What I want to say about Prop 8

I Voted!

One of my favorite things about election day:



did you?

Get your HATRED out of my LAWS.

In the past few weeks in the Moscow, ID/Pullman, WA area, 6 crimes of hate have occurred.

* On September 29, at the University of Idaho, there was anti-gay vandalism on a student's door in a residence hall.

* On October 12, at Washington State University (WSU), there was anti-gay vandalism on a student's door in a residence hall.

* On October 15, a student was physically assaulted by another individual while walking near the Scott-Coman soccer fields in Pullman. He was punched in the face and lost consciousness.

* On October 18, a transgender student was physically assaulted outside a Pullman business. He was attacked by three individuals wearing Halloween masks. They knocked him to the ground and kicked him. He was taken to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a collapsed lung.

* On October 20, a transgender student was physically assaulted by an individual in a parking garage at WSU. He was knocked to the ground and kicked. He suffered bruises and a bloody lip.

* After the WSU Senate passed a resolution condemning such activities, one of the Senators was followed home and harassed by a handful of men, and a threatening note was posted on the door to the WSU Senate offices.

What rational person on this planet thinks it is acceptable behavior to hit another person because they are different from you? Seriously people.

AND IN THE LAW SCHOOL, THE LAW SCHOOL certain clubs have had the audacity to post signs supporting a Constitutional Amendment in California which would ban gay marriage. Proposition 8's title is "Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry. Initiative Constitutional Amendment". And people have the chutzpah to say it is not an initiative about HATE. Are you kidding me?

What possible reason is there for posting a "Vote Yes on 8" sign in Moscow, ID? At most there are about 5 people here who might be casting absentee ballots in California who are attending this law school. There are 444 people in this building everyday, with only 5 who might vote in CA, the only reason to post such a sign is because people HATE people who are different than them. It is the only possible reason.

AND in South Dakota, people are trying to put HATE into their Constitution. Initiative 11 is called the Abortion Ban Initiative. A change to the Constitution of South Dakota which if enacted, will not only make it virtually impossible for a woman to get an abortion, but will certainly end up in the Supreme Court for failing to protect people's rights.

I am tired of the hatred. If you don't like something, fine; just do it behind closed doors. I won't put my judgments into your laws, if you keep your hatred out of mine.

"Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality
and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense
of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the
beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse
the true with the false and the false with the true.
Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice.
Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

NOW Sarah Palin Poll

Well I got to law school today, and in my inbox was this email from the firecracker, who has been taking on Sarah Palin facts via email with a veracity I didn't see from her in the primaries. The best part about the poll, is you can vote however you choose, the scary part about the poll is as of my voting, 50% of Americans think Sarah is qualified to run. Seriously. Which is better than 54% yes, but participating in a poll like this does matter. Take a minute and click in your vote!

- Cece
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Please help control the Sarah Palin momentum by participating in this PBS poll.
Vote and share widely.

PBS poll: Do you think Sarah Palin is qualified to serve as Vice President of the USA?

Voting started at about 66% No, 30% Yes. It's now 'yes' at 54% and 'no' at 44%.
The right wing has an email campaign going to turn the results around.

Please vote.
This sort of thing can actually matter, unfortunately.
It's only a matter of clicking a radio button Yes, No, or Don't know.

http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html

After you vote, please send to others.

"Because Freedom Can't Protect Itself"

I just might stop waxing on about law school sometime soon . . . no promises. Last night, at the "Welcome Back Picnic" I met my mentor, who just happens to be related to Murphy Fox, and anyone who went to Carroll College or grew up in Helena, probably knows Murphy. He is also a big supporter of S.A.V.E., one of the first organizations I got involved with when I moved back to Helena. S.A.V.E. is of course chaired by Matt Elsaesser, who is a good friend, and now a City Commissioner thanks in (very small) part to me freezing and waiving at people on my lunch hour. Matt just happens to be the son of an adjunct professor here at U of I, ahhh . . . it is a small world.

Anyway, we were signing up for clubs here at the school. And I wanted to talk about one in particular, the ACLU. I happen to be a card carrying member, and have been for the past two years, it seemed natural to sign up to be a member here at the law school. I was talking the other day about why it is I decided to take the next step and become a lawyer. Guess what swag I scored last night at their table?



A blue rubber bracelet, which states "ACLU: Because Freedom Can't Protect Itself"
Sounds to me like a pretty great summation of why I am here.

Obama Event, Blogging from Moscow, ID

Well here I sit in the Kenworthy (sp?) Center in downtown Moscow, where we are watching the convention on a movie screen with popcorn and beer . . . my kind of event.

In my first on the scene blog ever . . . thats right, everything has been after the fact due to my lack of laptop. Law school and its requirements have given me the opportunity to harass people live. SWEET!

I am being introduced for the first time to many of the local politicials, which is nice, coming into this at a late date. LOL. Walt Minnick(?) wasn't born in Idaho, which isn't important, but worth mentioning here in ID, just like it is in Montana, all the work that he has done for this state overwhelms his serious lacking in place of birth.

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There are some great Dem v. Rep jokes flying. "Republicans tend to keep their shades down, and Democrats probably should".
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People are getting up and down faster than I can find links to their sites on the web. Right now Judy Brown is up, who is running for the State Representative of Latah County, she's funny.
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Dems are the party that are open to change, open to other ideas. It is a traditional American value that you respect the opinions of others. It is a traditional American value to tell the truth. Let's set the record straight. - no idea who that was, but he rocked.
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Dems eat the fish they catch, Reps hang them on the wall.
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Latah county elected Dems for 16 years, and that is something to be proud of.
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Stash to a Rep is money in the bank, stash to a Dem is beer in the fridge
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Obama is just about up, now things get even more interesting

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False alarm, Biden is up.

We are going to get back up as a nation. Now we get to hear from some peeps who have been inspired by this campaign, and why this time we can do it.
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Roy Gross from MI - Teamster. A Union job. Worked there for 18 years. Then Bush came in, and many friends and co-workers have lost their jobs and homes. What we need is a renewed economy. Differences no longer matter, it is who will work for Americans that matters.
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Monica Early from OH. She got an email of "facts" about Obama, she decided to check them out, and she ended up on the stage of the DNC, someone who is ordinary can make a difference.
Einstein quote, oh the room here is in stitches. This is good stuff.
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Janet Lynn Monaco from NY, living in FL - (love the accent) What gets me angry, is that Bush and McCain have done not only havent helped, but make it harder to get things done today. Tired of taking care of the BIG corporations, time to take care of all of us. YES WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE!
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Teresa Asenapp from NM. Grandparents couldnt read or write, but today because of them, she holds a doctorate in education. Strong families raise strong students. (she's cute). 10 million a year in early childhood education. 4K for college students in a tax credit - I could use that now.
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Pam Cash-Roper from NC. WAIT TILL YOU HEAR WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME, maybe it is familiar.(did they put these people in order of comedic skills?) Life long Rep, Nixon, Reagan, Bush and Bush, but I can't afford 4 more years of this. The whole place is laughing. Barack Obama is MY President.
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Barney Smith from IN (?) - Today my job is done by a foreign worker. They sent my job overseas, we need a President who puts Barney Smith ahead of Smith Barney, (even Jim Leher is laughing his a** off)
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While we wait for the main program to show up, I just wanted to mention myself, that it was 40 years ago today that MLK gave his famous "I have a dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. To realize what the people who wrote the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence all those years ago, democracy, and to make it happen.

One of the things we were discussing today in class, (Property, I think), is that by entering into the field of law, we are entering into the process which takes the ideals of our great nation and puts them into action, and defends those actions. Hopefully we are on the side of helping out our common ideals and to working on changing the laws that are against the principles of democracy, instead of turning on points of law that are outdated, and that deserve to be changed. Do you believe in those documents? In what they had to say, and the responsiblity that they entrusted us all with?

It (law) is a calling, and not one to be undertaken lightly. And to always always remember why it is today, that I chose to go to law school, why did I chose to shoulder this burden, what did I dare to dream I could do with my own life?

I'll leave Obama to be Obama, and be happy with the fact that I have such a choice in hope on my ballot in mere weeks.

*Signing off to enjoy this moment in history*

Respectfully yours;

Cece-in-ID

Obama makes Veep Choice . . .

but is hanging onto it like my niece hangs onto popcorn. Rumor has it that he is making stops all over the country prior to his arrival in Denver. And even though I am immersed in being repeatedly welcomed to law school, apparently I still care about who gets chosen. I am cool with Obama holding his cards close to his chest, but like many more, I am certain that I will have some questions about who he chooses.

Normally VP's have a pretty minor role, really only stepping in in times of crisis. Gore and *shudder* Chenney changed the Vice Presidency drastically. Of course one could argue that Chenney was actually the president, but I digress. . .

What is everyone thinking? Do you care? Are you more patient than I am?

*Sorry to do a political post over here, I am having problems with my MontanaNetroots connection.