Jon Stewart debates Mike Huckabee about Gay Marriage

No matter what your stance on the issue, you have to admit that this is one of the most rational, intelligent discussions about this issue that we’ve seen yet.  I think Jon Stewart does a great job showing how little weight Huckabee’s argument holds.  I have to give kudos to Huckabee too though for not letting the discussion degrade into name-calling and arguing once he gets backed into a corner.  We could all learn so much from this level of debate.

Here’s the clip:  http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=213349&title=mike-huckabee-pt.-2

Should atheists be denied marriage?

I’m perplexed by the fact that devoted gay Christians are denied marriage, but straight atheists, satanists and witches are welcomed into the fold. Apparently as long as there is one penis and one vagina involved it doesn’t really matter to whom they are attached.

If marriage is a religious institution, then shouldn’t people who openly reject religion be blocked from getting married? Shouldn’t the county clerk be required to ask if the marriage applicants believe in the Christian god as the only god and his son our only savior? Of course not. That would clearly violate the separation of church and state, as well as people’s right to privacy. But if the religious right is to be consistent in their argument about why gays are denied marriage, shouldn’t they be pushing for this as well? Then maybe they’ll go after the shellfish eaters (Leviticus 11:9-12) and people who wear gold jewelry (1 Peter 3:3) next.

What’s a secular reason to deny gays the right to marry?

As we all know this country has a separation of church and state.  So to pass a constitutional amendment on religious grounds would not be permitted.  But isn’t that what we just did?  Is there really a non-religious, secular argument to deny gays the right to marry?  If there is I have yet to hear it.  I have yet to hear anyone say that when gays get married it takes up too much of the county government’s resources, or that there is an unacceptable fiscal impact, or anything like that.

So can anyone give me a non-religious, secular example of how gay marriage has been so detrimental to other citizens and had such a negative material impact that the we had to amend the constitution so the government could protect us from it?  Anyone?

Join the Lassen’s Protest Saturday November 22

There will be a boycott rally this Saturday, Nov. 22 @ 12pm at Lassen’s Natural Food store in Ventura to give voice to the many disappointed loyal customers that have been shopping there for years. Lassen’s has stores in Ventura, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, Camarillo, Santa Clarita, Bakersfield, Santa Maria, Goleta and Santa Barbara. Bring your No on Prop 8 signs, or create your own and join us.
Please spread the word!

http://prop8boycotts.blogspot.com/

Two Good Quotes

There are two quotes that I can think of that are relevant to the recent events around Prop 8:

Thought: “OF Equality—As if it harm’d me, giving others the same chances and rights as myself—As if it were not indispensable to my own rights that others possess the same.” Walt Whitman (1819–1892)

“With or without religion, good men perform good deeds and bad men perform evil deeds. It is only with religion that good men perform evil deeds.” – unknown

Great Alternatives to Shopping at Lassens

There are some great alternatives to shopping at Lassen’s and supporting Prop 8.  Below I’ve listed just a few, but if you have others please contribute by adding a comment:

• Rainbow Bridge in Ojai
• Whole Foods in Thousand Oaks
• Whole Foods in Oxnard – coming soon!  Woo hoo!
• Fresh & Easy – They have a store open near Thousand Oaks, and one opening 11/13 in Newbury Park.  Their website says one is coming soon to Oxnard but doesn’t list a date.

Lassen’s gets slammed on Yelp!

The word is getting out… reviewers on Yelp! are doing their part to make sure all Lassen’s customers are fully aware of their desire to eliminate the rights of some of their customers. Be sure to log in and add your voice: Lassen’s Review on Yelp