Religion and Sexuality

I wish people could get past this religious barrier in this country.  We have so many religions represented in our 307 million person population.  There is Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Paganism, Catholicism, the list goes on and on.  We've inserted a line between Church and State, I wish that we could, as a society, insert a line between Church and sex.  This is a little different than separating Church and State, I know, but wouldn't it be wonderful if we could get past the judgment and hate because of something so private?  Sex is between two (or more) people and God.  Sex shouldn't leave the personal life, because it's such a personal connection between the people involved.  If I have sex with one person, then it's our business, not yours.  If I choose to tell you about it, that's also my decision, but it means I've told you in confidentiality and you don't get to go and tell any-and everyone you know about it.  We don't judge based on sexual position (missionary, doggie-style, etc.), why should we be able to judge based on gender?  It doesn't make sense to me.  To each is their own; much like I like Chinese food, and some people might not.  It's all a matter of personal preference.  Just because your religion might condemn it doesn't mean that mine does.  I'm not trying to change your religious attitude or belief, I'm just trying to help you understand that not everyone shares your opinion. 

Death on Tennessee St.

A few days ago, I saw something that I really wish I hadn't seen.  It messed me up.  I was driving home from a friends fiesta de su cumpleaños.  I was on Tennessee St., about to turn to take another friend to his place, when I saw the paramedic's Chevy Suburban turn its lights on and pull in front of me.  There was a man lying motionless in the street.  Well, I pulled off the road immediately and got out of my car to see if I could help (this was before any of the additional law enforcement/paramedics arrived).  I didn't see anything earth-shattering happen, but I knew that I needed to be there to help.  I've never seen a dead body before, and it's mind boggling.  This poor man was hit by a driver (we'll assume they were drunk, considering it was at 4 a.m.) and was, hopefully, dead on impact; I'd hate for him to have been in much pain.  Well, then TPD arrived, and they arrived, and they arrived some more.  I'd say there were close to 20 police cruisers there.  An ambulance arrived, but he wasn't immediately loaded onto a stretcher.  They blocked off the entire street, and put police tape up around it.  At this point I couldn't stay more, as I'd already seen far too much for my poor little brain.  Needless to say, I prayed for that poor man's soul and his poor grieving family and friends.  Rest in peace.

Austin Thomas Gray

 Austin Thomas Gray

16 January 1991 - 25 February 2005

Austin Gray, you were an amazing person and an even better friend.  I truly love you from the bottommost depths of my heart.  There has never been, nor ever will be an end for the love that I feel for you.  You are what drives me to do the best in my schoolwork and my journalistic work.  The phrase "Only the good die young," is the most unfortunately true sentiment that I've ever heard.  If you could be here now instead of me, I'd gladly trade places with you.  You deserve so much more than the hand you were dealt.  I love you.

La Hermanita de Pingüino

So, today my little sister got in a car accident because her boyfriend broke up with her over something as ridiculous as a haircut.  They'd been together for almost two years and she cut her hair and he broke up with her.  She was so upset that she was crying while she was driving and she rear-ended someone.  This little prick threw away a wonderful girl over something as trivial as a haircut, and why? Because she didn't tell him before she did it that she was going to.  Are you kidding me?  Why does it matter? It doesn't change the girl you're in love with.  But no, you had to throw it all away over some hair.  This has created havoc for her, and this is probably one of the worst weeks of her life.  Thanks.  Way to be a prick.

State of the Union

Tonight, the twenty-seventh of January, President Obama gave the State of the Union address.  It lasted nearly two hours and he addressed many topics that are near and dear to almost all Americans, some that affected me possibly more than others.

• College tuition costs.
• Don't Ask, Don't Tell
• Clean energy

College tuition is a pain.  Even after Florida Bright Futures (which is a fantastic system allowing me to go to school for thousands less than most people around the nation), I'm still left with nearly a thousand dollars of tuition to pay for, on top of housing, books and spending money for food and laundry.  It's been nearly 4 months that I've been without part-time work, and before that I was without part-time work while at school for my entire college career.  Tallahassee is the hardest city to find work in in the state of Florida.  "In this economy, a high school diploma no longer guarantees a good job."

Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a policy started by the American Military to keep gay and lesbian people from fighting side-by-side with straight men in our armed forces.  This policy was started under the Clinton administration back in the 1990's and it states that gay men and women can serve, but they must prove to be celibate, which is nearly impossible. “I will work with Congress and the military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are.” 


Clean energy is something that President Obama has said that he'd fight tooth and nail for.  Nuclear power is currently used on many Naval aircraft carriers and submarines.  Why can't we harness this clean and safe energy to be used on land to power a grid for much longer and much more efficiently than we currently do with natural gas?  Solar energy is already used in many homes in Florida to heat swimming pools, why can't we harness the energy of "The Sunshine State" to power our homes and vehicles?   “…to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, and more incentives.”




President Obama, you're not on the campaign trail anymore, stop trying to fight for your party to keep the supermajority in the Senate.  Focus on what's going on in Washington and get things done that really need to get done.