[kiyote23]
 dorky.radiofreepirate.org

life on the dork farm

Tuesday, February 13, 2001 :::
 

Britannica Does Britney
    "For instance, we have a piece coming up on the semiotics of Britney Spears'
    bellybutton," said spokeswoman Rebecca Theim. "It explores how the cultural
    significance of bellybuttons has changed over time by focusing on Britney as a cultural
    icon."



::: posted by kiyote23
::: at 2/13/2001 08:27:00 AM
::: Comments: Post a Comment
| (0) comments

Monday, February 12, 2001 :::
 

Got this in the mail from scott today, and thought I would pass it on:

    friends,

    today is my birthday. it also happens to be National Freedom to Marry Day,
    and so i am making use of the coincidence to share with you my views on
    marriage. first, some background:

    the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights (the basis of the
    work of Amnesty International) asserts that equal marriage rights should be
    protected by society and the state. however - contrary to popular
    misconception - the 1993 right to marriage law in Hawaii, though supported
    by a majority of citizens, became irrelavent after the Hawaii state
    constitution was amended to specifically exclude the posibility of same-sex
    marriage. (not since the prohibition of slavery have laws been passed which
    restrict a specific group of citizens from enjoyment of the rights and
    priviledges granted to the rest of society.)

    so it was not until Vermont's passage of a "civil union" bill last year that
    two people of the same sex could do anything remotely related to marriage,
    as far as our government is concerned. ignoring what (i think) should - in
    light of the black civil rights movement - be the obvious problems with
    "seperate but equal" laws, vermont is currently the only state in which an
    american citizen may form any legal union with another citizen of the same
    sex.

    i think this is a big problem. having talked to a lot of you about this
    issue, i know many of you - even many of the gay among you - don't think
    this is a big problem. so i'd like to explain to you why i think it's a
    problem which should deeply concern every american citizen:

    there are over 1000 federal laws in America which grant rights, benefits,
    and priviledges only to married citizens. these laws include tax benefits,
    Social Security and Medicare benefits, domestic violence protection,
    adoption and child custody rights, insurance benefits, and the rights to
    make important decisions in the case of sickness or death.

    despite America's commitment to equality, the restriction of these rights
    and priviledges to only opposite-sex couples (and further to married
    couples) seems clearly unequal to me. arguments about the morality of
    same-sex marriage are entirely irrelavent. we may not (i hope we don't)
    support neo-nazis, yet they continue to enjoy the rights of all other
    Americans. we may not be (though i hope we are) comfortable with interracial
    marriage, but it remains legal (in most states, anyway.) we do not have a
    right to be comfortable with or happy about what other citizens choose to
    do. but we do (if not in practice, than in the constitution) have a right to
    equal protection under the law.

    we have the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. it seems
    clear to me that denial of equal marriage rights for same-sex couples
    throughout America is a clear contradiction to these rights. and what
    worries me most is not that gay people in particular are being targetedly
    denied freedom, but that there even exists some question as to whether or
    not any group of people should be granted the rights that "self-evidently"
    belong to all citizens. if it isn't obvious that we should all have the same
    rights, then why did we abolish slavery? or why did we allow women to vote?

    i sincerely hope it was not only because we could not easily ignore those
    blatant violations to our freedom and humanity. but if so, i hope you can no
    longer easily ignore the violations which continue in our country today.

    peace,
    scott reynen.


Scott's letter was quickly followed by a response from our friend David:

    Right on, man!

    Thomas Jefferson once spoke of natural rights, holding truths to be self
    evident, men (pc update insert- " people") created equal, etc.
    The government derrives its power from the just consent of the
    governed. Just consent given by the people, the government in turn gives
    justice and equal protection under the law, among other things in the bill
    of rights. What Scott had brought up violates these,, "God given rights"
    These right are being witheld now by a
    government that was not even elected by the people, but crowned by an
    appointed court.

    The conservative pundits always ask, what would the founding fathers do?
    According to Jefferson, when our government takes power unjustly, witholds
    rights unjustly, it is not only our right, but our obligation as citizens
    to rebel.

    So sayeth the founders.

    So what do we do? Make a scene, write letters, wear
    rainbows, be happy, loud, kind and visible. GSA has an established
    base here at IWU . Whereever you are you can do things, you can find
    people. With the web, the finding is miraculausly easier.

    Find a way to do
    something outrageous for social justice, even if it is silly. Hell,
    silly is fun. Raise conciousness, in your head and others. We are
    All affected by the grand action of this movement.

    We have power in our solidarity. Together we can move
    forward and
    they may not listen, but when we Speak, they have no choice but to Hear.

    FURTHER,

    David Getzin

For more info, check out Yahoo!'s Full Coverage on Same-Sex Marriage. Do some digging and find a way to make a little agitation in the right directions.



::: posted by kiyote23
::: at 2/12/2001 01:41:00 PM
::: Comments: Post a Comment
| (0) comments

 

Got this in the mail from scott today, and thought I would pass it on:

    friends,

    today is my birthday. it also happens to be National Freedom to Marry Day,
    and so i am making use of the coincidence to share with you my views on
    marriage. first, some background:

    the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights (the basis of the
    work of Amnesty International) asserts that equal marriage rights should be
    protected by society and the state. however - contrary to popular
    misconception - the 1993 right to marriage law in Hawaii, though supported
    by a majority of citizens, became irrelavent after the Hawaii state
    constitution was amended to specifically exclude the posibility of same-sex
    marriage. (not since the prohibition of slavery have laws been passed which
    restrict a specific group of citizens from enjoyment of the rights and
    priviledges granted to the rest of society.)

    so it was not until Vermont's passage of a "civil union" bill last year that
    two people of the same sex could do anything remotely related to marriage,
    as far as our government is concerned. ignoring what (i think) should - in
    light of the black civil rights movement - be the obvious problems with
    "seperate but equal" laws, vermont is currently the only state in which an
    american citizen may form any legal union with another citizen of the same
    sex.

    i think this is a big problem. having talked to a lot of you about this
    issue, i know many of you - even many of the gay among you - don't think
    this is a big problem. so i'd like to explain to you why i think it's a
    problem which should deeply concern every american citizen:

    there are over 1000 federal laws in America which grant rights, benefits,
    and priviledges only to married citizens. these laws include tax benefits,
    Social Security and Medicare benefits, domestic violence protection,
    adoption and child custody rights, insurance benefits, and the rights to
    make important decisions in the case of sickness or death.

    despite America's commitment to equality, the restriction of these rights
    and priviledges to only opposite-sex couples (and further to married
    couples) seems clearly unequal to me. arguments about the morality of
    same-sex marriage are entirely irrelavent. we may not (i hope we don't)
    support neo-nazis, yet they continue to enjoy the rights of all other
    Americans. we may not be (though i hope we are) comfortable with interracial
    marriage, but it remains legal (in most states, anyway.) we do not have a
    right to be comfortable with or happy about what other citizens choose to
    do. but we do (if not in practice, than in the constitution) have a right to
    equal protection under the law.

    we have the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. it seems
    clear to me that denial of equal marriage rights for same-sex couples
    throughout America is a clear contradiction to these rights. and what
    worries me most is not that gay people in particular are being targetedly
    denied freedom, but that there even exists some question as to whether or
    not any group of people should be granted the rights that "self-evidently"
    belong to all citizens. if it isn't obvious that we should all have the same
    rights, then why did we abolish slavery? or why did we allow women to vote?

    i sincerely hope it was not only because we could not easily ignore those
    blatant violations to our freedom and humanity. but if so, i hope you can no
    longer easily ignore the violations which continue in our country today.

    peace,
    scott reynen.




::: posted by kiyote23
::: at 2/12/2001 01:36:00 PM
::: Comments: Post a Comment
| (0) comments

Wednesday, February 07, 2001 :::
 

Vatican Eyeing Isidore As Cyberspace Patron Saint


I mean, what I really want, is a glow-in-the-dark statue of Isidore to put ontop of my monitor.



::: posted by kiyote23
::: at 2/07/2001 08:28:00 AM
::: Comments: Post a Comment
| (0) comments

Friday, February 02, 2001 :::
 

Slashdot | $200 Net PC to Close Brazil's Digital Divide
    Imagine: a government doing something to help poor people get access to the internet.


::: posted by kiyote23
::: at 2/02/2001 08:54:00 AM
::: Comments: Post a Comment
| (0) comments

 

Shriners Scandalized by Sex Bash
    ``It's really sick, it's really sad that these men have to do something like this, especially under the guise of helping
    children,'' a Winnipeg resident told Reuters on Wednesday.



::: posted by kiyote23
::: at 2/02/2001 08:50:00 AM
::: Comments: Post a Comment
| (0) comments