Bonsai Blog

ASome people believe that our country is a single religion nation. It is not.  We were built on the basis of freedom, a term we toss around at every turn yet seldom admit what it really means.  To some we’re only free when it suits their religious psuedo-political ideals.  Just because something is against your religion doesn’t mean you have to ban everything outright.  Why is it that right wing neo conservatives feel the need to buckle down the whole country to a certain religion’s standards?

Lack of religion is causing our country to lose their morals. Nope, wrong again.  There’s a lot of factors that play into this, including bad parenting, misguided government control, etc etc.  I think a lot of what happened here is that people started to take advantage of our ‘freedom’ without fully taking on the included responsibilities.  We’re supposed to WATCH THE NEWS.  We’re supposed to FOLLOW CAMPAIGNS.  We’re supposed to be ACTIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.  But of course as long as we GET WHAT WE WANT as SOON AS WE WANT IT, we’re happy.  We’re a fat culture, in more ways than ever.

Our government cannot be trusted. That actually sounds like something someone on the right wing would say.  The fact is, it’s Bush that can’t be trusted.  I am so gung ho about people getting their faith restored in our government it’s not even funny.  I want people to see tangible effects of the government doing positive things here and abroad.  We don’t need to help anyone else right now (Iraq), what we need is to clean up our own country and take the initiative to help out.

There will be change once a new president is elected. This one I’m really worried about.  I’m not so much against a conservative president, but McCain?  No.  People…how has Bush helped us?  Really?  It’s ridiculous that we’d even consider a presidential conidate that has so much in common with our current caricature of a president.  Obama at least should’ve gotten a decent rival.  One that wouldn’t make me want to leave the country if he were to be elected.

As a closing thought, do we really exist?  There has yet to be proof.  One day at a time.  Live and then die.  Let’s not squander our time making artificial rules that mean nothing in the grand scheme of time.

In perspective, I can’t get married.  Why?  Because the religious right thinks it’s an abomination.  I didn’t choose to be gay.  To put it bluntly, I do not want to procreate.  As in I have no interest in doing what is required.  That is definitely a genetic trait that is abnormal, seeing as how most males want to get as much tail as they can, but it’s not something to cry witch over either.

I will die.  Whether or not I die happy in the arms of my husband does not seem like a choice that is fair to make by another person.  I hate how people choose these witch hunt topics that never have anything to do with what’s really going on.  Love is biological, it’s not religious.  Don’t make it something it’s not.  And last time I checked, love was not offensive.

And Conservatives are already preparing a counter case to strike it down.

Honestly though, what does it hurt?  This is just about as moronic as men striking down women’s rights in recent history, or looking back, the South supporting segregation.  Or just look at any idiotic motion to support any sort of discrimination at all throughout history.

Gay marriage does NOT affect straight marriages AT ALL.  The biggest complaint I’VE heard is that people will just do it for tax breaks.  Well you know what?  There are a great deal of white (majority) straight (majority) couples popping out kids for welfare money.  There are a great deal of straight couples that can stay married just to get tax breaks.  Is this a game of who can outsmart the government and who can’t suddenly?  Frankly people who would do this sort of thing are going to find a way no matter what.

Seriously.  These people look like monsters.  “Ok, yes, this is the land of the free.  But what about FAMILY VALUES?!”  Yeah?  What about them?  Last time I checked this was not a country that was supposed to have a government influenced by a SINGLE religion, let alone any religion at all.  The founding fathers did NOT approve of that model and that is what we ESCAPED from in England.  He who fights the monster must becareful lest he become one.  America, observe said proverb.  In fact we make a big deal about the Muslim government in middle eastern countries…yet we’re fine with being hypocrits.

I think at some point during my travels abroad I saw how backwards Americans really are.  No wonder almost every other country in the world hates us.  There’s a reason folks.  I’m not even sure if we can reverse the pervasive ignorance around us.

Grow up folks.  Intolerance was so 1800s.  We’ve made it through slavery, we’ve survived through women suddenly wearing pants (GASP- THE HORROR!), we’ve stumbled through Japanese internment, now we just need to jump through the recent immigration discrimination and the treatment of homosexuals.  I still think love is love and people are people.

Students who want to support the fight against school bullying based on sexual orientation are encouraged not to talk tomorrow for the entiretly of the school day.  I’m participating, as are many students at my school (we’re liberal folk for the most part).

Cannon Falls has a big issue with homophobia.  It is a very conservative and religious town for the most part and likes to keep itself firmly entrenched in past beliefs.  In fact Cannon Falls has a problem with bigottry in general.  Racism pops up when teachers leave.  I’m not sure if the administration actually cares about any of this, I know some teachers do, but nothing is really done.

Whatever.  Keeping your mouth shut for a day may be hard, but living as a minority every day is infinitely harder.

Or, is that a completely outdated question?  Because to call it immoral would hinge on us having an accepted set of moral standards.  In some ways, we do.  Obviously people do not normally accept, say, murder as a moral thing to do.  In other ways though we project some of our religious beliefs on others and hold them to the same standards that we voluntarily (read: VOLUNTARILY) submit ourselves to.  it seems to interfere a disturbing amount with American politics even though we’re now in the 21st century.

Yes, most Christians believe that homosexuality is a sin.  Or at least giving into homosexual desires.  And I’m completely willing to defend their right to believe that because I believe that we live in a free society and I value individuality and free thought.  The problem arises when these Christian groups try to put their values into motion through legislation.  A perfect example would be the proposed amendment that tried to define marriage as between a man and a woman.  Why, if I do not accept a certain religion’s beliefs should I have to care or conform to them?  This is AMERICA!  Land of the FREE!!  That is the beauty of the whole situation.  If I want to tell you Satan created cats to be his spies and we should never keep them as pets because they would corrupt us, I can totally do that.  But would it be appropriate to propose an amendment outlawing cats as pets?  Does that really seem reasonable at all to you?  So while I fully respect the view that homosexuality is a sin and immoral, I don’t personally believe that.  And I refuse to follow any law that would condemn the biological process of love simply because a group would love to play ‘high and might, I’m right you’re wrong’ with America.

If we did evolve as Darwin hypothesized, there are always going to be little offshoots of a species that either survive or die off.  I would not be the one to argue that being gay is normal.  I think it’s just another human oddity such as depression, schizophrenia, genius level intelligence, or artistic ability.  It’s just something you’re born with.  The four aforementioned things can also be factors of life of course, just as being gay might be.  Does a male become gay if he sees a vagina too early ala lactose intolarents having drank milk too young?  I don’t honestly know and I think if the public is seeking an answer it’s a misguided waste of time.  You can ponder and ponder and ponder how Stephen Hawking comes up with his theories, but he’s already published his thesises.  Now it’s time to look at the information in front of you and try and make the best of it.  I think I’m simply getting at the fact that I don’t understand why a religion would want to make someone feel even worse about their life if they can’t even help something.  But, y’know, congrats anti-gays, we have the highest suicide rates.  You must be doing something right.  Show God’s love, huh?

We only get a limited amount of time on earth.  Obviously.  Because we are going to die.  So what’s the point of wasting time judging each other when we could just spend more time making the quality of life better for each other?  That is more imporant than making money.  That is more important than making sure you have a cookie cutter American Dream family.  Whatever you can do to make your life and the lives of those around you better is what you ought to be doing.  Not condemning and literally wrecking lives.  Religion is being abused and ruining lives.  That’s what it comes down to.  If you want to argue your point, look no further than the verses that explain how God gave us free will.  He did not appoint anyone to rule the earth in his stead.  In fact God made the very same point I’m making: make life better for those around you.  That doesn’t mean appealing for legistlation that goes against your beliefs, but that definitely does not call for advocating legislation that ruins lives for millions of Americans.

I don’t think half the people who call themselves Christians in this country understand the religion they think they belong to.  And you will be in no better boat if God does end up coming down from a cloud and smiting anyone who didn’t believe in him.  God doesn’t want lukewarm Christians, remember?

First off, I want to thank EVERYONE who has given me support through what has been one of the most difficult points of my life.  There have been some road bumps with people’s opinions, but I’m happy to say for the most part people have offered me their love and support.  I don’t think any of you can really comprehend just how much that has meant to me.  Whether that was an email, call, message, or a comment right here on my blog… they were all read and kept dear to me.  So I just wanted to tell you all that yes, it really has meant that much to me.  Lots of impact on my life (for the better).

Second, I want to ask you to support someone else.  That person would be Barack Obama.  He is offering us a chance to get away from what has failed us and offers a brand new alternative.  This is the person that is challenging the stereotypes of our country.  This is the face of the new America, a bright future for a country full of potential.  I’m not sure if he can stop the recession, I don’t know if he can rectify what has been done in the Middle East.  But I do know that it’s not guaranteed with anyone else either and his plans seem sound.  It’s just this new vision that I think would be extremely healthy for our country.  Sometimes change comes as a forced garment that bulges in all the wrong places and would rip if you bent over.  Sometimes though, change is that thing that you’ve just got to grab when the moment comes.  And if you’d like me to finish the clothing metaphor, it’s that outfit that you’ve been lusting over for MONTHS suddenly on sale.  You just have to buy it and you know it’s going to look good.

Feb. 5.  Support Barack Obama.  For America.

1) I’m gay.  Honestly, I don’t even see how this is a big issue anymore.  This isn’t some choice I made when I woke up one morning, this isn’t being a pervert, this is who I am.  I am Caucasian.  I have dirty blond hair.  I have green eyes.  I am gay.  People are people and love is love.  I don’t believe on discrimination based on anything.

2) I’m switching schools.  Why would I do that when I have only one semester left?  Because I need a new environment.  I’ve been going through a sever depression from, well, a long time ago.  I went from being an A/B student to getting mostly Ds now.  I need a place in which I can work in a less stressful place.  So I’m going to a charter school which focuses on independent study and where I can work on my Japanese.  Believe it or not, depression can be pretty hard to deal with and debilitating.

If anyone wants to discuss me being gay, contact me.  Not my parents.  This is just who I am and it has nothing to do with them.  It seems rather silly that anyone would think that, but some do.  I also do not believe that homosexuality is a sin.  The Bible can be interpreted in a myriad of ways.  Christians should see that they base their beliefs off of the New Testament, and wonder of wonders, Jesus said nothing about being gay.  And if we’re going by the old testament, looks like having concubines, multiples wives, selling girls for slaves, etc are all now legal.  But the most important fact is that people really have no right to force their moral beliefs on others.  I can be who I want to, and you can too.  It’s the joy of being in America.

Some people who found out about this via my Facebook account handled things badly.  I’m not even going to mince words or cover up the truth.  My family was deeply offended and so was I.  Thank you to the family members that have been overwhelmingly supportive through what has been a difficult time for me.  I hope others will gain some understanding for people who are just a bit different than they are.

And to CFHS students, I’ll miss some of you a lot.  And some of you I think need to grow up.

…and I think I just might do that.  When I find a way to put what I want to say eloquently and as not to offend people, even if they wouldn’t take the same precautions.