GOP, Gay Marriage, and Spin.

I wish I could write this without actual data. Yes, you heard me. Because at least then it would be conjecture or me guessing.

Instead, the data supports directly the items I’m going to iterate.

1) Support for Gay Marriage is drastically on the rise. According to NPR, who is known to be openly a supporter of the GOP, 70% of young Americans (18-32 year olds) are in support of gay marriage.

2) GOP are trying to make abortion funny, to attract voters. They’re hiring people to make sarcastic videos. To try and tap into this young market- and use those votes to ban abortion, and birth control, and gay marriage.

3) The response from organizations such as “Students for Life” – which is headed by a woman, even further confusing things, is quoted in this article as saying, “‘You’ve got to be pro-life, you’ve got be pro-marriage, or else you’re not going to get our money,” Hawkins said firmly.'”

Just in case you are not from the US, or not up to date on Conservative terms, “pro-marriage” means that you’re against any form of family unit that isn’t just a man, a woman, and their children. Oh, and they should be married before they have kids. Adoption is begrudgingly accepted, but only if you can’t have your own kids.

I don’t know a single pro-choice person who thinks abortion is funny. I do know people who abuse dark humor, but I can’t name any who actually believe that abortion is funny. Tragic that it had to happen, due to a lack of birth control, or just raw numbers, yes. Funny?

No.

These tactics are insane. No one suggests actually changing tactics.

No one on the conservative side suggests backing off on the issues that they are absolutely losing on. No one suggests considering that many many many people who are against them now WANT many things they want, but won’t bend on social issues.

I don’t understand these people, and why they won’t just.. THINK! Benefit humanity! Reduce Violence! Allow people to see their wives/husbands! Let their adopted children do the same!

This is just not really controversial to anyone who isn’t ruled by their parents, which.. yes.. is the young. Go figure.

Child’s Chance to Choice

A few of my bloggin’ buddies have been posting their “Code’s of Life” lately, namely one Rory Blyth and Tao Cowboy. It’s enough to make one want to join the philosophizing and reflecting party (woo!).

Moonglow Ultima 4Mostly my views have grown and changed as I’ve wandered through life. I’ve never been one for holding onto an idea once it’s proven not to work for me. One thing that’s remained a constant is importance placed on honesty. Being true to oneself and others to me is as big as the inhabitants of Moonglow in the world of Britannia (screen shot from Ultima IV).

Honesty might have been even more important to me growing up. Let’s face it, most adults are anything but honest with children. I’m not talking about Santa Clause, I’m talking about the lies designed to protect us. I resented that kind of dishonesty as much as the malicious kind. Whether or not we as adults want to admit it, the effect can be as, if not more, devastating than any truth told. Kids will find out the truth later when they grow into adulthood, or more likely, much sooner than you’d like. When this lie is told the truth can be found in an embarrassing, painful, or even dangerous manner. One of my first thoughts goes to my mom who had my older brother when she was fifteen. I know the people in her life thought they were protecting her by keeping her ignorant about the birds and the bees, but really what they did is deprive her of a choice.

People think children aren’t old enough to make choices, and perhaps no one is. However, in life we are forced to make choices that we are no prepared to. This happens all the time. I hope that if I have children I’ll do everything I can to give them the ammunition to make choices wisely when life forces them to. Above all, I hope they don’t have to make tough calls, but they will. We can’t be there every second to chose for them, and knowledge is power.

Victor and DeannaI hope this for my younger siblings, one who just had her last day of high school, the other who is in his preteen years. I know that I am a big influence in their lives and that they are listening to me and looking to me for influence, even when they are pretending or trying not to. We learn from our surroundings, especially the things we give credence to. I might just be another person, but I’m also a role model and example whether or not I want to be.

I believe in the power of honesty and I believe in the power of learning, and to me they are one in the same. If you’re smart enough to ask the question, you deserve honest input, even if (and especially) the answer isn’t certain. There I think is the key to personal growth and betterment in this life.

My younger of my siblings is eleven. People have described him as a smartass and too smart for his own good. It’s true. I remember being described that way when I was his age. I remember being eleven and all the things I knew and was dealing with that my parents didn’t know. It’s hard to look at him and think that he might have some of the same heavy issues in his own life. It’s hard to look at him and consider he might have even harder decisions to make than I did. I know he’ll learn things from other sources, popular culture and his peers. I know he might absorb all the wrong things if I don’t speak up and even more, listen. I know I can’t learn for him and he will have to make his own mistakes, but I hope they are harmless and few. I listen and when he asks, I try to give him the best, most honest answer I can give. I’m trying to give him a fighting chance to make the right decisions. Without real information about the world around him, how is he going to have chance?

Beyond that, I want to teach him the value of honesty with my own example. He will become his own person regardless. He’ll find his own life code and values. He’ll have his own obstacles and choices. Even if I don’t see it, I know he has them right now. Every day he’s forming new opinions, testing the waters, and becoming more independent. I’ll always be here to tell him truthfully what I think and I hope one day he will return the favor by doing the same for others well into adulthood.

As for my sister, who is just like me and just the opposite of me in so many ways, I’m proud of her. Sure, she doesn’t hold dear all of the same things that I do, and she’s made a million choices I would never have. All the same, she’s doing better than okay. She’s reached the official United States definition of adulthood: eighteen. She has her High School Diploma. She is attending Anna Maria college in the fall. She works. She has a ton of friends. She’s a great cook and musician. She’s made it. She’s is doing well. I know I can’t take credit for the person she’s become, but I still like to think that I did okay in my part in her upbringing. I was right to trust her to hear all I had to say and make all the tough choices she’s had to up to this point. Life is not easy, and making it this far doing well and no small accomplishment.