Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Depressing Weather and The Supreme Court

The weather has been very depressing here. It has rained every night and many days. The days it does not rain, it is overcast and cool. it is a long weekend coming up but it looks like it will be spent indoors!

Norma has been doing a little work in her flower beds as we seem to have the deer problem licked. They have not penetrated the fence since I staked down the bottom wire. We are quite pleased with ourselves.

We have been spending our time watching more TV than we usually do and I have been riveted by the goings on in the USA, particularly the recent Supreme Court decisions as they relate to Human Rights.

Two of these decisions, striking down key provisions of the Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the somewhat complicated process of deciding the disposition of Prop 8 ("Prop Hate") in California brought great joy to the LBGT community and their supporters. They were very satisfying wins that will make it much easier for all couples in the USA to marry and to begin enjoying the same benefits as every other married couple. Equal = Equal!

The third decision, the overthrow of the key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was very disappointing. Voter protection was struck down under the misguided notion that it is no longer needed. This in the time of the worst voter suppression since the 6o's! As Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is reported to have said, "It is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not wet".

4 comments:

  1. Well said. The conservative justices seem hell bent on doing away with civil rights.

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  2. I just hope the gays are okay with their taxes going up. In the US 2 people who make a similar income get taxed at a higher rate if they are married than if they are single.

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    1. The "Law of Unintended Consequences". ;) I think they will be fine with that, considering what they gain. Besides, they can avoid it by simply not getting married.

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  3. Yep, that darned ol' law bites a lot of us.

    I'm glad this country is finally moving toward true equality for all. Now if we could just get rid of those stupid things like affirmative action.

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