I normally avoid politics here, okay, to a point I do.  Every time I write about politics, I tend to get in trouble.  People email me horrible things or attack my family or me in person over my beliefs.

Well, since this past month there has been so much going on in politics, I just stopped writing, here.  I wanted to write.  Hell, I wrote a bunch of entries.  They're sitting on my hard drive.  I didn't want to deal with the inevitable fallout.

That has to change.  This is a record for me and my nieces and nephews.  Someday, I hope they'll all read this and know what my life was like.  I can't leave out huge chunks of my life if I want them to get a full picture.

Soon, I'll be setting up a separate politics blog/site, as I do keep archives of my blogs.  For now, though, bare with me, the thoughts are going here.

If you're not of a like mind (liberal on most everything, except gun control) you're liable to get pissed at me at one time or another.  That's fine.  Feel free to leave comments here.  Or email me.

But, I have the right to ignore the comments if I so choose.  Or to delete the emails (that is if they don't get lost in my gargantuan inbox to begin with.)  Do not harass me.  Do not harass my family.  I do not speak for them.  All the writing here is from me.  If you send me propaganda from any viewpoint it's not going to change my mind.  I come to my beliefs through thought, research, and gut feelings.  I don't walk a party line (if I did would I be as liberal as I am, but be antigun control?)  

Having said all that, here goes:

I voted for Howard Dean in the primary. I did (and may still, I'm working on removing them) have links to his site here.  Dean aligns best with my political viewpoints.  He's prochoice, prohealth care, antiwar in Iraq, leaves gun control up to states.  I liked his views.  I would have been happy to see him as president.

Alas, he's no longer in the race.

It's a damn shame.  As of now, I will be voting for Kerry or Edwards.  While they don't align as closely with me, they are much closer than George W Bush.  I will not be voting for Bush, even if Lieberman would have gotten the nomination.  Then, I would have gone with a third party.

George W Bush knocked out any tiny bit of respect I might have ever had for them, by calling for a Constitutional amendment to prevent gay marriages.  Anyone who would call for a denial of rights to a subset of American citizens to be added to our Constitution is not worthy of any respect.

I just don't understand how he can look at the pictures coming out of San Francisco, seeing those smiling, LOVING faces and still say their love is wrong is beyond me.  He speaks of the sanctity of marriage.  Well, if marriage is so sanctified, let's add some new laws: No divorce, none.  Adultery is punishable by imprisonment (yeah, watch our Congress pass that one, not), marriage is now only through churches, as sanctity is a religious based word.  And since marriage is for procreation (oh, yes, I have heard this in conservative corners over and over) those of us who don't and/or can't have children shouldn't be allowed to marry.

Ridiculous, isn't it?  

I've written my representative and my Senators.  I've signed internet petitions, even though they are useless.  I'm still outraged.

On June 12, 1967, the case of Loving vs Virginia was decided.  Prior to that date marriage between a Caucasian and those of other races was illegal and punishable by a prison term of 1 to 5 years.

In that case the following was stated: "These statutes also deprive the Lovings of liberty without due process of law in violation of the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men.

Marriage is one of the "basic civil rights of man," fundamental to our very existence and survival. To deny this fundamental freedom on so unsupportable a basis as the racial classifications embodied in these statutes, classifications so directly subversive of the principle of equality at the heart of the Fourteenth Amendment, is surely to deprive all the State's citizens of liberty without due process of law. The Fourteenth Amendment requires that the freedom of choice to marry not be restricted by invidious racial discriminations. Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State.

These convictions must be reversed.

It is so ordered.

Bolding is mine.  Marriage is a basic civil right.  Denying someone this right, regardless of sexual orientation, is wrong.  The President pushing this idea is repugnant to me.  The Constitution, and its' amendments, should be to guarantee rights of all citizens, not to take them away.

According to several sources it looks like there are not enough Senators willing to sign this amendment and push it forward in the process.  That is a good thing.  I can't fathom the fact that in 2004 we're still arguing over something as simple as this.  Although, I guess it should since the ERA was never passed by enough states to make it part of our Constitution.

I'm done for now.  Comments are below. 

Damn, I feel much better.

Ta'dah!  Mutteringfool.com bumper stickers.  If you want one, email me with your address and I'll send one out to you.  

Have a great day,

Suzy Smith