Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

I just adore books about animals and how they touch human lives. I am a massive fan of Marley and Me and I just that I love a story of an abandoned kitten that uplifted a community who had lost hope.

Bloggers Unite!

On November 10th over 10,000 bloggers from around the world will unite to raise their voices on behalf of more than 40 million voiceless refugees. To ask the world to face the atrocities so many human beings must endure and to join hearts and minds to help bring forward information, understanding and action.

Join us on November 10th to tell your story, share your thoughts and be part of the global solution to a global problem. It is in our power to bring people to act to make a change. The core cause of Bloggers Unite and Refugees United is information. Information leads to empowerment. Bloggers Unite enables ordinary folks to make an extraordinary impact.We hope you will sign up to participate. Your actions will matter. Your words can help change lives.

Together, our voices will make a difference!

Congratulations America.

I never thought I would see the day when a man of color became the President of the United States of American. It was only 50 years ago that African-Americans / Blacks fought for equality in this country! What an AMAZING step in the right direction.

I am so proud of us. Americans had something to wake up and smile about today - November 3, 2008. While Obama may not be everyone's choice, I think that man is going to renew what it means to be American - what it means to be Free, to live in a Democracy, to be Equal amongst ourselves, and to ensure Justice.

I am so pleased that he won historic Red states like Florida, Iowa, Ohio, Virginia, New Mexico! While the race was very close in all of these places, the mere fact that Obama pushed ahead alone shows me just how bad this country want change. And damn it, we deserve it.

YES, WE CAN!!!!!

What are YOU doing on December 3, 2008?

How about giving up one item that you can live without, such as the morning paper, a bagel or that cup of Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts coffee (although some us really can't live without our morning coffee), and donate the money you would have spent on that item to help save lives in Darfur and Burma. Sounds easy, no? IT IS!

Did you know that displaced women who live in refugee camps in Sudan have to gather firewood in the open because the UN can't afford patrols to protect them? Do you even know what can happen to women when they gather firewood without protection? If they are lucky, they'll make it back to the camp but not usually without severe physical and emotional trauma from being raped by the Janjaweed militia. Did you know that they use rape as a tool to further destroy the sense of community of these refugees? Rape victims carry heavy stigma in Darfur, and women are usually disowned by husbands and blood family. You see - these militia men are a far cry from stupid. They know exactly how to attack these people so they will receive the most bang for their buck.

But what about Burma? Did you know ethnic cleansing was taking place there? Did you know that villagers in Burma could avoid this slaughter if only they had hand radios to warn each other? VERY SIMPLE SOLUTION to an outrageous and catastrophic human problem.

These things only cost a few dollars. Just that one cup of coffee - to save a life. Seems fair. I'm sure I sound like one of those infomericials about adopting a child in a far away land. Hell, who knows if your money even really goes to those needy children, right? Well, your money will not be abused here.

The Genocide Intervention Network created the Civilian Protection Program, which funds innovative projects that increase direct protection of civilians who are the victims of targeted violence. You can read more about the program here and here. I know people who work for this amazing organization, and have been involved in their sister organization, STAND. These people aren't frauds. They want the violence to end. Don't you?

Mark your calendars and spread the word.

Florida Marriage Amendment

So, I attended a debate on campus with my classmates on Amendment #2 here in Florida. This is up for voting come this all powerful November 4th. The Florida Marriage Protection Act says:

"Inasmuch as a marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized."

People are a bit confused on this issue b/c they think it is banning same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriage is already illegal here. What this Amendment will actually do is ludicrous. If passed, the amendment will ban all recognition and benefits for unmarried couples, straight and gay. It will block civil unions, domestic partnership and repeal existing protections and family benefits relied upon by millions of Floridians.

This means that any couple, gay or straight, who has been in a long term partnership will not be able to share any sort of benefits. Individuals will not be able to see their significant other if they are in the hospital, possibly not be able to say GOODBYE to them if they are dying in a hospital. It would be a killer to the senior population here in FL, b/c so many of them just form domestic partnerships instead of remarrying after they are widowed.

This Amendment is tricky for the uneducated person. The backers of this are obviously up to something. Two primary motives are driving this amendment and neither have anything to do with protecting anyone's marriage or family. Those backing the amendment see this as an opportunity to eliminate any protections for unmarried Floridians - gay and straight - by stoking anti-gay sentiments. They want their religious beliefs to have the force of law by being embedded in the Florida Constitution. THE CONSTITUTION! Why are we even messing with that to begin with???? Others backing the amendment see it as a political tool to drive ultra-conservative voters to the polls in the hope that they will improve the prospects for conservative candidates in the November election.

UGH!!! My thoughts on this are SO heated right now. I am so completely over religion controlling our country. Separation of church and state is the biggest sack of BS I've ever learned in a history class. The tight hold Christianity has on this country makes me ill. And do not mistake me for being anti-religion. I am very much in favor of people having and believing in a religion. But that is a personal relationship that you have with who ever or what ever you choose to serve and believe. YOURS AND YOURS ALONE. No one on this stinkin planet has the right to shove their beliefs down someone else's throat.

Supporters of this obviously believe that Atheists shouldn't get married, since they obviously don't have any scriptures to go by to begin with. And I am not sure that Buddhists or Doaists or Confucionists or Hindus have some sort of marriage statement in their texts (I am not an expert, so please correct me if I'm wrong), so they obviously don't deserve to marry either. It makes me laugh at how this country is so proud of the medley of ethnicities, races, creeds, and cultures that inhabit these lands, yet here we are, in 2008, still trying to dictate to all of the VASTLY DIFFERENT PEOPLE, how they should live their VASTLY DIFFERENT LIVES. Besides, last time I checked, the Christian God was a loving and accepting being.

And don't even get me started on the Social / Family side. You can take that "children need a mother and father to grow up normal" elsewhere. I grew up without a father, and know countless other "single parent home" children such as myself. Having a man and a woman as parents doesn't make a damn difference! YOU KNOW WHAT DOES? Having UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND SUPPORT, you idiots! My mom ran circles around the traditional family set up. She provided me with EVERYTHING I needed from parents - all by her onesies. And I am sorry, but there are way more traditional homes out there that are completely broken. If a same-sex couple is truly in love and wants to share that love, they are providing EXACTLY what a child needs from parents. This one lady stood up to talk about her situation. She and her lesbian partner of many years want to adopt, but of course they can't. However, they can be foster parents. SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS TO ME??????? How dare we use these willing and loving people to foster children, just because we are in desperate need of foster parents, yet we won't let them adopt one of these children, and provide them with a stable, loving environment.

VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT 2!!!!!!!

Make sure you make an educated choice.
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Florida_2008_ballot_measures

My last thoughts: If you don't believe in same-sex marriage, then don't marry someone of the same sex. IT REALLY IS THAT SIMPLE. Why the hell do we have to make everything so complicated?? We are nosy controlling ppl in this country.

Ok, so now that is off my chest - off to do some homework...