Gay rights moving on forword

The Navajo Native Americans had a unique take on homosexuals in their culture that I personally take to heart. They believed that Homosexuals were special beings sent by the gods to change social structure and move evolution forward. When you think about that, It must be true. Weather you like us or not you have to admit we have been a constant nagging force for change in the social order.

Its easy to think that the fight for equality is not going well, but if you look at history I would say we're doing OK. Are we where we need to be? No. Slowly but surely we're making progress, and although there have been set backs, I think we are on the winning side of the board. Look at the headlines and you can see the turning of the tides, stemming from the coming elections.

When Wisconsin passed the law adding the ban to gay marriage to its constitution, it hit me hard because all my mothers family lives there. I am there 3-4 times a year and often had thought about moving there if only to go to school. I was shocked that the law was passed by 59% of voters. Then I learned why. The vote was on two separate issues, gay marriage and the recognition of civil unions. I was happy to read today that a straight, christian, father of nine grandfather of seven was sewing the state over the question put to voters. the lawsuit states that the question was unconstitutional because under Wisconsin law voters can only be asked to vote on one question at a time and also claims that the amendment violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit was filed in June by University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh political science instructor William McConkey. The state tried to get the suit thrown out on the bases that McConkey suffered no harm and therefore did not have legal standing to sue, But the judge ruled that McConkeys rights as a voter could have been harmed by the way the question was put to voters. A trial date for the suite has not been set as of yet.

One of the largest hurtles for Gay right has to be Religion, but even leaders from that spectrum are starting to come around. The worldwide leader of the Anglican Church conducted a special mass for gay clergy and their partners in London on Thursday. Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, presided over Communion and then gave a sermon on "present realities and future possibilities for lesbians and gay men in the Church". The special service was conducted under the auspices of the Clergy Consultation , an LGBT support group, and was so secret that it was by invitation only and the guest list was shredded after the bishop has looked it over. Conservatives in the church were quick to condemn Williams, especially for offering communion to gay clergy, and several called for him to step down as leader but a spokesperson for the Archbishop dismissed the criticism. She said, "The Archbishop of Canterbury is committed to the listening process which was agreed at the Lambeth Conference [in 1998] as part of the discussions on human sexuality. That means listening to and engaging with gay and lesbian clergy in a pastorally sensitive setting,". Many of the conservatives are calling for a break from the church, especially those led by Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola. Akinola is calling for people of the church to break from Williams and aline with him.

It may not seem like much, a possible overturning of a constitutional ban in one state, or the possible support of a major religious leader of a smaller christian organization, but it all adds up to make the bigger picture. I make my production hear and now that before I die, homosexuals will have equal rights in the US, as much so as blacks do with whites today.

The best creation has to offer?

The only thing that scares me more than space aliens is the idea that there aren't any space aliens. We can't be the best that creation has to offer. I pray we're not all there is. If so, we're in big trouble. - Ellen DeGeneres

This made me think. Its really true. Humankind has had 5000 years to evolve and this is as far as we have come? Surly some where there is a race doing better than we are. Charles Darwin explained the principal of survival of the fittest, but I don't see that working very well. The "fittest" has rarely been the smartest, or most capable. A look through history tells us that its ruthlessness and manipulative power that survives in our "evolved" society. I am not so sure I would call some of our world leaders fit.

Hospitals

I just spent 48 hours in the new saint Joseph mercy hospital wing for surgery patients and was not that impressed. My mother had surgery Friday morning (shes fine) and all went well. I was greatly impressed with the surgical staff, but the techs and nurses left something to be desired. first of all there was no one at the desk in the family waiting room, so we had to answer the phones ourselves if we wanted to know how are loved ones where. I know it was the day after thanksgiving, but come on. Wile My mother was in surgery not one nurse came to tell us how it was going through the 8 hour long procedure.
There was a group of people waiting for a lady to come out of a biopsy. they were told that it was definitely cancerous and she would be out of recovery. all this lady had requested before going under was that her husband ( a doctor in another hospital) be there when she woke up to tell her weather or not she had cancer. They would not permit him into the recovery room.
In the two days I stayed with my mom I only met one nurse who seemed to know what she was supposed to be doing. My mother had about 4 different nurses and 5 different techs in two days and I don't think one of them talk to the other. Each time there would be a shift change the new nurses and tech would each ask, what her diet was, how many times she had been out of bed, and weather or not her drains had been checked. my mother was on bed rest, was unable to keep down even water, and could hardly talk. I found it completely unnecessary for them to have to wake her up to ask her things she should not have to keep track of. Her sergen gave specific instructions for her not to use her stomach muscles, yet when the nurses came to get her into the chair, they left the work up to her. It took my asking them 3 times to get her pain meds changed, and they never once change her bandage that I was told needed to be changed once a day. In the end she could not wait to go home so I could manage all her care. ( which I was doing there any way it seemed.) Since we have been home, she has been in less pain, eaten more, and gotten more sleep then in the entire two days she was in the hospital.
I am not saying it was all bad. Her night nurse, Kelly i think, Was extremely caring. I think the problem was the lack of Passion from the other nurses about there job. Most of them seemed as if they would much rather be someplace else, and that is not an attitude you can take when you have a job like that.
The rooms were extremely nice but so big that it took the nurses twice as long to get to your room, and created a lack of personal attention that is desperately needed in a hospital setting. almost every one who knows me know I am defiantly not a UM fan, and now Saint Joe's is trying to hard to compete and becoming too much like them. Too big and arrogant to provide the care needed. I would still choose Saint Joe's over UM any day but I hope they realize soon that loosing there compassion is not worth a few extra beds.