Finally

Same Love.... Enough Said

Shut the Full Cup

Something to Think About....

What the ----? Fox News

Actually this one isn't so much infuriating as it is hysterical. 

Apparently to supplement their story on traditional marriage and traditional gender roles Fox News also ran this photo

Of Lela McArthur and Stephanie Figarelle 

Two women having their dream wedding on the day same sex marriage became legal in New York

All I can say is BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

Things I Wish I Wrote....

Time for a new feature here- Things I Wish I Wrote.   Links to web articles that quite frankly, I wish I had had the wisdom, the courage or the creativity to write.

Enjoy our first entry from

www.owldolatrous.com

Aesop to the Right: Why I Believe Bristol Palin

"But it’s important for you to recognize that there is a vast difference between facing ridicule or even occasional civic rejection, and facing systematic social and political inequality. There is a vast difference between being told you’re superstitious or old-fashioned and being told you’re an abomination that doesn’t deserve to live. There’s a vast difference between being told you’re acting hateful and being told God hates you.
I’ve been gay and Christian all my life. Trust me: Christian is easier. It’s not even close."

Just In Case You Tell Us You Are Gay

 This is what hate sounds like.

  

This letter is making the rounds of the internet.  I have no idea if this particular letter is legitimate but it doesn't matter because thousands of LGBTQ children, teens and young adults get "this" letter from the people who should love them no matter what.  

I can not fathom what dwells in the soul of someone to write a letter like this to their own child.   

But on the chance one of my children is that 1 in 10- I decided to write my own letter so I am prepared- just in case I should need it someday.

To my beloved child,

Today you told us you are gay.  Your dad and I have lots of dreams for you.  Dreams that you will grow up to be happy and successful- however you want to measure success.  That you will find fulfillment in your life and that you will be kind and compassionate towards all living things.  That you will make the world a better place.  Oh and that someday- FAR in the future- you will bring us lots of fat bouncy grandbabies.

Nothing about being gay changes that.  We are certainly worried for you as the world is often cruel to those who are different and right now being gay means having to worry about safety more than other people might have to.  

But rest assured, we love every bit of who you are- EVERY part.  You are perfectly made and never let anyone tell you otherwise.

Of course we will worry, but we were doing that anyway.  

But know in our house, it will always be a safe place for you.  ALWAYS.  

We will always be your biggest defenders.  

We will fight a war for you if we have to. 

Also please know that not only will we always love you but we will love whoever loves you.  

Regardless of their gender.  

We understand that love doesn't always conform to what society thinks it should and that at the end of the day all that matters is two people- ANY two people- who love each other and care for each other and are kind to each other.  

If they love you, we will love them and welcome them into the safety of our house with open arms.

You are our perfectly made, unconditionally loved child.

Love Mom and Dad

PS- I wasn't kidding about the grandbabies.

My Beef with Chick Fil A

There's already a lot (in fact far too much in some cases) that has been said about the Chick Fil A debacle, fiasco, controversy, I'm not sure what to call it really and while I would love to add something profound- others have already done it better.

The Chick Fellatio: Stuck in the Craw at Owldolatrous Productions

and 

In the Basement at Jen Hatmaker.com

are great ones to start with.

But I do want to say this for the record

1.  It is Chick Fil A's right to spend their corporate money on whatever they want.  It is my right to make sure that none of my money becomes part of their corporate money however.  (If at any point in the future Chick Fil A wants to donate to only charities that support the kind of Christian missions actually in the Bible- like feeding the homeless, caring for the orphans and widows, etc- my family will be the first in line to order some waffle fries.

2.  It is unacceptable for any mayor (or other politician) to ban this or any other company based on their beliefs UNLESS they are doing something illegal.  I fully support their right to open as many restaurants as they want and they feel the market will support.  However, it is my right not to support them.  Just like if an adult book store wanted to open in my neighborhood.  That is their right.  It is my right to post the license plates of everyone who shops there on Facebook.  (okay, I don't really know if that is legal but you get the idea)  If Chick Fil A's values are really at odds with the residents of Boston, or Chicago, or wherever, as a business they won't last long there anyway as there will be no customers.  This is a case where free market capitalism actually works well.

3.  I was torn yesterday because I do not support their anti-gay stance, but I do support their right to exist.  In the end my belief that they are not getting my money won out.

BUT.....

Here's the thing that bugs me most of all (well after the fact that we are having this kind of discussion in 2012- I mean shouldn't we have evolved past this by now...)  But anyway- here's my beef with Chick Fil A

Call me a cynic (or crazy liberal) but I do not in ANY way believe that the announcement of the  discontinuing of these toys (based on a "recall" despite having not injured anyone and even if true is by no means a "safety issue") hours before the toy manufacturer publicly severed ties with Chick Fil A is coincidental.   And I have a problem with that.  Chick Fil A has no issue publicly declaring what they believe in.  Then why lie now?  If you are going to believe something and stand for something- then do that.  Don't stand for something and when you meet resistance, change your story.  That sign should have read something like this...

We apologize...yada yada yada but as of 7/19/2012 Jim Henson's Puppet Factory is no longer willing to supply toys for our kids meals because they don't agree with our stance on traditional marriage (or alternative wording.... they don't agree with the charities we donate money to)  We are unwilling to compromise our beliefs.  They are unwilling to work with us.  We are in the process of locating a toy supplier who shares our values (or alternative wording... doesn't give a crap what we do with our money).  Until we find a replacement toy yada yada yada....

Be honest.  It's not like the world doesn't know EXACTLY what happened.  To lie about this undermines your credibility- not to mention violates a commandment.

Your position is clear.  Put your mouth where your money is.

BIblical Fail

Lego Friends- A Dilemma

So you may remember this post about D's first experience with Lego Friends but I have hit a new dilemma.  Turns out that despite their obvious sexism in the marketing and design (Legos with boobs?  Seriously?) that they do have a sort of positive aspect as well.  They are one of the VERY FEW lines of toys that feature minority characters portrayed equally to the majority ones as well.  A quick check of the Disney aisle (or the general doll aisle) will show you what I mean.  Or check out this story.

And there are a few kits that show the characters in a "non traditional" (although still pink and pastel) world.  

(again- far more then you find in many other lines of "girl" toys)- like the vet clinic, the 4x4 and the invention/robotics workshop. 

 I especially hope Lego gets the hint and adds more kits like the Invention/robotics workshop

 

So yeah- they are still a hot mess of sexism and stereotypes but for a parent trying to find characters to match their  brown children they are some of the better offerings out there.

So you see my dilemma......

What the ----?, Pastor Worley (and his defender)

Dear Pastor Worley-

What you said was reprehensible but here's a little life lesson for you-

When you are under fire for saying something hateful, you need to be careful about who you get to defend you.  Especially when they are talking to a national news outlet

This was a train wreck

Newsflash- Newsweek-

You do understand that being a supporter of gay marriage is not actually the same thing as being gay right????

 

Fail.

Yo, Is This Racist?

In lieu of Weekend Wisdom I want to give a plug to this blogger.  I found his site a couple of weeks ago and it is absolutely fabulous.  

 Yo Is This Racist?

Anyone interested in becoming more anti-racist should check it out.  Here's a sample....

Anonymous asked: So in middle school this one kid started a joke with "An Asian guy, a black guy and a normal guy walk into a bar"  Racist or just a poor choice of words

Yo, you need to go back in time and tell that kid he was racist!

* one word of caution- he uses pretty colorful language in most posts. 

A Girl, A Pocketful of Money and Lego Friends

D had $50 in Christmas money and a mission to get a new Lego kit at Target.   

And apparently, Lego has introduced a new line of toys for girls.

 

They have gotten a lot a negative feedback for the gender stereotyped product and I could probably write an essay about not only these Lego kits, but about how they have taken imagination from the Legos in general.  In all honesty though- what bugs me the most about these Legos that they are not on the shelf in the same aisle as ALL. THE. OTHER. LEGOS but instead are in the aisle with the Polly Pockets, My Little Ponies and Littlest Pet Shop.  
You know- the girl stuff (insert barf icon here)

 It's not just another line of Legos like Lego City, Lego Star Wars, Lego Indiana Jones, Lego Harry Potter (you get the idea).  It is not just another set in the Lego aisle.  It is physically set apart from all the other Legos- a visual and physical reminder that these are not included as "real" Legos.  
They are not Legos for kids- They are Legos for girls.  


But D took one look at these on the shelf, her eyes got big, she smiled and whispered...

"Oh. My. Gosh." 

She meticulously poured over every inch of every box of every kit on the shelf.

Then she chose this one