what the 14th century poet Hafiz referred to as “drowning in the ambiance of love.”

Love. My assumption is that Ben and Rach asked me to officiate their wedding because of my postulations on love. The truth is that the only reason I have an awareness of how staggering love can be, is that I know people like Ben and Rachel. Watching you move through life together for the last 8 years has been an inspiration for me. I wake up every morning and pray to God that I’ll find the kind of relationship that the two of you have earned.

Having a relationship isn’t easy. I get that. I see both of you put effort into your relationship. I see you cook together (and cook really well. Scrumptious even). I see you stepping out on the town together. I watch you having adventures in all sorts of different places. I have observed a look in both of your eyes that is personally reserved for only the two of you, where the world melts away and you both can just be. Music, movies, and books are created from the energy that you hold together.

Furthermore, something that is undeniable about Ben and Rachel, is that they are different. On a given night, Ben might be spinning some sick house beats, with thirty pounds of pomade in his slanted mohawk, flailing his hands in the air, lost in the rhythm of the beat of this track that he can’t wait to talk about later. And Rachel may be enjoying a glass of Pinot Noir while allowing the Midnight Mambo colored nail polish from Sephora on her fingers dry. Taking in the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy (possibly crying a few tears at that episode with the elderly woman who didn’t want to do anymore surgeries! Ah! McDreamy!)

These differences make up one of my favorite aspects of this lovely couple. I have walked into an argument of Ben and Rachel’s and felt immediately that I might be in the Northeast border region of Afghanistan. To the untrained eye, this might seem unsettling but I have noticed that this is one of the many ways that Ben and Rachel find forward movement together. It can’t be easy to be so different, but for them, it has been, is, and will always be worth it.

You are different and yet you share a home, you share friends, and you share a commitment that is unshakeable. Be careful to be mindful of one another all the time. Make a point to learn from each other on a daily basis. Understand that the person next to you in the morning will be a reliable, dependable partner, but will also be brand new everyday, as you continue to change and grow.

19th Century statesman, Frederick Douglas said: “There is no progress without struggle.”
Through your struggle in difference, you will find progress in love.

Friday, January 18th, 2002. Rachel got off of work and called Ben and they spoke about grabbing some sushi somewhere. He mentioned that they might be able to score a free meal from his parents and sure enough, that’s what happened. As Rachel raided her closet for the perfect outfit and went back and fourth on the different garments, her friend Kendra made an observation to the tune of, ‘you like him’, ‘you’re so nervous’, you liiiiiike him.’ Rachel protested, Ben was just a friend.

At dinner, she kept looking at him. Studying him between bites and conversation, the looks transformed into a desire to kiss him and at some point during the Japanese cuisine, it struck her that she did indeed have a sizable crush on this guy who she thought was just a friend. Later that night, when they were out dancing, she found the right moment and pecked Ben. Not a second later, they had their first real kiss, the sort of kiss that melts two people into one, a kiss that started a journey that brings us here today.

Last night, after an amazing rehearsal dinner, as Ben and I arranged music to play here tonight, I asked him the question that I had been meaning to ask him all week. What was the moment you fell for Rachel? Now, you can call it the cosmos, the universe, call it God, maybe that it was written, or chance. He said that it was when he went to get sushi with her and I stopped him right there. It was the same story Rachel had told me earlier and it occurred to me how rare it is when two people find true symmetry.

For all of the arguments yet to be had. For all of the adventures that haven’t been traveled yet. To all of the kisses that have yet to be kissed. To all the back scratches yet to be given. All of the chapters of your book that have become history. This poetic moment right now and all of the scenes of your movie to come. The lessons that you will learn from the world and from each other. The song of your love is one that I feel like I’ve heard a million times and yet when I hear the tune, it seems fresh, like I’ve never heard it.

This wedding is beautiful. Such a golden setting for such a golden occasion. And the both of you look absolutely stunning. But, this day is just for celebration. You’ve already done the hard part; you’ve both found someone to be a best friend and partner with for the rest of your life. In this moment, we look forward to what the two of you have ahead as we admire your past. I am indeed proud to be here and wish for you with my entire heart, a long and beautiful life together.

Day After The Election Debate On Facebook

Tea Party Guy: Funny thing is that they almost are all for public sector jobs and services. Than the other are pieces of the stimulus that did nothing for private industry which is what directly affects you and I. As well as passing a healthcare bill that we cant pay for, has no cost saving measure for medicare. He's added more debt than presidents Washington through Reagan combined, hes done alot.

Me: Don't you want to cut Medicare? It is a government run entitlement program. How much debt did Bush give us again? Didn't the CBO say that the healthcare bill would save money in the long run?

Jobs are jobs are jobs, no matter where there are created. Why do you completely pass over the fact that there has been 9 months of private sector job growth? 9 months. 9 MONTHS. That means for the latter half of his first 18 months in office, the private sector has grown.

I don't know if you make more than $250,000 a year (and if you do, can I borrow $5?) but if you don't, know that all these mostly white men that got elected yesterday don't have much of a platform for you. The idea that rich people are going to give to the poor didn't work in the 80's and it won't work now.

But, ok. You guys won. Credit where credit is due. Let's see how Bohner's house governs. There's been a whole lot of blocking and even more 'no' for the last two years. If they don't govern and govern fast, there's going to be a bunch of cauckus sucking.

Watch your Ochocinco touchdown celebration big guy, you haven't done anything yet. The American people aren't too psyched about the GOP. To do anything, we're going to have to do what most Americans do all the time, work together.

Yes, even on facebook, so let's start now. I like Tom Hanks, how about you?

Election Day 2010 Disjointed Thoughts

November 4th, 2008 feel like it was generations ago.

I am a capitol L Liberal. Please note this as I blog. I do not run from that label because at the foundation, I am a small l liberal. I believe in having the freedom to choose, marry, travel, love, fucking curse, work, and go out my front door.

I feel that giving tax breaks to the mega rich and expecting them to "trickle down" is foolish. I believe that a government that spends more on education than defense is a good idea, however I fully understand that America needs a strong defense. The two wars we are in are ridiculous (what's even more ridiculous is how little it has been talked about. Why? Would it make Obama look too presidential?)

The Rally to Restore Sanity put on by Jon Stewart made sense to me. While I completely understand that this is hardly the first time that the country has been in hard times, there is a reality about our reality shows that makes us a reality show. We are insane as a country right now. We all need to SLOW DOWN!

I have hope for my country. We're ok. We need less Jersey Shore and more discourse. We need to have Muslims as drinking buddies. We need Tea Party family members to put their hands on our shoulders. We need Glenn Beck to have an awakening. We need the media to stop demonizing Sarah Palin. We need to give Obama time.

We need more jobs. Here's a job...chill the fuck out. Everybody.