Plunderbund

New law that modifies FISA was passed this weekend.
The administration said the measure is needed to speed the National Security Agency’s ability to intercept phone calls, e-mails and other communications involving foreign nationals “reasonably believed to be outside the United States.” Civil liberties groups and many Democrats said it goes too far, possibly enabling the […]

When I finally got close to the front of the line at my polling place in 2004, a pollworker told me to cover my T-shirt. It had the words “Vote Explosion” on it.

Seeing as I had nothing to cover it with and had just spent 3 hours in line, I politely pointed out that there was no partisanship expressed by the shirt. Vote Explosion was just a loose group of friends registering folks to vote at rock shows. She replied that they were trying to avoid even the slightest possible implication of impropriety.

OK, fair enough. Polling places are supposed to be inner sanctums of nonpartisanhip. Neither voters nor pollworkers may wear political shirts, stickers, or buttons within a 100 foot radius. Although the words “Vote Explosion” aren’t explicitly partisan, neither are the words “Eagle Forum” or “MoveOn.” I think it was a wise move to err on the side of overzealousness, and simply prohibit T-shirts bearing all of the above.

The guy behind me in line loaned me his sweatshirt, and I was able to step forth to express my partisanship in the privacy of the voting booth. As an ongoing tribute of thanks to sweatshirt guy, ever since that day I’ve stowed an extra large, plain T-shirt in my purse whenever I go to vote - just in case a fellow voter is asked to cover up.

Until I read Monday’s Columbus Dispatch, it had never occurred to me that I might someday want to offer my spare shirt to a pollworker.

I wrote about treason earlier in that the Republicans want to filibuster energy legislation that would decrease our reliance on Middle Eastern oil. How about preventing Arabic linguists from serving in the Army because they are gay? Treason? I think so. John Aravosis of AmericaBLOG has been in the lead on […]

PBS, unfortunately, appears to be spreading fundie propaganda. Specifically, a documentary called Wall of Separation aired a few days ago, and the film takes the historically incorrect view that the US was founded as an explicitly Christian nation.
“The Wall of Separation is a metaphor deeply embedded in the American consciousness,” the company observes. “Most […]

As a pleasant and much needed contrast to Ken Blackwell’s nasty, gay-hating article- check out this opinion piece in the Washington Post about the 40th anniversary of the Loving v. Virginia decision in which the Supreme Court struck down Virginia’s ban on interracial marriages and how it relates to the current debate over same-sex marriage.
Here’s […]

This morning, RABid is pimping Ken Blackwell’s latest column on TownHall. The entire column is a fabrication - a lie - and plainly claims a bill does something it explicitly does not. Let’s take a closer look, shall we?
Blackwell says:
A bill making it illegal for people of various faiths to freely hold and […]

“Russians Know How to Handle ‘Gay’ Parades”
That’s the headline the kooks over at CovenantNews.com ran for the story about the violence at a Gay Pride parade in central Moscow the other day.
The Gulf Times provides a less-homophobic view:
Russian police detain gays as punches and eggs fly
MOSCOW: Russian nationalists shouting “death to homosexuals” punched and kicked […]

First I want to congratulate Mary and Heather her lesbian partner on the birth of their new son. This is great news. I do want to point out, however, that this puts us all at risk for another 9/11 type attack - at least according to recently deceased Christofascist Jerry Falwell.
Nice photo with […]