Private Organizations and Companies Have The Right To Believe What They Want and I Have The Right To Disassociate From Them

I Love The Way This Oreo Looks!!

Hey everybody in Bloggoland. I haven't blogged in a long time and for that I am sorry, but rest assured that I have been thinking of just what to blog about and trust me this blog is going to be nice.

Unless you have lived under a rock for so many years you may have heard that the Boy Scouts of America has a long standing ban on homosexuals as scouts and scout leaders. If you follow the news then you have heard of scouts who have been scouting since they were little kids to the point of reaching the high ranks only to have it swept out from under them because they are homosexual. Also recently a Boy Scout den mother was banned because she's a lesbian. There has been outrage and even a lawsuit or two; one even reaching the Supreme Court where it was decided that because BSofA is a private organization they can admit or deny membership to whoever they want. Recently, BSofA had the powers that be announce that after "careful" consideration, they decided that their ban on homosexuals will not change. As for what I think of it all? I think that homosexuals should be allowed to participate in scouting. I feel that the board that decided that they would continue to feed into discrimination is only making it so people will associate scouting with discrimination and that's the sad commentary about it. I remember when my brother was a boy scout and from what I can remember, they taught pride and acceptance of all, but little did we know that there was fine print involved. As my title says, BSofA can ban homosexuals all they want because they are a private organization. However, if I have a son, I doubt that I will allow him to be a boy scout as long as this policy is in place. Where is the harm in homosexuals being involved in Boy Scouts. Do the powers that be have an antiquated notion that homosexuality can be harmful to children. It has been proven time and time again that children of same sex couples do no worse or better than children with heterosexual parents raising them. Also with pedophiles the majority of them are heterosexual, so before anyone even thinks about that just stop it. Seriously. Also if a boy scout came to my door selling popcorn, I would have to decline because I can't give money to an organization that talks of belonging and treating others with respect only to say "If you're gay, stay away". I just can't get down with that. Which brings me to my next topic: Chick-fil-A.

A few years ago, my aunt told me in conversation that we should boycott Chick-fil-A because of their stance on homosexuality and same sex marriage. At the time I took it with a grain of salt because a) I love their food and b) their lemonade and peach milkshake rocks my world. I knew that Chick-fil-A was a bit on the "heavily religious" side because they don't open on Sundays (ANYWHERE!!!) and even their kids books have a touch of Christianity to them (not an issue: I'm Baptists and so are my kids). But when I read what their President had to say about same sex marriage and families, I knew enough was enough. It's not enough that they don't support same sex marriage, but for him to say the only family they recognized was the "biblical" definition of family, it kind of pissed me off. My parents divorced when I was 8 or 9 years old and my mother raised me and my brother. We were and are a family. We had an extended family that did and continues to keep us together. We were raised to believe in Christ and the Bible, but to treat ALL people with respect. Does that make us less of anything Mr. Chick-fil-A president? I guess as long as we're spending our money gay or straight but not raised in the "family" way then it doesn't matter as long as your are spending, but once you leave then we will continue to think less of you, yeah not having it. So I resolved that the only way I would spend money in Chick-fil-A again is a)I have to be starving to the point that if I do not eat food, I could possibly die b) I would have to be tied down and force fed the food (which I would fight until I passed out from hunger or c) They change their position and stop funding these right wing nut jobs.

Well I got that off my chest. I know some of you will be like "if you boycott those two, what about the others". Hey as they come across my desk and my research I may have to boycott them as well. As of now Target is on my radar but they are recognizing that their past contributions are not good and are trying to make things right, but if I have to let them go to, I'm willing to do that. Well there you have it. I'll try to blog more often but with two little ones running around a girl can get a bit busy. Until next time.....

Same-Sex Marriage: Is It Really Our Business?

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Hello everyone out there in blog land. I just wanted to stop by and rant for a few moments if I could. Well first of all I got married on Saturday!! However, that's another blog for another time so bear with me. As you may know, same-sex marriage has been getting alot of coverage and momentum in the past few years. In fact you may recall that only a few months ago, New York, allowed same-sex marriage. Well of course the political bible thumping zealots out there are up in arms. My favorite claim among them is that "we are protecting marriage!" Protecting it from what? I am confident that my marriage is sound as a pound baby. We have love here and I know that's what same-sex couples have. I have friends and family who are homosexual and are in long term relationships with their partners and couldn't be happier. In fact sometimes they are happier in their relationships than their hetero counterparts. In North Carolina, the law on the books now, forbids same-sex marriages. Now they want to put it in the state's constitution to define marriage as a union of one man and one woman (eye roll). To me not only is it redundant, it's hateful. It's discriminatory. What's to say that somewhere down the line, North Carolina doesn't start back with segregation saying "Hey you multi-racial couples! We aren't going to recognize your marriage either!"
In my opinion and yes it is my opinion. It don't cost to think so I do...It's none of our damn business who marries who and who sleeps with who. I don't care! Their lives are in no way interfering with mine. They are happy. I am happy. Like I said you don't mess with my money or my family and same-sex marriage is not messing with my family. Hell it could happen in my family.
Another point I want to bring across is that when the anti-homosexual jerks had their rally today, I noticed that a majority of the ones calling for this amendment are black! Yes African-Americans. The same African-Americans who at one time were told that they could not marry outside their race. Hell we were told one time that we couldn't marry anyone anywhere. How about those apples. It's sad because some of these people are friends of mine and my family, but it breaks my heart that they can be so hateful and callous. Before you state, "Afton you're not exactly playing nice" I know my words are harsh and I do respect that they have their opinions. That's what makes this country so freakin' great. The ability to voice opinions. I just think that we need to pay attention to what's really going on in the world like unemployment, foreign relations, domestic issues (that don't have to do with what grown people are doing in their own houses), and the elimination of programs designed to help children.
I can hear the Helen Lovejoys of the world yelling "Won't someone please think about the children?" There are those who believe that homosexual relationships warp children. That is crazy! There are plenty of children of heterosexuals who are really f-ed up. I just believe in everyone being treated the same. What makes me superior to someone who is homosexual? We both bleed. We both feel. We both love. My grandmother said that if it is a sin, their day will come and it will come for everyone because we all sin and our sins are no greater than anyone elses. However while we are here on this earth, let people live and do what they feel is right. I agree 100%. The people who are playing God and judging will go to the same hell as the ones they are condemning if it is meant to be so.
In closing, do what you feel and keep both feet on the wheel. To me life is too short to worry about what consenting adults do in their own homes and lives. It's not interfering with my life so salud!
P.S. The pic is Julio and Grady on the Simpsons getting married by Homer. The episode is "There's Something About Marrying" It's the one when Patty comes out and it's one of my favorite episodes.

Keeping it real with a touch of crazy