I really enjoyed and grew from watching the NBC’s The West Wing. Many people these days decide whether to respect a president or actually say that someone is not “their president.” Barrack Hussein Obama is my president; John Sidney McCain III might have been my president and George Walker Bush was my president.
This clip from the West Wing framed the debate well; while you might not have voted for a president, once the man or woman is sworn into office, that person is the president and deserves the respect I have given every president who served during my life.
The West Wing president walk into a room in the White House knowing that a far-right media personality would be there and of course the lady decide to slight him by remaining seated—she got “told” big time.
That is democracy in action—a beautiful thing and I would graciously thank the citizens for taking the time to share their point of view with their member of congress.
One Sunday, the pastor at the Methodist Church I attended in southwest D.C. said in her sermon that she saw a bumper sticker which read, “Father, protect us from your followers.” Interesting.
I can’t say I am for gay marriage but I will say there should be a legal way to select who answers questions during medical emergency. I listened to both sides of the debate but hey I was not a congressman—just a conduit for information to and from the elected officials. I tell you one thing: they should make all marriages hard to get into because Britney Spears get married before breakfast and it being over before lunch is plain wrong. Folks don’t respect vows and oath anymore. I respect marriage and parenthood so much that I have never done either—plus my dollars have always been short.
I won’t get deeply into the gay marriage debate but this clip offers interesting background into reconciling our beliefs in the Bible and Christianity with the functional reality that constitutionally this nation has no official religion. Sometimes it saddens me to think about all the ugly names people called me when I was the judiciary staffer in three congressional offices and of course the calls would be heaviest on Monday after the recommendations came from the Sunday pulpits. That is democracy in action—a beautiful thing and I would graciously thank the citizens for taking the time to share their point of view with their member of congress.
One Sunday, the pastor at the Methodist Church I attended in southwest D.C. said in her sermon that she saw a bumper sticker which read, “Father, protect us from your followers.” Interesting.
I can’t say I am for gay marriage but I will say there should be a legal way to select who answers questions during medical emergency. I listened to both sides of the debate but hey I was not a congressman—just a conduit for information to and from the elected officials. I tell you one thing: they should make all marriages hard to get into because Britney Spears get married before breakfast and it being over before lunch is plain wrong. Folks don’t respect vows and oath anymore. I respect marriage and parenthood so much that I have never done either—plus my dollars have always been short.
Project Logic Ga 
Here is a real dilemma was told to me when I was congressional staffing: a woman is disowned by her family because she has a girlfriend and the family never spoke to her again. Three decades later, the lady is in intensive care but the girlfriend/partner can’t come in the room because she is not family.
After the woman dies, the woman’s property and sizeable wealth goes to……the family only. That’s messed up and I bet those folks spent the daylights out of that money.
I’m a big fan of The West Wing myself. I think it did well on a lot of levels. While it was obviously more liberal than I on many issues, it had to take an ideology because of the fact that the show couldn’t help but be political.
In regards to the gay marriage debate, I thought I’d offer up my own compromise:
http://swgapolitics.com/index/?p=808
It’s pretty recent, but I think it’s worth taking a look at. Evangelicals seem OK with it (the few I’ve talked to about it) and the gay community seem OK with it (the few I’ve talked to about it), so maybe it’s workable 🙂
Perhaps it’s proof to some that Libertarians aren’t evil 😀
That was a detailed analysis of the issue. You guys are basically writing a book on policy one post (or chapter) at a time. I think the European model of civil and religious ceremonies is similar to your outline.
It is more than just being married because health insurance, spousal benefits and so much more comes into play.
True. However, in every state that has them, civil unions are identical to marriages in every regard except for the name, and I frankly think that should continue but on a national level.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t necessarily think that married couples should get benefits that single people don’t get, but that’s a battle that I don’t foresee winning 🙂
There is a legal way to account for leaving property and money to a partner: estate planning. If this was a long-term partner and this person had been persona non grata for an extended period from their family, I find it hard to believe they would not have drawn up a will. In reference to this scene from WW, I have an opposite opinion: The woman is not making a big show of remaining seated and no one would have noticed had Bartlett not felt the need to launch a verbal barrage upon her. If I remember correctly, he was just pissed b/c the Dems couldn’t regain Congress and a Republican won his former school district. His venting makes him more of a jerk than her just sitting there.
papadoc19: thanks for pointing that out because I wanted someone with better knowledge of the options to outline them. The example involving the couple is a classic yet dated one that the human rights campaign likes to use.
My memory of that WW was that the staff knew all along that if that woman was on the guest list, she would try something to thumb her hose at the president. She was just nasty like that. The president tried to let it go but it seems he was thinking that she was insulting the office of the President and the White House…not just him personally and that can’t happen.
If remember correctly, this case regarding gay marriage involved a sudden onset condition. Plenty of people believe they have plenty of time as far as estate planning. My Uncle did, and when he died we had a pain getting everything taken care of, and there was no gay partner at the time. Should people estate plan? Yep. But they don’t a lot of the time. People in their late 30’s or 40’s don’t always plan ahead.
I’m thinking Slyram is right about this episode of WW. Not standing was a big middle finger toward the presidency, which Barlet was never going to accept.