politics: Slacktivism

Oy vey. It's really been the week for e-petitions (and other chain letters, come to think of it). People really need to read this.

I've gotten that stupid name survey (I swear, somebody somewhere's got a list of everyone's first name on earth, listed twice). I've gotten that 'Dammit, Dubya, lower our gas prices!' one. I've gotten at least two of those get-to-know-your-friends things.

Then, thanks to my presence on right-wing-nutjob e-mail lists, I've gotten petitions from the RNC and the American Family Association.

Yes, the RNC, which you would think would know better, is trying to get people to sign an e-petition to get the Democrats to allow a vote on Priscilla Owen. It urges the Democrats to accept Bill Frist's 'compromise', about which I quote from the e-mail:

"Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has offered Senator Reid a compromise that would give Democrats 100 hours to debate each judge and then guarantee each judge a floor vote, but he continues to reject this common-sense offer."

It's like a 'Free Speech Zone' for senatorial debate. Rather than open-ended deliberation, Frist wants to force debate into a little razor-wired area which, though big, is still fenced in. After the debate (which, of course, the Republicans will little heed, even if they bother to attend), the cons get to force their judicial activists down the throats of an unsuspecting public. Yeah, that's compromise. How about reevaluating the nominations, eh?

Dumbasses.

And another thing. The e-mail makes much of how Priscilla Owens has had to wait "4 years or 1,460 days" for confirmation, and that it's too long to wait.

I know it's not exactly related, but how long has it been since Dumbya said he wouldn't rest till we captured Osama bin Laden "dead or alive"? Is it too long yet?

OK, so moving on to the AFA ... It's a petition to the 109th Congress relating to the Marriage Protection Amendment. I shan't belabor either the content or, well, my wide-ranging amazement, amusement and distaste for the American Familay Association.

Given the latest addition to the long-accumulating evidence that, in terms these people may understand, God made us this way for purposes beyond our understanding, how is it wrong for us to seek out love, fall in love, grow in love and want to declare our love in a lasting and meaningful way?

Explain how it's wrong without resorting to Biblical verses about sexual conduct that have about as much relevance as exhortations against women who wear red dresses in church or proclamations against pork and shellfish. Explain to me why my love is wrong, and where it says so in the Bible. I have yet to hear a good explanation that isn't fixated on sex.

If you can't find one, maybe you oughta think about that before telling me I'm not allowed to get married.