Subscribe to Breaking NewsRuby-Sachs: Disaster On All Fronts
The Haitian earthquake has created a surge of inspiring global cooperation and global mourning. In Toronto, where there is a large Haitian community, the sadness and panic is predominant. Our Governor General, Haitian-born, broke down in tears yesterday as the Prime Minister announced Canada’s aid plan. The city feels different this morning as the reality of the casualties sets in.
But Rachel Maddow did an excellent round up of the global efforts to combat the effects of the quake. And it is inspiring to see nations mobilize so quickly and so effectively. We are content to ignore Haiti most of the time – and it is a country that struggles at the best moments. But something about natural disasters tugs at our heart strings. Maybe it is the scale. Maybe it is the sense that it could happen to any of us. Maybe we see poverty as the fault of the poor and fault lines an act of God.
Whatever the reason, it is important and laudable that the world has worked so quickly to help.
The last twenty-four hours haven’t been so great for gays either (although we cannot compare the two and I am not attempting to do so here). The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the gay rights opposition and closed the Prop 8 trial to cameras. Their reasoning relied on a technicality and then moved on to uphold the notion that gay rights opponents are harassed and victimized for their opinions. It is a disgusting perversion of the courts when they use their power to protect the majority, interested in denying rights, from the minority, fighting for their rights in a legal, calm manner.
The split on that decision, 5-4, is a good indication of how things will play out when the Prop 8 case makes it to the Supreme Court.
And then, this morning, a memo from the Defense Department was released to the Associated Press calling for a delay in the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. They are looking to push it back until 2012, an election year. Surprise, surprise.
Things are not looking up.
Ruby:
Um – who cares when the military heads want to act?
The decision rests with the President and Congress. Their wish for delays amounts to precisely nothing.
They will do what they are told
I am a confused and angry American.
Today I open my browser and see the devastation in Haiti. My heart breaks for those people and I have collected clothes from each closet to send, wishing I could do more.
Next is Pat Robertson saying this was brought on by their ancestors because they sold themselves to the devil to drive out the French back in 1791. This is the same as the mean and untrue things he said about 9/11. It happened because the country was filled with feminists, abortionists, ACLU members, and gays and lesbians. The late Jerry Falwell agreed. When Katrina hit our shores Mr. Robertson claimed it was because of abortion. God is mad at us.
Fred Phelps agreed. Mr. Phleps is so sure that God hates us that he and his family have made it their only mission in life to let everyone know they are going to hell. He does not like feminists, abortionists, ACLU members, or gays and lesbians either. Mostly gays and lesbians. Mr. Phelps is responsible for the law signed by President Bush to keep protesters 1000 feet from any funeral because Phelps and family were going to soldiers funerals with big signs stating they were glad the soldier was dead because he served a country that liked Gays.
Next was the news that the proposition 8 trial will not be broadcast. No one will see it. This trial was a chance to tell the truth about a population of people who have been discriminated against by not just people but by the government it’s self based on misinformation, stereotypes and lies. This is a chance to educate the American public about who and what gay people really are. Why they feel they should have all the same rights and responsibilities the rest of the nation. No one will see it.
I am now confused. How can our nation be so in the dark? We continue to allow people of power to broadcast hurtful, archaic statements that hurts so many people, often when they are already hurting. Yet, hide valid information that could open minds and the end discrimination of fellow Americans.
I am angry now. This is not the America I want. This America allows for free speech to the point it hurts people at home and abroad. It let groups like the KKK and Neo Nazis continue to flourish. It is just fine to spread lies as truth to justify and create hatred not just at home but to whoever will listen. In the wrong hands the hatred becomes violent and often deadly.
Then it hides the truth. We are not allowed to watch our system discover the truth which the laws we all live by are made? I am not permitted to witness as each side presents the information that will guide one man to decide the outcome and possibly law?
Lastly, I clicked on the link to the response from the Haitian ambassador to Pat Robertson.
The pain in his eyes was more than I could bare and I wept.
Hi Emma, I enjoy reading you and I know you were being a little sarcastic, but we are confronted with wacko cultist theories all day and I’m just surprised to see you refer to an “act of god”.
Yes, maybe we feel helpless and fear a natural disaster could strike anyone while not allowing ourselves to feel prone to poverty or other things we can control. That was your point.
Has nothing to do with us fearing the natural disaster could come from the flying spaghetti monster in the sky. Call it nitpicking, but it is blind acceptance of ancient fear tactics/fairy tales that has resulted in our rights being taken away.
On an lgbt site, we shouldn’t be confronted with that craziness.