I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine.

I feel that an apology is necessary.

To anyone I have ever known who is or was a vegetarian, and who I may have mocked, derided, or belittled, I am sorry.  It was a mockery born of ignorance and intolerance, and one which I am genuinely remorseful for.  This apology has been a long time coming, it has been years since I recognized the error of my ways and determined that not only were the dietary habits of others something that was none of my business, but the choice to intentionally reduce the amount of death and suffering you levy against other living creatures is an admirable trait.  So again, I am sorry.

I was reminded of this long overdue apology because I have recently made the decision to alter my diet in the direction of vegetarianism.  First stop: Pescetarian.

The transition has not been easy.  It hasn't even been two full weeks and there are times when I see someone else eating some chicken or beef and it's all I can do not to snatch it from their plate and devour it in one giant carnivorous bite.  I imagine (hope hope hope) I will eventually get to the point where that is no longer a major issue because I don't know if I have enough will power to resist that kind of impulse for the rest of my life.

The first question anyone asks when learning of my new eating habits is "why?" so I may as well try to get it in writing.  I find that I can no longer morally justify the death of other living creatures in order to satiate my personal dietary whims.  I am of the opine that if I can find the appropriate sustenance from plants that have no capacity for pain or suffering then that is preferable to sustaining myself with the death of creatures that can suffer.

The question that follows is generally why I will still eat the fishies.  As I mentioned early in the blog I do have an end-goal of vegetarianism in mind, so I hope to eventually exempt fish from my plates.  I am keeping fish because the last few times I tried to go vegetarian and eliminated all meat straight away it didn't last, and I think it was partly just too big a transition.  Being a pescetarian will allow me to ease my way into the lifestyle, and get my digestive system more accustomed to the reduced meat and increased plant life it is seeing.  Additionally, fish are less cognitively capable of experiencing pain and suffering, which is my primary guidance in the switch to vegetarianism.  (Were scientists able to reach a consensus and determine that fish do not experience pain in any negative way other than 'pressure there probably means I'm getting eaten by a bigger fish...swim awayyyyy' I could conceivably stick with pescetarianism forever).  There obviously has to be some manner of cutoff where I decide it is acceptable for something to die for me to live, so I believe it is something of a moral balancing act.

I've also faced the "Will you ever go vegan?" question a few times, and I cannot answer that one, because I really don't know.  I can, however, answer that if I ever (seriously) declare moral superiority over those who have chosen to continue eating meat I would like someone to punch me.  Maybe kick me a little as well.  I think vegetarianism is a gray moral area, and therefore cannot assume that my personal interpretation of the situation is intrinsically more valid than anyone else, but I would be more than glad to have a discussion about it with others.  (I have discovered it is somewhat difficult to properly express via text conversations, so an in person conversation would probably be easier...but I'll gladly discuss over IM too).

To being an "Us" for once, instead of a "Them." La vie Boheme.

Fucking Californians.

I have long felt that California was a bastion of liberal and progressive thought in a morally stagnant country.  It's more than just the shining beacon of Blue lining the west coast I see every election period (although that helps), but also the fact that California exudes such an air of progressive thought that my own family doesn't want me to live there for fear I'll forever be one of those bleeding heart liberals (I seriously wish that I was joking about that...).  I was not surprised when California decided to join a very small subset of states in the 21st century by affording marital rights to all citizens, and stop discriminating against their fellow humans based on outdated and immoral beliefs about sexual orientation.

And then they passed Proposition 8 with a 52% majority.  This means that 52% of voting Californians are small minded bigots.  They have chosen to use their civil right to vote to attempt to stifle the rights of their fellow (wo)man just because what those people choose to do in the privacy of their home grosses them out.  That's all there is to it, because there are no logical or moral reasons that can be used to justify their decision.  There are a lot of bullshit excuses that people will respond with because they don't want to believe that they are bigots, but their reasons will not stand up to any scrutiny, because bigots they are.

The most often repeated claim is that gay marriage is going to destroy the sanctity of marriage.  Never mind the fact that 50% of all heterosexual marriages in the United States end in divorce (quite the sanctimonious institution...), there is no reason to believe that a homosexual couple's marriage would be any less important to those involved than a heterosexual one.  Because honestly, a marriage does not affect anyone outside of the immediate family of those involved.  If the two gay men who have lived down the street from you for the last three years are suddenly husband and husband your life does not change.  And if you are married then your marriage is no less significant, because there is no intrinsic significance to marriage.  I personally think marriage is an outdated institution that only exists because people are slaves to tradition, but that doesn't mean that other people can't find meaning and hope in their marriages.  It means what you want it to mean, and if you think it means less because 'those queers' are doing it too then you're ignorant and hateful.  (People who opposed interracial marriages 60s thought they were preserving the sanctity of marriage too).

Religion is the next recourse of the intolerant.  The Bible says no homo, therefore if we allow it we are going down the path of moral bankruptcy and soon God will smite our country for our heathen ways.  And you know what, if you really want to cling to your bigotry because a two thousand year old book tells you to, I guess that's all well and good, but it's about time you stopped with the double standards.  The Bible wants you to keep slaves, murder your adulterous wife, murder people of other religions, not eat pork, and I'm sure with a few more minutes research I could find a half dozen more 'moral guidelines' from the Bible that nobody actually follows anymore because they recognize that they are immoral.  So if you want to discriminate against homosexuals because your god(s) told you so, I expect I will be reading about your arrest in the news after your killing spree (and that your last meal won't be pork chops).

After being backed into a corner on the two primary points the next recourse is an appeal to naturalism.  Homosexuality is not natural, so we should not be supporting it!  Unfortunately, this argument is a fallacy.  Not only is an appeal to nature fallacious, homosexuality is a natural occurring behavior.  We see it throughout the animal kingdom.  

So please stop the ignorance.  Stop imposing your beliefs on other people just because you're disgusted by the way that they get down, as it has no impact on you.  Because you don't like it is not a valid reason to violate another person's rights.  I personally don't like cilantro.  In fact I absolutely hate the taste of it.  Yet people would think me daft if I made a serious effort to forbid cilantro eaters from getting married, or outlaw eating it period!  What right would I have to impose such a ridiculous belief on other people?  It's none of my business if people are putting cilantro in their salsa in the privacy of their homes.  

Which is exactly my point.  A person's sexual preferences are no more your business than their dietary habits, and until the majority of Americans can understand this simple concept we will continue to vote in favor of hatred and intolerance.

Otherwise it is merely wires and lights in a box. Good night, and good luck.

President Barack Obama.

I still get excited just thinking about it.  However, as with any election, there are people whose enthusiasm for the new leader is not quite as high as mine.  In fact, based on the facebook statuses and blog comments and stories I've heard, there are actually some people who are genuinely upset about the Tuesdays results.  (Nearly incomprehensible I know, but bear with me).

Because very few of those who have such feelings of animosity and outrage at our soon to be Commander in Chief will read this (I'm guessing...0 people), I instead write this blog as a service to those of you who will almost certainly be faced with awkward interactions that involve all the reasons why they are certain the United States is well and truly fucked.  

First of all, I think it is relevant to remind them of what John McCain himself said:

I urge all Americans ... I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

Now is not the time for extreme partisanship.  Now is not the time for nay saying.  Now is not the time to despair.  We need to let everyone know that now is the time to stand together as Americans, as humans, as living beings.  Now is the time for unity.  

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.
And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

It is also important to point out that America is not doomed.  We survived eight years of George Bush, we can survive four years of anything (except maybe four years of a Vice President who doesn't know that Africa is a continent...).  Inform them that you understand how they're feeling, that you felt it four years ago, and four years before that.  Remind them that every election there is the feeling that if your candidate did not win then the United States is going to fall (to communism,  socialism, hedonism, terrorism, or some other 'ism), and so far we still seem to be here.

Then will very likely come the (bat shit fucking insane) accusations about Obama and his character, here are a few of the ones you're more likely to come across

1. Barack Obama is a socialist, and this country is not about socialism dammit!
2. He is a terrorist and a lover of terrorists and he wants the terrorists to win. (terrorz!)
3. He is going to take my money and give it to people who don't even work. (Same as #1, but likely brought up as a different point)
4. He is going to socialize healthcare! (Same as #1, but likely brought up as a different point)
5. He will raise my taxes and ruin the economy. (Same as #1...starting to sense a pattern...)

There might be some other primary ones that I am forgetting, and I'm sure there are some creative ones that I still haven't heard.  If you hear any of these accusations, there are calm and clear responses that would, in a perfect world, placate the person you are discussing this with.  (Of course, life experience has shown me that people are anything but rational when it comes to actually discussing politics (and religion)).

First and foremost, Barack Obama is not a socialist.  He's not even close to actually being a socialist.  Canadians and Europeans are all probably having a good laugh at our ignorance, since they actually know what socialism is.  Feel free to explain to the person you're talking to that countries who embrace a higher level of socialism almost all enjoy a higher standard of living than Americans.  They have better education and healthcare.  They have not been conquered by horrible dictators.  The only reason their economies are currently having trouble is because our economy is so fucking terrible right now.  

But that is neither here nor there, Obama is not a socialist. Period.  End of Story.  And if the person you're talking to hates socialism so much, perhaps you could also point out they should stop taking advantage of road service, public schools, police, fire departments, sanitation control, and any other slew of industries that we pay for with our tax dollars (SOCIALIST ORGANIZATIONS!!!!).

The terrorist argument is hard to diffuse, because it is born of intentional ignorance.  Despite there being no evidence that Obama has anything but contempt for those who would use acts of terror against innocent people, despite his condemnations of all acts of terrorism, this rumor persists.  You can try to explain this, but some people just want to cling to their lies.

The last three reasons I had were somewhat of a joke, but it is surprising how many people argue these points after the socialism argument (probably because those same people have no idea what the fuck socialism is, they just assume it is something terrible).

I think the key to all of these responses is to stay calm.  Be the bigger person in the debate, and don't get mad, even if they're being ignorant and intolerant.  If they want to start yelling, or make wild accusations, I find an appropriate first response is nothing.  Let them finish, and then just stare for a second.  Then very calmly refute their points.  Shouting matches will accomplish nothing and only vindicates their viewpoint in their minds (and does not help us bridge the gaps that we must in order to fix our country).

We need cool heads and calm minds in the months ahead.  We face many problems, and there are obstacles in our way.  It will not be easy, but it is necessary, and we cannot do it divided.  So I urge you to reach out.  Take the time and engage in rational discourse with those who you know disagree.  Do what you can to assure the depressed McCain supporter that we are on the road to the America of legend.  You will not always succeed, but if you can change even one mind, then you have taken a great step towards rebuilding our great nation.

Truly, it is an auspicious day

He says it all, in ways I never could.  I myself am without words, and have never in all of my life been more proud to be an American.  

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

Today is election day.  

This is, without doubt, the most important election that has happened in my lifetime.  I have spent the last eight years of my life watching my country slowly erode.  George W. Bush has tarnished the name of the United States of America in the world community to the point where we have to pretend to be Canadian if we travel abroad.  He has led us into a war that we don't belong in, fighting for a cause that cannot be won, and providing us no end in sight, but providing incalculable death and misery for Americans and Iraqis alike.  We have engaged in the despicable act of torturing our enemies and denying them basic human rights.  Our own civil liberties have been infringed upon in the name of security, but we are no safer than we were seven years ago.  Our economy is trashed, but I somehow doubt oil companies will see much loss of profit.  George W. Bush has been a blight on this fair nation, and I absolutely cannot wait to see him go.

Things need to change  (see what I did there?) .  We simply cannot afford another four years of having a president who does not differ with George Bush on any major decision that will affect our country.  A man whose response to the question "How will you be different from George Bush" is "well at least I'm not  inexperienced/a terrorist/a socialist/a communist/a robot sent from the future".  We cannot elect a man whose judgement has gotten bad enough that he was willing to choose Sarah Palin as a running mate.  Even if that decision came from the campaign manager he needed to be a real Maverick and say no.  It is beyond lunacy to imagine having a Vice President who believes humans lived at the same time as dinosaurs, or whose idea of foreign policy experience is the ability to see a foreign land mass.  We cannot elect a man who once garnered the respect of Republicans and Democrats alike, and threw it all away during this campaign.

So please go out and vote today.  If you've already voted, then ask everyone you talk to today if they have voted.  And when you're voting, take a minute and think of where our country is at right now.  Barack Obama will restore our name in the world community.  Barack Obama will stop the senseless death and destruction in Iraq and refocus our attention on the people who actually perpetrated 9/11.  Barack Obama will put us on a track towards renewable energy independence.  Barack Obama will provide affordable and accessible health care to those who need it most.  Barack Obama will help us restore the middle class that drives this country.

I implore you all to get out there today and do what you can to make sure that Barack Hussein Obama is the next president of the United States of America.