Why should I get all excited about a piece of paper? After all, spammers flood your inbox daily with schemes to earn a "PhD"; celebrities are given honorary doctorates. I don't think anyone is really fooled by pretentious credentials; more recently, we've seen Blumenthal (D-CN) and Kirk (R-IL), long-term politicians caught embellishing on their resumes. On the other hand, my dissertation is a matter of public record; I haven't published a scholarly paper in years since leaving academia, but you can Google "Guillemette, RA" and find pages of citations of articles and book chapters I've published (nothing to do with political issues).
This is one of those areas where my conservative and libertarian principles clash. I don't like government getting in the way of voluntary relationships among people, and if it makes gay people feel better about themselves to call their relationship a "marriage", why should I care? I've never been married, and nearly half the marriages in the US have resulted in divorce.
But the bottom line is that marriage is an institution which has evolved through thousands of years, and I am concerned about unintended consequences of attempts to change fundamental nature of marriage. And I don't think that judicial fiat can ever force a square peg into a round hole. Straights under the compulsion of political correctness may feel the need to pay lip service, but gays should never confuse tolerance with acceptance.
Judge Vaughn Walker, whose confirmation ironically was opposed by gay activists, should have recused himself from ruling on the case by any reasonable professional standard. I have no doubt he's had a compulsive need to prove to gay activists that they were wrong about him. But both Gov. Schwarzenegger (R-CA) and Attorney General Jerry Brown (D-CA), pandering to gay activists, shamefully and unethically refuse to back up the will of the people in passing proposition 8, and some are suggesting because of that, the other parties in the law suit may have no legal standard in appealing the case to the Court of Appeals. I don't care if they have a personal need to capitulate to the political correctness of gay activists or sincerely oppose Proposition 8 personally. As public servants they have a duty to represent the people, especially on something as fundamental as marriage and family.
Robert Gibbs vs. the Left-Wing Journalists
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs complained that some of the Administration's left-wing critics were out of touch and should be drug-tested in response to charges that the Obama Administration has become the Bush Administration redux. At first I thought he was responding to conservative critics including me whom pointed out that some of his personnel decisions (e.g., Bernanke, Petreaus and Gates) were Bush choices. When repeat Jackass of the Year nominee Alan Grayson (D-FL) called Robert Gibbs a Bozo the Clown and demanded Gibbs' termination, I naturally come to the defense of Robert Gibbs. Gibbs has it exactly right: the Angry Left is never satisfied.
Political Humor
Charlie Rangel Demonstrating How to Dance Around Ethics Charges
"The U.S. Postal Service reported a $3.5 billion loss in the last quarter, which established it as the federal government's most successful enterprise." –Jay Leno
[But did you hear, Jay, the USPS is raising its rates? Just like the Dems are doing to income taxes at the end of the year... Yeah, that'll work: we'll get more revenue by raising the price. WalMart has it all wrong...USPS is also talking about no delivery on Saturdays; that's nothing: Obama and the progressive Congress haven't delivered jobs, jobs, jobs since the beginning of their term.]
"The Mexican Supreme Court ruled that all Mexican states must recognize same-sex marriages registered in Mexico City. So men can now marry in Mexico, but they still can't honeymoon in Arizona." –Jimmy Kimmel
[That's because Senators Kyl and Graham are worried about anchor babies...]
"The New Orleans Saints visited the White House. They presented President Obama with a Saints jersey with the number 44, in honor of his approval rating." –Jay Leno
[Obama didn't like the fact that Mitt Romney showed up, already wearing number 45.]
"President Obama announced this month that he created 70,000 new jobs. The bad news is, they are all vacation planners for him and his family." –Jay Leno
[Jay, you're forgetting the Obama T-shirt salesmen (clearance sale this week only; we're expecting new fall 2010 election shirts in stock shortly) and eBay sellers pitching used copies of Barack Obama books...Don't forget--part-time workers count...]
Quote of the Day
The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.
Kenneth Blanchard
Musical Interlude: The American Songbook Series
Clifton Webb, "Easter Parade"
