Dear One Million Moms

Dear One Million Moms:

I am extremely disappointed to learn that One Million Moms has chosen to practice convenient truth in regards to their "campaign" against Angie's List. Shouldn't every American be free to work and live according to their belief system without an organization such as yourself allegedly fear-mongering and misrepresenting the truth?

Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act is NOT exactly the same law that is already in place and working just fine in 19 other states.In fact, a bit of research on your part would have informed you of the differences between Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the other acts that are already in place in 19 other states.

And, its language is NOT identical in all fundamental respects to the 1993 federal RFRA signed into law by President Bill Clinton after it passed the House unanimously and the Senate 97-3.

Because your company opposes operates without revealing the full truth to further your belief system, I will be using Angie's List in the future, and make a concerted effort to have others use this service as well. After all, a company standing up for equal treatment under the law for ALL citizens of the United States is an admirable company, and the more money they earn based on this position is the American Way after all.

Thanks so much!

The Management!!

Dear One Million (well, not really, they can't count) Moms

The first thing that amazes me about you is the name of your organization: One Million Moms! That's a falsehood right from the start. You might want to consider a more accurate title for your organization. 

Second - your main goal seems to be to call out organizations that don't gel with your belief system, as if your belief system is the only correct belief system on this planet.

I hate to break it to you: One Million Moms does not have exclusivity to a singular belief system for the planet.

Third - you outright lied on your site in regards to the recent legislation passed in IN. You stated "The Indiana law is identical in all fundamental respects to the 1993 federal RFRA signed into law by President Bill Clinton after it passed the U.S. House unanimously and the Senate 97-3".

If you had bothered to actually do some research, you would have known that the Indiana law has some marked differences from the 1993 Federal (the word is capitalized, btw) RFRA signed into law. You can do some Googling on your own and discover this for yourself and . . . delete the lie from your site. I mean, you hold everyone else to these high expectations you've established for your organization, so one would think you would adhere to those same standards. It will be quite interesting to see if you do.

If you don't . . . a suggested word of the day might be "hypocrite", but that's only a suggestion. I always find a word of the day helpful in building my vocabulary.

I also take issue with the fact that you think Jesus could not have been black. Have you met him? Were you around back in the day? Or, are you basing your opinion on the representations passed down by a white society that oppressed all other races? If so, you might want to read the Bible where it actually gives a description of a Jesus . . . who is not lily white with straight hair. Just a thought.

Another thing you're obviously not aware of . . . the Bible does not say "thou shall discriminate". Jesus ate with prisoners and prostitutes and lepers. He didn't judge. You might want to try following his example. Your lives - the few number of you in the organization - might be enriched.

If you treat people less than how you are expect to be treated . . . that's wrong.

As much as I personally dislike your views and your, in my opinion, narrow minded belief system, if I met you on the street I would treat you with respect and courtesy. I would hope that you never have to face the hate and discrimination and bigotry that people within the LGBT community face on a daily basis. I would hope that you are not fired for the way you were born, the way God made you. I would hope you are not abandoned by your family because of the way you were born.

You have obviously led a privileged life where you cannot understand discrimination in its rawest form. You can't understand how hateful and hurtful your words and disrespect are to a group of people that have had to fear for their lives in some instances . . .because of the way they were born.

Angie's List, no more so than anybody else, is anti-Christian, nor are they bigots, nor are any of the other people speaking out against the intolerance of the law IN just passed. They are compassionate human beings who believe that all people deserve equal treatment under the law. Can you say the same thing about yourselves? 

Well, no, you can't . . . because your words indicate a decided lack of compassion on your part. 

It's sad that an organization like yours exists in the first place. It's sad that your goal in life is to claim superiority over other people.

BTW - I used the link on your site to email Angie's list and applaud them for their efforts. I also encouraged all my friends and family to do the same. So, your site actually served a better purpose than you probably intended.

And, again, I hope you have a better life than the one you've wished upon and are supporting for the members of the LGBT community.

S

Religious Freedom

With the recent passage of Indiana's "Religious Freedom" bill . . . it seems as if the world has gone INSANE!

My thoughts on this are simple: religious freedom does not give anybody the right to discriminate.

The Bible does not state "thou shall discriminate"!

When people argue their religious convictions in order to discriminate, in my personal opinion, they are using the terms "religious convictions" and "religious freedoms" to excuse their bigotry.

It's that simple. No length explanations or excuses are needed.

These are the same people who won't answer the question "what would Jesus do?" because they know . . . he wouldn't be doing what they're doing: discriminating based on their own personal biases.

So, when someone complains that their religious freedoms are being infringed upon by having to serve members of the LGBT community . . .

That's a lie they are using to condone their own bigotry.

The lovely (and I use that term in the most sarcastic way possible) Governor of IN could not answer a simple yes/no question on This Week with George Stephanopolus: click here http://goo.gl/v5opHu for a good article about that interview.

After repeatedly trying to get an answer, George posed this question:

“So when you say tolerance is a two way street, does that mean that Christians who want to refuse service … to gays and lesbians, that it’s now legal in the state of Indiana? That’s the simple yes-or-no question.”

And, again, Governor Pence refused to answer!

Governor Pence continues to try to justify the bill he signed into law, continually saying it has nothing to do with discrimination . . . and yet now feels the need to clarify that law. If discrimination wasn't involved in the crafting of the law, then why should clarification be needed.

The fact is, neither the Governor or the IN government members voting this law into existence, counted on the backlash IN has received, and continues to receive.

The fact is, if the law wasn't about discrimination, why were these three people included to witness the private signing: Micah Clark, Curt Smith and Eric Miller.

In order of appearance . . . 

Micah Clark . . . believes "homosexuality is a treatable disorder".

Curt Smith . . . equates "homosexuality with bestiality and adultery".

Eric Miller . . . "distributed a fear flier falsely claiming that pastors could be jailed for preaching against homosexuality".

Click on this link http://goo.gl/BhVzpi for more on these three.

The people you surround yourself with, Governor Pence, show a lot about you as a person! Just sayin' . . .

So, while people will use the terms "religious convictions" and "religious freedoms" as a way of justifying their discrimination, please remember that the Bible does not justify discrimination.

S

Dear Pam Bondi

Dear Pam Bondi

I understand it took a bit, but . . . you're finally on the right side of history. Congratulations. I know it was a long battle for you, (allegedly) standing up for the beliefs of your political party, versus the best interests of citizens of Florida. I know it took an amazing amount of court losses - shouldn't you, as the Attorney General for FL be able to win a case or two? You might not want these losses on your resume - for you to realize that you were fighting a losing battle. 

I know this victory for the gay citizens of FL is actually a bitter defeat for you. I'm sorry that you feel that way. I'm sorry that your compassion and best interests for the citizens of FL only extends to the narrow-minded and heterosexual citizens of FL. I'm sorry that you feel that only heterosexual citizens of FL deserve equal protection under the law.

Perhaps, with that attitude, you might want to consider a career change. I mean, after all, isn't the well-being of every citizen of FL part of your job description? Is there some fine print in your contract that states you only defend the rights of heterosexual citizens of FL? Is there some more fine print that says you personally get to pick and choose that only certain citizens of FL deserve equal protection under the law? 

If not, it sure seems that way.

Okay, I know that, in order to get elected (allegedly) you had to maintain your stance against same sex marriage. I get it. Had you shown support - the morally correct option - for same-sex marriage, there was a good chance you would not get re-elected. It's quite obvious, at least to me, that your career trumps doing the right thing. It's okay, many Republicans are just like you. In fact, they no longer refer to the GOP as the Grand Old Party. It's now the Gay Oppression Party, and your actions are one of the reasons that new name applies.

But, all of that aside, SCOTUS smacking you down, as other courts have time and time and time and time and (well, this would be a really long post if I listed every time a court smacked you down) time again was the ultimate moment when you did what was actually right. Okay, your hand was forced and you probably really, really, really did not want to do it, but . . . you did.

I applaud, though only very softly, your courage - for yes, it took courage for you to finally do, at least in my mind, the right thing - to say you would no longer fight against same-sex marriage.

Here is my hope for you, Ms. Bondi: that you never have to experience what you put same-sex couples through. May you not have your fate decided by one person. May you not have to fight and fight and fight for what you know is right, only to have one single person fight against you and say "you don't deserve equal protection under the law". May you not have one person's actions tell you that your love is not right or normal. May you not have to have your hopes dashed again and again and again . . . by one single person. 

You see, Ms. Bondi, even though you're a woman, you don't have a clue what it's like to be told, by people like you, that you don't matter. You don't know what it's like, after being with someone for 20 years, to be told "oh, I don't believe you should be able to marry". You don't know what it's like to have people - twice, three times, four times and more divorced - like you, spout off about traditional marriage. Traditional marriage is about life-long commitment. But, people like you, don't get that . . . but still, my hope for you, is that you don't have to experience such things.

My ultimate hope for you, Ms. Bondi, is that one day, you'll be able to treat people how you expect to be treated, because, I certainly hope you don't expect to be treated with disrespect, or to be told you don't matter.

For that, Ms. Bondi, is how you have treated the gay community of FL!

Scottford

All Lives Matter

The most current trend, in the wake of the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, is to protest with signs that read: Black Lives Matter!

This is offensive because . . . 

. . . All Lives Matter!

Day after day, across this country, people of all colors all killed. Day after Day! Each of those lives mattered, but, according to the current protesters . . . only Black Lives Matter!

In New York City, two policemen were brutally murdered by a black man . . . in response to the death of Michael Brown. Their lives mattered just as much as every other person who has been the victim of a violent death. Their lives do not matter less than Michael Brown or Eric Garner or Trayvon Martin or anyone else senselessly killed.

ALL 

LIVES

MATTER

The fact that the people - some of them only, in my opinion, out for their 15 minutes of fame - don't get the fact that All Lives Matter is absolutely amazing. 

Where are these same people when a white man, an Asian woman, a Latino person are violently gunned down by somebody? Why aren't they protesting those deaths? Why aren't they protesting the brutal murders of the two NYC police offers? 

The fact is . . .

ALL

LIVES

MATTER

. . . and the country should be protesting ALL LIVES lost, and not just the black lives lost.

Yes, what happened to Michael Brown and Eric Garner is wrong. Their lives mattered! There should be outrage, but . . .

. . . that same outrage should apply to every individual killed by an act of violence.

To say that all those other lives - which the actions of the protesters chanting, hash-tagging Black Lives Matter seem to indicate - shows a remarkable lack of compassion and humanity on the parts of the protesters!

So, perhaps all these protesters need to scratch out "Black" and hold up signs, chant and hash-tag that "Lives Matter". Perhaps then, just maybe, your protests will have a little bit more meaning to them.

Just my thoughts!!! 

Negative Comments

The ability to comment freely, and anonymously, on the Internet has given rise to . . .

. . . I'm not quite sure what, but, it appears to be bullying.

Recently, Renee Zellweger appeared at some event looking remarkably different. Now, all the news outlets are posting a picture of her from about 15 years ago alongside the current picture of her.

HELLO! Of course somebody is going to change in appearance from 15 years ago. Not to mention . . . the lighting is different, the angle is different, she's lost weight, she's smiling differently . . . and so many other things. So . . .

HELOO! Of course she looks different.

But, alas, that's not the point of this post. The point is the negative - she looks horrible, she's Jennifer Grey 2.0, why has she let herself go - comments.

Why do people feel the need to toss negative comments out? Why do they feel the Internet gives them free reign to be hateful/negative towards people . . . they don't even know? 

So Renee looks different. She's healthy. She's happy. That's should be the beginning, middle and end of the story, except . . .

. . . the people who just feel the need to disparage people they don't know.

Hopefully, Renee doesn't read the comments. She's heard about them, though, and her response . . . I'm happy and healthy. Good for her.

So, my comment to people that feel the need to be so hateful/negative towards people you don't know: get a life. Look in your own mirror and tell yourself . . .

OMG, I look hideous!

I look horrible!

Plastic surgery gone bad!

I'm Jennifer Grey 2.0!

Or, better yet, post a picture of yourself and let others post negative and hateful comments about that picture and . . .

. . . see how you feel! 

Silence is golden and . . .

. . . if you can't comment something nice, why not try not commenting at all. The world might just be a better place.

Dear Ted Cruz

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time finding compassion toward your fellow men/women. I'm sorry you feel it's okay to deny equal protection under the law - as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America - to citizens of the United States of America. I'm sorry you feel that only select citizens - i.e., the heterosexual ones - deserve equal protection under the law. I'm sorry that hatred of others seems a constant part of your life. 

As for me, I believe that all people should be treated with respect and consideration - something you seem incapable of doing, as evidenced by all your spotlight appearances on television - and not just a select few. I do not believe - again, unlike you - that people should be allowed to vote on constitutional - state or otherwise - amendments that openly discriminate toward one section of the population. I do not believe that being male and heterosexual makes you, or people like you (and this applies to your female counterparts) any better than the next person. To believe that it does make you better than somebody else is an elitist - you might want to look that word up since you obviously don't understand the meaning - attitude that has no place in politics or society.

Speaking of politics, I'm sorry you've sold your soul and sacrificed parts of yourself to be a Republican. It's a shame that your are obviously unable to think for yourself. It's a shame that, rather than treat people with respect and dignity, you'd rather demean and debase yourself to get votes. I guess that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy at the end of the day. But, like other politicians, it's part and parcel of the job. 

I'm sorry you've lost your way in this world and feel it's necessary to inflict your hate and prejudice on other people. 

I know my words can't make you understand how little of Christianity or human kindness you've failed to understand. I know my words will have no impact at all upon you. But, that's okay . . . I'll still pray for you. I'll still hope - because, unlike you, I look for the best in people - that maybe, one day you'll be able to step away from your hate and bigotry, your disrespect for those within the gay community, and understand that you should treat people how you want to be treated . . . with respect and consideration, with human kindness, and with love and acceptance. None of us were born, or will ever be, perfect, Mr. Cruz. We're human. We have human failings. But the greatest gift we humans have, whether heterosexual or homosexual, is the capacity to treat others as we want to be treated. Maybe one day you'll learn that lesson. Until that time, I'll add you into my prayers and pray that day comes sooner for you, rather than later.

Best wishes, Mr. Cruz, in all you do!