I'm clearly an instigator

Two days ago, I wrote my weekly column for the Parthenon. Typically a bit controversial and always opinionated (factual, nonetheless), this week's article certainly received more attention than usual. In fact, I made Parthenon history by having the most-commented story EVER. I kind of like that.

My story, which you can read here, says it is not equality gays are searching for - it is special rights.

Good Lord, did the liberal community get their panties in a wad over my opinion. Clearly, what I think is pretty important. Apart from the comments on the Parthenon's Web site that bashed, battered, beat and bullied me, I also received e-mails from people calling me nasty names with underlying threats. The last couple days has been utterly sick, but intensely amusing. It's humorous because these people who are so against me and my opinions are proving my point with every word they say. They are allowed to persecute me because of my beliefs, but if I return the favor, it's a hate crime.

It was also very clear that many of the responders had not even read my article. They were mad about things I hadn't even discussed. They called me a hate-monger for hating gays - something I never said or eluded to. I just think it is usually a good idea to read the article before trying to argue it. But what do I know?

Fortunately, the fire has died a little, although there are still some crazies going at it. I was hoping my opinion would provoke an intelligent debate that would encourage open-mindedness and thinking, however it did not. It spawned hate and discrimination ... on myself.

Thanks to all those gay-rights supporters who proved my point that it is okay to be discriminatory and hateful only when you want to be.

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Give them their day....

Following is my article I wrote for class today on the inauguration. It isn't exactly what I wanted to write, but I was trying to take on the opinion of everyone else so I could maybe get a good grade this time.


A chapter made for history books was unveiled today as Barack Obama took the oath of office to become the first African-American president of the U.S.

The estimated crowd of 2 million camouflaged the national mall as far as could be seen from the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Distinguishable chants of “Obama” rang through the sea of audience as they waited for the man of the hour to make his appearance.

After Vice President Joe Biden, clad in a democratic-blue tie and the smile of a next-in-line president, swore his oath and kissed his family, Obama and his entourage filed out onto the platform amid cheers and tears.

With his right hand raised and his left placed on the same Holy Bible that President Abraham Lincoln once himself swore upon, Obama repeated after Chief Justice John G. Roberts the words that would deem him Mr. President.

But along with one third of the country and nearly the entire governmental staff, Obama’s nerves were present. He stammered through the first few words of the oath and even required Roberts to repeat a phrase he was to recite.

A kiss on the cheek to his golden-clad wife, Michelle, and a scan of his audience of millions began the speech that, for some, would be as inspirational and monumental as the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I thank President (George W.) Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition,” Obama said in his opening statement.

Bush, who was minutes out of his legacy as forty-third U.S. president, kept a straight face for the cameras as Obama uttered gratitude and throughout the inaugural address.

But Obama continued the inauguration that the New York Daily News estimated cost nearly $150 million.

“Our economy is badly weakened,” he said, “a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.”

He conceded that the challenges America now faces are real, they are serious, and they are many. He promised, however, that those challenges will be met, although not easily or quickly. Applause erupted throughout the national mall and inevitably in homes across the nation.

With the sun reflecting off his American flag lapel pin, Obama praised his country.

“We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth,” he said. “Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.”

In the crowd, a man keeping warm in a crocheted cap yawned as the camera zoomed in on his face. But the new president was not retiring from his speech just yet.

He addressed the “guardians of our liberty,” soldiers who Obama said “have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.” And although the government has power to change and uses that power to do so, he said it is “ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.”

With a “God bless the United States of America,” Obama concluded his speech that will inevitably make its way to history books.

Chants of “yes we can” from the millions looking on sang through the national mall as Obama and Bush walked side by side into the Capitol building, and as Obama possibly thought, “yes, I did.”

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For the love of money ...

Carole Florman, spokeswoman for the joint congressional committee on inaugural ceremonies told the New York Daily News: "We're always very budget conscious. But we're sending a message to the entire world about our peaceful transition of power, and you don't want it to look like a schlock affair. It needs to be appropriate to the magnitude of events that it is."

Budget conscious? Clearly. The current estimation for the inaugural festivities is $150 MILLION. Please realize this is all coming not only during a recession, but after the government just spent billions of dollars bailing out businesses that ran themselves into the ground and, not two weeks later, were treating themselves to weekend spa retreats. Is this really the way to spend our money?

Granted, I do not know where this money is coming from exactly. I'm still doing my research. I do know, however, that these festivities are so ginormous that President Bush had to issue an emergency fund of $15 million of federal money today in order to secure the peace and safety in D.C.

Why am I not mad at Dubya for spending the money? Not because I love him. No ... it's because I will NEVER argue spending money for safety's sake. Although I think this inauguration is getting WAY out of hand, D.C. residents can't help that millions of people are invading their hometown and that is no reason to compromise safety. And even if I think it's ridiculous that so many people are traveling to their Mecca this week, I believe in humanity and life, and I support safeguarding life no matter who the person is (well, with the exception of the death penalty, but that's another day in itself).

Having said that - should the money have been 100 percent private funds that were voluntarily given to the inauguration fund, I STILL do not think Obama should allow this amount of money to be spent on a party for himself. If he is any kind of a leader, he'd find a better use for $150 million dollars. I know I could. Where is your love for the welfare system now, liberals? Ah. Seems you are just as selfish as you make the GOP out to be. Shame on you.

But, alas, I have to admit. If my man Dubya were entering a third term as President, my Commander-in-Chief, leader of my beloved country ... I'd be there, too.

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Crying out Dubya, Crying in Obama

it's the beginning of the last day of administration for my main man Dubya. truly, it is a sad day in the history of America. George Walker Bush was a great president, and nice to look at too. (what can i say, i'm a fan) but tuesday, he's gone forever as commander in chief of my country. instead, a celebrity will take his place. a relatively inexperienced man who won the presidency because of the color of his skin, and i believe that with everything in me.

i'll be the first to tell you that having a black man as president is fine. a human is a human, regardless of the contrast of the skin color. HOWEVER, it is not in any way okay to have the presidency (or any office or seat, for that matter) filled by election of a person based in any means on their skin color. that is racism.

everyone is telling me how big of an event this is: the first black president in the history of America. big deal. you want equality? then maybe we shouldn't throw a big shindig. we haven't for any other president-elect. not to mention, this will be the most expensive inauguration party EVER ... and we are right in the middle of a recession. maybe we could distribute that money you're spending on Beyonce to struggling Americans across the country. what am i saying? we need Beyonce.

i'll be watching the events, i can't say i wont. i'd be watching no matter who was being inaugurated. id watch in between vomits if it were hillary. i'll be watching in between tears on tuesday.

prove me wrong, Obama. please. i love my country and i want to continue to be proud to be an American.

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free speech, but for a price

i got a 75 on this in my public affairs class. of course. the assignment was an opinion piece, but clearly i was supposed to use someone else's opinion.

Change has been his motto, and subsequently throughout the last year and a half, the majority of the country has jumped onto President-elect Barack Obama’s bandwagon.

It is nearly inevitable his inauguration speech will mimic the same theme, addressing the last eight years of so-called failed leadership and promising revolutionary actions. He will advocate for the American dream and vow to give every American the opportunity to achieve their dreams. His pledge to resolve the economic crisis will be empowering and optimistic. The nation will be relieved that finally, finally, there is a leader that will make the right changes.

But it won’t be the first time.

Coming out of the Vietnam War and Watergate, America was needful of something fresh and new. It needed a leader who was honest and intelligent, willing to restructure the country into the greatness it was known for. In came Jimmy Carter. A Georgia governor with minimal national and foreign-policy experience, his ideals of change alleviated the nation’s anxiety that had built up over the last few years. He pledged to create jobs, albeit by increasing federal spending. In his inauguration speech, he addressed the American dream.

“The American dream endures,” Carter said. “We must once again have full faith in our country and in one another. I believe America can be better. We can be even stronger than before. … These are not just my goals, and they will not be my accomplishments, but the affirmation of our Nation's continuing moral strength and our belief in an undiminished, ever-expanding American dream.”

But it didn’t take long for Carter’s approval rating to drop dramatically. His failed attempts to deal with an Iranian seizure as well as U.S. economic problems consequently flushed his popularity.

Although the Obama-infatuated country may refuse to see it, the president-elect is not exempt from the risk of failure – especially with the tremendous platform of change he has promised America, which he will likely reinforce during his inaugural speech.

The risk has nothing to do with Obama as an individual, except perhaps that he has vowed things he may not be capable of delivering. It is, however, his appeal to such great change that the country now expects. It may be that once he doesn’t perform like he said he would, his popularity may be drowned, just as Carter’s.

Think of the powerful, patriotic words President George W. Bush spoke during his post-Sept. 11 speech in 2001. The country was on his side ready to “make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.”

Eight years later, that same country despises their once-adored leader and condemns the actions of security measures, like wiretapping.

Unfortunately, those are the results of a free nation, and that is the risk Obama takes by making such big promises of change during his campaign and his inaugural address. With good fortune, he’ll thrive and go down in history books as one of the biggest presidential success stories of all time. But it is likely he will make mistakes, as do all leaders good and bad, and those once adoring fans will turn on him as they have his predecessors.

Nevertheless, the soon-to-be President will inevitably deliver a typical Obama speech during his inauguration that will knock the socks off the nation, if not the world. It will be a message representative of the powerful and persuasive orator he has proven to be throughout his campaign. It can be assumed, with regard to his previous speeches, that he will not imitate George Washington’s second inaugural address, which was a whopping 652 words.

But whatever Obama brings, whether it be a simple smile or an all-day event, it is sure to be unforgettable. It will be a day America will remember forever.

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lady in red

if i were a feminist, i would be irate at the portrayal of women the media has splattered across the public. its nearly impossible to sit in a movie theater and not see a pair of boobs cross the screen at least once. its sad.

however, i am not a feminist by any means, and i am not irate at the media. it is the women, themselves, that make me sad, sick. women are voluntarily stripping off their clothes in front of the camera just to make the movie more appealing to men (and some women, i guess). im not sickened by the men (as much as the women). they, like the rest of us, are viewers. the naked ho's in the movies are the enablers, if you will.

i just think its sad that women have allowed this image to be associated with us. you don't see men baring it all in anything rated under XXX. it's not socially acceptable, but only because they have not allowed it to be. men have more decency than women, as much as i find that difficult to say.

where have all the jackie o's gone? where are the audrey hepburns? sure, pamela anderson and carmen electra are super-rich celebrities, but let's face it: they're skanks. i wish women would take back their classy role of being ladies. unfortunately, i'm afraid those days may be long gone.

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So far, so good

First full week of the new year was a great success. Okay, just kind of.

I finished a book the first week. Jodi Picoult is an incredible author, I just have to plug that. I read Salem Falls, and it was pretty good. Good enough to not be able to put it down for a week. Of course, all her books are that good. I'll start a new one today.

My meals last week were uber healthy! Grilled chicken, salads, rice, veggies, fruit. I did it up right. Then Sunday came. I won't give a number related to how many donuts I ingested, but it was my day off and I thoroughly enjoyed my Krispy Kreme indulgence. (glutton would be a better term)

Week two has started and I'm a little less motivated, but none the less sure of what I need to do. I think I need to add "cut internet pool" to my resolution list, but I dont think I can do that just yet.

Got a ticket this morning at 5 a.m. for expired tags. That just doesn't happen, people. Po-pos don't just drive around the city in the DARK looking for expired tags. There's a tipoff in the mix, and that means war.

On another note, President Bush gave his final press conference this morning. How proud I am of that man. What an incredible job he had, and a fine job he did. Perfect? Of course not. No one has, could or will. But he did what he thought was best for the country, as he said during his press conference, and that's all we can ask for. I am going to miss that ol' cowboy. I'm not excited about this "change" we've got coming to us, but for the country's sake, I hope he does a heck of a job. Good luck, Obama.

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