Cocktales - Archived Blog Posts

[cocktales]

At the end of the twentieth century, marriage is losing its relevance, even to heterosexual men and women. It belongs to an earlier, bygone era. Moreover, there is no moral or practical reason why it should remain the sole, exclusive basis on which legal rights are conferred on partnerships.

Marriage is nowadays touted as a symbol of love and commitment. But love and commitment can exist both inside and outside marriage. Wedding vows merely formalize pre-existing feelings of intense affection and loyalty, but they play no part in creating those feelings.

Shocking as it may seem to some people, love had very little to do with the genesis of marriage as a legal institution. Indeed, the correlation between love and marriage is, in historical terms, a relatively recent coincidence.

Marriage evolved historically for three main reasons. First, as a way of ensuring male domination over women and children (in particular, the sexual possession of women by men). Second, to guarantee the inheritance of property through the male line (in western patriarchal societies). And third, to regulate and stabilize the conception and rearing of children.

The first two of these reasons for marriage are profoundly oppressive and outdated for heterosexuals, as well as homosexuals. The third justification is irrelevant for lesbian and gay people – except in cases where same-sex partners have children, either from a previous marriage, by donor insemination, or through fostering/adoption. But even then, the key to successful parenting is surely a loving, supportive home environment, not the marital status of the partners.

Marriage has had its day. It is time to start afresh. What is needed is an entirely new, modern, democratic, egalitarian and flexible model of partnership rights, looking forward to the future, not chained to the past. Any new legal framework ought to be universalist; applying to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples.

It's time we had something to protect my Partner from the State on the advent of my death or his. Sure we both have Wills and also Living Wills to pull the plug if we're on life support. It's a damn shame we cannot have all the Rights allowed to men and women upon their so-called marriages.

Look at the marriages of today! They are not worth the license paper they are printed on. They happen so fast and furious in Las Vegas.....for instance the whirl-wind marriage of Britney Spears....what some 55 hours of marriage to a dear friend "just to see what marriage feels like"!! OMG! I am almost speechless! I said almost! lol

See why I have no faith in the relationship of a man and a woman? Why should Gay men and women NOT have the opportunity to also screw up.....or better yet do it right and live and long and happy life together????

Well, I've ranted enough for one day. I am sorry to put you all through my torture; but just to remain sane sometimes one has to let it all out.

If people only knew how deeply love and respect existed between two men like Ron and I.

Surely God meant no harm in allowing us to have free will and choose same sex people...did He?

Thank you all for listening.......

Cock

 

[cocktales]

I learned from a thread in Hot Topics today that my favorite architect of all time is dead! I am a real big enthusiast and to me this man was a true genius!!

Mr. Johnson's own architecture received mixed reviews and often startled the public and his fellow architects. Because of his frequent changes of style, he was often accused of pandering to fashion and of designing buildings that were facile and shallow. Yet he created several designs, including the Glass House, the sculpture garden of the Museum of Modern Art, and the pre-Columbian gallery at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington that are widely considered among the architectural masterworks of the 20th century. And for his entire career, his engagement with architectural theory and ideas was as deep as that of any scholar.

As an architect, he made his mark arguing the importance of the aesthetic side of architecture and claimed that he had no interest in buildings except as works of art. Yet he was so eager to build that he willingly took commissions from real estate developers who refused to meet his aesthetic standards. He liked to refer to himself, with only some irony, as a whore.

Mr. Johnson's foray into fascism was over by the time the United States entered World War II, and in the mid-1950's he sought to publicly atone to Jews by designing a synagogue in Port Chester, N.Y., for no fee. But to the end of his life the contradictions continued. He later admitted to being "stupid" in his acceptance of Hitler and his rule in Germany

Mr. Johnson also openly called Frank Lloyd Wright a poor architect! He later also recounted that too when Mr. Wright started designing wonderful, true works of art.

At least Mr. Johnson would admit it when he made a mistake and try and make up for his errors of his ways.

Philip Johnson was also openly Gay and never let his sexuality become a target for discussion...he was what he was and that was it!

I think the world has lost a real gem....hopefully, we have so many of his works in so many American cities, he will not be forgotten.

 

[cocktales]

Less than 48 hours left before the people of Iraq experience free decision making for the first time in their country's modern history.

It's a moment of pure freedom but still surrounded by lots of dangers just like any beautiful rose surrounded by spikes.

There is fear from the enemies of freedom who have their weapons already prepared to intimidate them and stop them from choosing their future.

But at the same time they're full of hope as they know that they've put their feet on the right track and even if they make a bad choice once, they know that they will have the chance to reevaluate the situation again.

No more tyrants ruling the country for decades.

We're standing before a historic moment and I won't be exaggerating if I said that it's an important moment for the whole world; we're standing before a crossroads and everyone should watch and learn from the rebirth of Iraq.

Regardless of the winners in these elections, those who opposed the elections and resisted the change will have to deal with the new reality.

In less than 48 hours from now, the dying dictatorships and their filthy tools, the terrorists, will find themselves facing an elected legitimate government in Iraq.

The tyrants nightmare is becoming reality, now they will have to deal with the scariest word in their dictionaries; THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE.

The terrorists have challenged the bravery of the Iraqi people but they messed with the wrong people.

The people have accepted the challenge; democracy and elections are not a luxury for Iraqis, it's an issue of life or death. And the terror brutal campaign has only made the people more determined to go on with the change.

The results of some recent polls that have shown how determined Iraqis are to hold the elections might have surprised you, but they weren't a surprise for most; they're not the kind of people that kneel to terror and the sights of blood and be-headings.

Saddam had tried all tools of oppression, killing and torture he could find against their people (including WMD's) but he failed to make the people believe in his hateful regime. And that's why the people abandoned him and now, he and his regime are just a bad old tale from the past.

On Sunday, the sun will rise on the land of Mesopotamia. The people of Iraq can't wait, the dream is becoming true and they will stand in front of the voting box to put their heart in it.

Good luck Iraq, God bless our troops backing up the Iraqi Security Forces!!

 

[cocktales]

Animal Foundation

Today I went to visit the Lied animal shelter and was horrified by what I saw.

Apparently due to the recent rainy weather, people have been turning in their dogs in droves.

There are four and five dogs to a cage. Purebreds and mutts alike, small and large without rhyme or reason.

If anyone reading this is looking to get another dog (or two), please visit your local shelter. Too many great, wonderful dogs are killed for not fault of their own!

I cannot understand why people allow cats and dogs to get pregnant and have more when they will have no use for them. It is so easy to get them "fixed" and the cost is not that much either.........but in the end when people tire of animals, they are messy, they bite, they chew on furniture, etc. etc....

They end up bringing them to the Animal Foundation and their troubles are over......

You can tell a good person by them liking animals and it's vice versa too........animals can also tell if a person likes them and they cater to people the same way! You can't fool an animal, they know what's in your heart!

I just wish I had the money to permanently take care of all the animals so that they would not be euthanized! They look so pitiful in the cages looking back at you to please "take me, take me"!!

Every time I go to take donated food to them, I come away like someone close has died! It just kills me to leave all the wonderful animals there!

Please, if you love animals, adopt one from your local shelter..........and if you already have pets, give to your shelters so they can feed the animals they get in and maybe they will not have to euthanize them.

 

[cocktales]

Movie, "The Exonerated"

The Exonerated was just shown on Court TV. I learned about it through an interview with Susan Sarandon on one of those early morning news shows. I haven't actually teared at a movie since Iron Jawed Angels, but I did at this. I guess there's something about the reality of things these days that pulls me harder than fictional films. Maybe I'm overdosed with fictional films after a year of Netflix. I know towards the end I was much more critical than the beginning.

The film is the story of 6 released death row inmates, and through his wife, one who was not released in time. No matter which side you land on with this issue, there is work on the common ground to be done. If we're going to do something this barbaric, shouldn't it only be done in cases where there is no chance whatsoever that the accused isn't innocent?

Or in it's own words:

I know America gets tired of hearing about all these people talkin' about what they don't have or what's wrong with the country.

They say, "well, what's right with the country?" Well, what the fuck?

To make things better we ain't interested in what's right with the country, we are interested in what's wrong with the country. You don't say, "well, what's right with my car?" What's wrong with it is what we've gotta deal with.

-- Delbert Tibbs

I wish I could've seen the Off-Broadway production. The people involved with it makes up a pretty impressive list. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/playbill/20050117/en_playbill/90636

 

[cocktales]

Two armed men walked into Shoats Grocery & Package store near Crawford, Georgia, whose owners kept a couple of guns for security.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/01/26/store.shooting.ap/index.html

 

[cocktales]

A nursery schoolteacher in California has become an instant multimillionaire after recognizing himself on a jar of Nescafé Coffee.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-1466476,00.html

Hey this guy doesn't even drink the stuff! Otherwise, he would have seen himself before now; but hey $15 million is $15 million............. whoo hoo

 

[cocktales]

The US has a new Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings.

Upon taking over in her new job, what pressing educational issue did she address immediately?

Overcrowded classrooms?

Continuing education for teachers?

Test scores?

No, it was lesbians.

Yes, lesbians. Specifically, a PBS show (which receives Dept. of Ed. money) that showed a Vermont farm girl with "two mommies."

Spellings objected, making a rather public deal of the whole thing. Looks like we'll have four more years of this kind of ridiculousness. I guess farm girls aren't the only ones who can shovel loads of manure.

During President George W. Bush's first term, Spellings served as Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy where she helped craft education policies, including the No Child Left Behind Act. She was also responsible for the development and implementation of White House policy on health, labor, transportation, justice, housing, and other elements of President Bush's domestic agenda.

I cannot believe a single parent of two young women (age 17 and 12) could be so prejudice and insulting to women's rights!

Looks like we have another "follower" in the Cabinet...one who cannot think for themselves and do the right thing for human rights....yes, human rights!

Gay people are human and deserve the rights guaranteed by the constitution as does everyone else.

Our movement continues to have set-backs when appointments such as this happens...but we will NOT be deterred!

We will prevail and have the "SAME" rights as others. No, we do not want anything "special" just equal!
http://rncnyc2004.blogspot.com/2004/11/margaret-spellings-secretary-of.html

 

[cocktales]

Firstly, OK for Sharon Stone!

I heard she was at some economic conference in Switzerland where someone was talking about children dying in Africa because of lack of mosquito nettin (to protect against malaria) and she stood up and said something like, "I'll give $10,000 to buy mosquito netting for those kids! Who will top me?!"

Er, wait, that last part sounds unwholesome; but that's how it was said to me. She also said something like "children are dying and that's not OK with me!" Or something like that. But you get the point. And I say Huzza, Sharon Stone! I think it's fabulous that she was at some huge economic conference and did that--someone I know said she should 'get over herself,' but I don't agree.

We need more celebrities like that. It's interesting how we hear about Sharon Stone and Angelina Jolie at these conferences, but we never hear about any of those executives who make $36 million a year putting up any cash to better the world. I wonder why that is...

I was rude to someone who worked at Subway over the weekend.

Never mind that everyone behind the counter was moving as if they'd ingested the last 6 tons of the world's supply of Quaalude's--I was rude. I felt bad. And then I read in one of Pema's books that you can't show lovingkindess (she calls it maitri--I don't ungastan this. Why call something by some Tibetan or Sanskrit or whatever name when you have a perfectly good English phrase to use?! Why say maitri when you can say lovingkindness? Why say Coq au Vin when you can say Mustard Greens?) to another until you show it to yourself, and it made total sense.

I realized then that I was not showing lovingkindess to myself. So I had a cookie. And I bought myself some roses, orange and yellow. I got the cheap deli ones, so they're already wilting. But they're purty nonetheless. I'm still not sure if I'm showing enough maitri to myself, though. Maybe a nap would help...

 

[cocktales]

The decision by Okemos, Michigan-based Weyco Inc. to terminate workers drew national attention Wednesday and immediately raised the issues of what other personal behaviors employers may seek to limit, even outside the workplace.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/metro/0501/27/A01-71823.htm

In the Weyco Company website it states: Weyco Inc. is a non-smoking company that strongly supports its employees in living healthy lifestyles.

The company informed employees last year that effective the first they would be subjected to test to see if there is nicotine in their system and if there is they will be fired.

There are no laws on Michigan's books stating that this is illegal. The owner said it is due to the rising costs of insurance.

The workers refused to take a mandatory urine test demanded of Weyco's 200 employees by founder and sole owner Howard Weyers, a demand that he said was perfectly legal.

"If you don't want to take the test, you can leave," Weyers told Reuters. "I'm not controlling their lives; they have a choice whether they want to work here."

Next on the firing line: overweight workers.

"We have to work on eating habits and getting people to exercise. But if you're obese, you're (legally) protected," Weyers said.

He has brought in an eating disorder therapist to speak to workers, provided eating coaches, created a point system for employees to earn health-related $100 bonuses and plans to offer $45 vouchers for health club memberships.

The 71-year-old Weyers, who said he has never smoked and pronounced himself in good shape thanks to daily runs, said employee's health as well as saving money on the company's own insurance claims led him to first bar smokers from being hired in 2003.

Last year, he banned smoking during office hours, then demanded smokers pay a monthly $50 "assessment," and finally instituted mandatory testing.

Twenty workers quit the habit.

Weyers tells clients to quit whining about health care costs and to "set some expectations; demand some things."

Job placement specialist John Challenger said Weyco's moves could set a precedent for larger companies -- if it survives potential legal challenges.

"Certainly it raises an interesting boundary issue: rising health care costs and society's aversion to smoking versus privacy and freedom rights of an individual," Challenger said.

So far no legal challenges have been made to Weyco's policies.

 

[cocktales]

Holocaust survivors and world leaders held a ceremony last week in Poland to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Nazi death camp by the Red Army. Gay victims were the only ones not remembered, and gay groups the only ones not invited.

A thousand Holocaust survivors, the Presidents of Israel, Russia, France, Germany and Poland, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, and Prince Edward of the United Kingdom, attended the Auschwitz ceremony.

Israeli President Moshe Katsav called the camp "the largest graveyard of the Jewish people." Between 1.1 million and 1.5 million people, mostly Jews, were put to death in Auschwitz, the largest of the Nazi death camps.

Alongside Jews, gays, Gypsies (Roma and Sinti), Soviet prisoners of war and Poles were killed at Auschwitz. Partial analyses of official Nazi records indicate that as many as 15,000 gay men perished in concentration camps. But independent scholars think this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The director of the Museum of the Former Camp of Auschwitz did not reply to a request from Poland's gay activist NGO Campaign against Homophobia to lay a wreath to the gay victims. Neither was the Campaign's delegation officially admitted to the ceremony of commemoration.

"Homosexuals are the only group murdered at Auschwitz whose representatives were not invited to the ceremony of the sixtieth anniversary of the liberation of the camp," reported next day Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland's biggest daily.

In Brussels, members of the European Parliament stood in a minute of silence to pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust and to mark the anniversary. The European Parliament also passed a resolution condemning anti-Semitism and racism and paying tribute to the victims of Nazi Germany, including gays.

The draft resolution said: "(...) the death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau, where hundreds of thousands of Jews, Roma, homosexuals, Poles and other prisoners of various nationalities were murdered, is not only a major occasion for European citizens to remember and condemn the enormous horror and tragedy of the Holocaust, but also for addressing the disturbing rise in anti-Semitism, and especially anti-Semitic incidents, in Europe, and for learning anew the wider lessons about the dangers of victimizing people on the basis of race, ethnic origin, religion, politics, or sexual orientation."

Poland's European Parliament members immediately protested against the list of Auschwitz victims, where gays preceded Poles. Polish deputy Wojciech Roszkowski told the Brussels body: "The life of every human is equally important, but when we speak of big numbers, putting the Jewish, Roma, homosexual and Polish victims together borders on the absurd." Poland's largely chauvinistic and homophobic media echoed the protest. In the final text of the resolution approved by the European Parliament, gay victims were placed at the end of the list. At this week's ceremony at Auschwitz, on Polish soil, gay victims were not mentioned at all.

But history cannot be erased: "The Nazi campaign against homosexuality targeted the more than one million German men who, the state asserted, carried a degeneracy that threatened the 'disciplined masculinity' of Germany," according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Gay men were stripped of their civil rights by the Nazis in 1935 and forced to wear pink triangles to identify them. Lesbians were also persecuted, but less severely, in part because Nazis considered women inferior to men and dependent on them, and did not see lesbians as a threat.

"Denounced as 'antisocial parasites' and as 'enemies of the state,' more than 100,000 men were arrested under a broadly interpreted law against homosexuality. Approximately 50,000 men served prison terms as convicted homosexuals, while an unknown number were institutionalized in mental hospitals. Others — perhaps hundreds — were castrated under court order or coercion," concludes the Holocaust Museum.

I've always wondered what the difference is between persecution and prosecution when both assume a sort of criminality?

It's been 60 years since Auschwitz....how much longer must we go before Gay people are finally humanized..........?

 

[cocktales]

Chris Smith, Britain's first openly gay government official, has announced that he's been HIV positive for 17 years.

He says he was inspired by Nelson Mandela to go public with the hopes that it would remove some of the negative stigma attached to the disease.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/natio...p?category=1103&slug=Britain Lawmaker HIV


The death of Nelson Mandela's son and the fact that Mr. Mandela did not cover it up, the fact his son was HIV+, encouraged him to come forth and declare his HIV status as well.

Mr. Smith said:

"What Nelson Mandela said very much struck a chord with me," Smith was quoted as saying in the Sunday Times newspaper. "He spoke about how nobody should be ashamed of HIV and said that it should be regarded just like any other illness. He was brave and right."

Regardless of the statistics that state otherwise, HIV is still viewed as "the gay diesease" or the disease of the sexually promiscuous. It's that mentality that allows us to turn a blind eye to the AIDS epidemic in Africa. It's also that ignorance that allows the Black Christians in America to blatantly ignore the large amount of African American women who are inflicted with the disease. Their master wasn't even aware there was an HIV epidemic among Black female Americans. But, they were aware their master needed their help to win the election.

Mr. Smith went on to say:

"If I can help to demystify this, if I can help to challenge a little bit of prejudice, if I can help to give a little bit of greater confidence to other people who are affected in the same way, well, let's say something."

I think it's wonderful that people with the virus are coming forth and declaring their status. I hope no one is so prejudice that they allow this to color their feelings toward these individuals......but I'm sure we will have the typical homophobes spewing their hatred toward these people......I say, phooey to you naysayers out there. We all thank a higher power for allowing us to get drugs to help combat this horrible, fatal disease and at least "control" it to some degree.

I only hope more higher statused people of the world would also come out with their sexuality as well as telling of their HIV status! I think it would do a world of good toward better acceptance if only they would!

 

[cocktales]

I don't know how many of you are sports fans, football fans in particular and those who watched Super BowlXXXIX, but something spectacular happened in about less than 2 minutes to go before the end of the game.

Here we have New England and Philadelphia sparring back and forth and New England seemingly getting the better of Philly when all of a sudden the Eagles Quarterback, Donovan McNabb rares back and flings a pass deep into the end zone and whamo bamo, the most expensive pass in Super Bowl or any football betting history occurs!

WhatinthehelldoImean???

Well, if you don't know anything about sports betting...let me tell you...

The New England Patriots came out as a 7 point favorite to beat the Philadelphia Eagles for Super Bowl XXXIX and up to the point of the super duper pass I described above, they were doing as predicted and all was well in the bookie joints and Casino's of the world and especially Las Vegas! Something like over 80 million dollars of "legal" betting was made in Las Vegas and not considering all the "illegal" betting made in the U.S. and off-shore places it ranks up there as the most expensive Super Bowl of all times....

That pass I described cut the difference between the score to 3 points..........not the 7 points required to make the bookies and casinos richer and richer!!!

That "most expensive pass in Super Bowl history" caused not only the "little" people to make money; but yours truly as well! You see, I watch Lem Banker on KLAS-TV, the CBS affiliate here in Las Vegas:http://lembanker.com

I enjoy listening to Lem's corny joke at the end of his predictions on sporting events and watch him in his "usual" Raiders jersey or T-shirt feeding his dog "Checkers" some treats.....He's made me a lot of money on college and Pro-football!!!

Thanks Lem Banker, I owe you.........a lot! lol

 

[cocktales]

Often when nothing of vital importance is evident, I have to fill in with informative facts....ones to help us know more about our bodies.

Hopefully, this will help you understand your "family jewels" even better!

http://www.scrotalsafetycommission.com/

 

[cocktales]

Did you hear about the two girls who baked cookies for friends and neighbors in Colorado and got fined for doing it?

A Colorado judge ordered two teen-age girls to pay about $900 for the distress a neighbor said they caused by giving her home-made cookies adorned with paper hearts.

The pair were ordered to pay $871.70 plus $39 in court costs after neighbor Wanita Renea Young, 49, filed a lawsuit complaining that the unsolicited cookies, left at her house after the girls knocked on her door, had triggered an anxiety attack that sent her to the hospital the next day.

Taylor Ostergaard, then 17, and Lindsey Jo Zellitte, 18, paid the judgment on Thursday after a small claims court ruling by La Plata County Court Judge Doug Walker, a court clerk said on Friday.

The girls baked cookies as a surprise for several of their rural Colorado neighbors on July 31 and dropped off small batches on their porches, accompanied by red or pink paper hearts and the message: "Have a great night."

The Denver Post newspaper reported on Friday that the girls had decided to stay home and bake the cookies rather than go to a dance where there might be cursing and drinking.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3024575

 

[cocktales]

Link: http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/02/10/charles.camilla/

Charles said the marriage will be a civil ceremony, not a Church of England service. Prince Charles and his longtime partner, Camilla Parker Bowles, will be married on April 8, his office said today.

LONDON -- Prince Charles announced Thursday that he will marry longtime lover Camilla Parker Bowles, putting an official seal on a three-decade romance that Princess Diana blamed for the breakdown of her tempestuous marriage to the heir to the throne. Diana said, "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded," Diana said in a 1995 TV interview.

 

[cocktales]

The former presidential candidate said he'll harness the enthusiasm of the young and the "young at heart."

He said Democrats "are a party of the future, while Republicans are the party of the past."

Dean promised to work closely with top congressional leaders and Democrats on all levels.

He also jokingly said he's "trying to be restrained" in his new role. (Yeah, right!)

But there's a lot more to Dean than that one awful moment in Iowa, and the real story is rich and complicated.

Dean surprised Washington insiders showing that he had a great deal of early support among state party chairs. These people are not diehard lefties or fools. They want to win.

Dean, true to his reputation as an organizer, relentlessly worked the phones and ended up impressing many party leaders who hadn't really known him but who share his perspective that the party must be rebuilt on the kind of grass-roots energy Dean showed while his presidential star was rising.

Also, Dean really didn't have serious competition. Two kinds of people typically become Democratic Party chairs -- tactical operatives and money men. The successful ones bridge both worlds and also bridge the party's liberal base and its business centrists.

Dean is not without flaws. There are several ways that Dean could get himself into difficulty. First, a party chairman is rarely the party's public face (can you name the Republican chairman?) Dean is not exactly self-effacing, and if he tries to promote his own persona, he will amass enemies. He will also need to thread his way among the presidential contenders.

While Dean is a great organizer, he is not famous for being well organized. An effective party chairman is mainly expert at the political mechanics of party building. Many hope that Dean will select a strong "chief operating officer" to complement his own skills of inspiring and energizing volunteers. Some think Ickes, who surprised a lot of insiders by endorsing Dean, will play a major role.

Dean is also up against a formidable and unified Republican Party machine while the Democratic domain is fragmented. Often, Democrats are divided along interest group or ideological lines. This time there is a new twist. Besides the official party that Dean expects to lead, the so-called 527 organizations are there.

The contrast with the unified Republican machinery is striking, where, as some obscure German didn't say, there is ein Bush, ein Rove, and ein party.

The only way Democrats can compete with this is by energizing activists and building their party. It's a more selfless job than running for president. Let's see what Dean can do.

 

[cocktales]

What a beautiful day for lovers! lol

Ron and I went to a real nice restaurant, over-indulged in great food, with dessert of course and then came home.

I awoke this A.M. with some beautiful red roses and a great Hallmark card, one that makes you cry from it being so great! lol

I had already pre-determined some flowers and card for him too that came later in the day....delivered. It surprised him too!

What a wonderful day! Not because of it being Feb.14; but for being with a man I love with all my heart and soul.........he's my life!!

I say thanks for Ron every day and wonder why I was chosen to be so happy? I relish the day he walked into my life and try to show him just how much I love him every single day........not just Valentines!!!

I am such an emotional slob!!! lol

sigh!!!

 

[cocktales]

.....Hey my title sounds like the Priests, Reverends and all the like are Gay and come out, lol, not so.......what I meant to say was they all favor Gay Marriage and said so in unison!!!

(New York City) Fifty-six clergy from across New York state representing a broad range of denominations took advantage of Valentine’s Day Monday to issue an open letter supporting same-sex marriage.

The letter says that gay and lesbian couples should have access to civil marriage and the legal rights and protections that come with it.

Signers of the letter said that marriage for same-sex couples as a religious rite was a decision for denominations to make on their own, but were clear in stating their belief that government should not be withholding the legal rights and protections of marriage from same-sex couples that it provides to other families.

“To deny those rights is to engage in discrimination”,� the letter states. “Discrimination is immoral.”

The fifty-six clergy were from faith communities that include American Baptist, Episcopal, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Jewish (Reform), United Methodist Church, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, Buddhist, Metropolitan Community Church, and Unitarian Universalist.
http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/02/021405nyClergy.htm

I agree with that. Of course gay couples should have civil marriage, with all the benefits and rights of marriage. I also agree that religious denominations should continue to control their destiny. That means that they should have the right to deny anyone a marriage in their church. I have seen many of them do this for straight couples. I will probably get some heat for that opinion, but it’s very consistent with the principles upon which this country was founded. And, it’s consistent with the separation of church and state.

Religion in this country wants to claim marriage as it’s own. The fact is, religious marriage and civil marriage have been separate for quite some time, ever since the state and the federal government started bestowing rights and privileges to the institution of marriage. Once that happened, it also became a civil institution. As such, all citizens should be allowed to enter into civil marriage.

Let's face it. Gay men and women are second class citizens, at least in America!

Check out the status of Gay Marriages in the States:

 

[cocktales]

Anyone else love the Westminster Dog Show???

http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/

The Westminster Kennel Club is America's oldest organization dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs.

Established in 1877, Westminster's influence has been felt for more than a century through its famous all breed, benched dog show held every year at New York's Madison Square Garden.

The show is America's second longest continuously held sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby.

Westminster: There's Only One!!!

Best In Show: