August 04, 2004
Debacle
There he is... eating corn... in my old stomping grounds. Yes, the President and Senator Kerry were both in Davenport, Iowa today... one of the four Quad Cities that raised and reared me through those turbulent years between third grade and my senior year of college. Best part: the Davenport police and the Iowa State Patrol were stretched so thin with Bush and Kerry in town on the same day that three Davenport banks were robbed... Typical, Quad Cities, typical. With an environment like that to grow up in, is it any wonder why I managed to walk into a glass door today?
And now for two separate commentaries on portions making up 1/50th of this country...
1. Screw you, Missouri: Screw you AND your state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. I'm glad now more than ever that I decided not to pursue that job at Sigma-Aldrich past the first interview. I mean, Saint Louis is a fine city and all... but it's in Missouri... and Missouri hates fags.
2. But my own State of Washington may not: Maybe... The Evergreen State is full of gay-friendly areas (Seattle first among many, of course)... and The Economist, to paraphrase, labelled Washington the state the least likely to fall to evangelical pressures from the religious right. (Hell, there's a reason businesses are open Sunday... no one's at church.) Sure, we have a state Defense of Marriage Act on file defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman... Oh wait... Or do we? Yes, a King County judge has struck down Washington's DOMA, and now the decision moves up the State Supreme Court. If the state high court upholds the decision, I see two possibilities: gay marriage or a state constitutional amendment.
I hear Washingtonians love to amend the state constitution... but only when it comes to budgetary and logistical matters. Here's hoping they keep that document out of my bed. It's only a full size, and Z steals the covers. We can't accomodate a third entity at this time.
But, as a whole, goooo Washington! I've chosen a quality home.
Posted by James at August 4, 2004 10:03 PMYou didn't offend me. I ranted on my home state too, it is a slap in the face. Whether people disagree/ agree with gay marriage is a personal issue, but writing discrimination into the state consitution.. that was a definite slap in the face.
Posted by: rob at August 8, 2004 05:30 PMFair enough, Rob. I apologize if I offended you or any other Missourians out there. For what it's worth, it is indeed a quality state that I visit often (I've family and friends in the Columbia and Saint Louis areas).
I still take the overwhelming vote (approx. 75% majority) as a personal slap in the face. I think it's a shame, since in many other ways it's a region I'd feel perfectly happy in (especially if those summers were a little cooler) - but, for now, I'd have some reservations about moving there. For now.
Hey there stud, i know you are upset about the MO thing... but some of us actually do live here and 25% of us dont hate "fags". I know its upsetting but this is home to some of us... as much as it is depressing, its home. I did however vote to not ban gay marriage.
Posted by: rob at August 8, 2004 12:26 AMZ steals the covers, too? This is what we get for sleeping with men, James. Just remember, as soon as it's legal for you to get hitched, people will start asking that question you've been able to avoid: When are you getting married?
Posted by: Richard at August 5, 2004 06:47 AMYou seem to walk into that glass door a lot.
Posted by: sam at August 4, 2004 11:05 PM