Remember that uneasy feeling when you were little because some other kids would be talking about something that you didn’t know about yet and you had to play along but not act too involved in the conversation out of fear they would ask you questions about it? Well today's blog is about when that kind of thing happens as an adult.
You know, like when you thought something was one thing but it turns out to be this total different thing. I am going to share some of my more embarrassing ones with you in hopes that you will do the same and we can all point at one another and have a good laugh at each others’ expense. Please be a good sport.
For pretty much ever I have thought that Key Biscayne was a place near the bottom of Florida somewhere called Keepiscane. One word. When I finally realized it was a Key like Largo or the better known West, it was a revelation.
Just recently I was reading an article about people who self diagnose themselves on the internet and the hypochondria that causes (I’m looking at you, Cristy.) The article sited the Pew Research Council’s statistical data on percent of internet users who do this and I was confused. You see until that moment I thought that the Pew Research Council compiled statistical data of people at churches. In my mind it was data collected regarding the people sitting in the pews. I didn’t get why the church would care how many of their members searched their symptoms on the internet. How many members searched porn or something, I could maybe get. Turns out the Pew Research Council has nothing to do with actual Pews. Yeah, I’m dumb.
Anyway, another fun one is that for most of my life I have used the phrase “All intents and purposes” just like everyone else does. However I though it was “All intensive purposes.” If you have heard me say that and didn’t correct me then shame on you!
Song lyrics work, too. When we were little my Brother, Paul and I thought that The Rolling Stones song “Start Me Up” was actually about a Mexican Hero named “El Estafio.” “El Estafio, El Estafio, you never stop.”
OK, enough laughing at me, now your turn. Make me laugh, folks!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Chickens Vs. The Gays
The whole Chick-Fil-gAypocolypse this week has created more discussion, anger, disgust, shock and “Fried Processed Chikn Food” eating than I could ever have imagined when I heard that Chick-Fil-A’s CEO had spoken the infamous words “Guilty as charged” last week. For one, I already knew that the company gave money to Anti-Marriage Equality causes. I already used my HRC application on my Iphone to help me chose Fairness Friendly companies at which to spend my hard earned money. I also didn’t expect the protests following it to become so misguided.
Throughout the poultry battle over the past week or so there was one thing that some Gay Marriage supporters got terribly wrong, in my opinion. When Boston’s mayor decided to write and publish a letter to Chick-Fil-A advising them that their business was not welcome, I hope he was doing so with his constituents in mind; however government officials should never have become involved. Chick-Fil-A and all businesses have every right to give their money to Anti Gay Marriage groups, Anti Tall People Getting Married groups or anti whatever they want.
However, here is where the Gay Marriage supporters have it right and also I think where the confusion has set in. So many fights have broken out and feelings been hurt because someone’s family member or friend supported Chick-Fil-A yesterday. Unfortunately I think many of those supporters thought they were supporting Freedom of Speech. This was never about Freedom of Speech. We as consumers have the right to take that information the CEO shared with us and to protest the company. We have the right to stop eating there. We have the right to post on Facebook, billboards, TV commercials and banners in our parades about it. We have the right to OUR freedom of expression to react as we see fit. I have blogged before about the misconceptions relating to Freedom of Speech. Anytime someone has a problem with something some douchbag says, someone else is going to say “Stop blasting him, he has a right to say that, it is his FREEDOM OF SPEECH.” Indeed it is! And it is also everyone else’s right to hate what he said and let him know it!
People make consumer decisions based on all different factors. Some choose based on price, appearance, whether it’s “Made In The USA,” or made in a sweatshop. Some might buy something because their friends like it or because Miley Cyrus wore it. Others choose based on the company’s philosophies, how they treat their employees or, as is this case, based on where the company sends some of their profits. You see, the CEO didn’t simply say that he thinks Marriage should be between Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve (Which I always think is funny. Naked straight people can get married but not fully clothed gay men.) He also gives some of Chick-Fil-A’s profits to Anti-Gay causes. This is where many gay people were flabbergasted to find that some of our loved ones chose to actively support the chicken man yesterday; on a day set aside to show support to him and his statements about his decisions. So while I understand that Gay Marriage might not necessarily be a factor in where you decide to eat fried food on a normal day, yesterday was different.
There is one thing about the fight for Marriage Equality I will never understand and maybe someone can help me with. I fully support your right to believe in your interpretation of your Bible, your Torah or your Holy copy of The Complete Chronicles and Gospel of Puff the Magic Dragon. However why in the world does it matter to you if gay people can get married in your country or your state? Fine, don’t allow it in your Church, Synagogue, or….Cave? (where would you go to worship Puff, not sure) but why does it matter to you if they wed in a courthouse?
Chicken man cares (and apparently a lot of people still care) but times they are definitely a-changin.’ Support for Gay Marriage (or Marriage Equality as I like to call it) grows every day. Young people simply don’t care who their Aunts, friends, cousins, moms, Grandparents or teachers share their lives with. As my Sister-In-Law recently pointed out, you don’t see people picketing “Chubby Chasers” or couples who found each other because they both share a passion for beautiful covered bridges. It doesn’t matter why or how two adult people fall in love, just that they are happy and are treated fairly. Eventually it will be a non-issue and I think it will be in my lifetime. However in the mean time it matters greatly to me where I spend my money, who I vote for and that I continue to show pride in who I am.
In the mean time I think everyone needs to sit down with friends and family and discuss why they did or didn’t eat places yesterday. And I will continue to fully support chicken man’s right to believe in his interpretation of the bible and give your money to Anti-Marriage Equality Groups. I guarantee you he won’t be giving mine.
P.S. You wouldn’t have caught me dead in a Chick-Fil-A even before I knew that those cute cows were homophobic because I don’t eat Chicken or Cows anyway, homophobes or not.
Throughout the poultry battle over the past week or so there was one thing that some Gay Marriage supporters got terribly wrong, in my opinion. When Boston’s mayor decided to write and publish a letter to Chick-Fil-A advising them that their business was not welcome, I hope he was doing so with his constituents in mind; however government officials should never have become involved. Chick-Fil-A and all businesses have every right to give their money to Anti Gay Marriage groups, Anti Tall People Getting Married groups or anti whatever they want.
However, here is where the Gay Marriage supporters have it right and also I think where the confusion has set in. So many fights have broken out and feelings been hurt because someone’s family member or friend supported Chick-Fil-A yesterday. Unfortunately I think many of those supporters thought they were supporting Freedom of Speech. This was never about Freedom of Speech. We as consumers have the right to take that information the CEO shared with us and to protest the company. We have the right to stop eating there. We have the right to post on Facebook, billboards, TV commercials and banners in our parades about it. We have the right to OUR freedom of expression to react as we see fit. I have blogged before about the misconceptions relating to Freedom of Speech. Anytime someone has a problem with something some douchbag says, someone else is going to say “Stop blasting him, he has a right to say that, it is his FREEDOM OF SPEECH.” Indeed it is! And it is also everyone else’s right to hate what he said and let him know it!
People make consumer decisions based on all different factors. Some choose based on price, appearance, whether it’s “Made In The USA,” or made in a sweatshop. Some might buy something because their friends like it or because Miley Cyrus wore it. Others choose based on the company’s philosophies, how they treat their employees or, as is this case, based on where the company sends some of their profits. You see, the CEO didn’t simply say that he thinks Marriage should be between Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve (Which I always think is funny. Naked straight people can get married but not fully clothed gay men.) He also gives some of Chick-Fil-A’s profits to Anti-Gay causes. This is where many gay people were flabbergasted to find that some of our loved ones chose to actively support the chicken man yesterday; on a day set aside to show support to him and his statements about his decisions. So while I understand that Gay Marriage might not necessarily be a factor in where you decide to eat fried food on a normal day, yesterday was different.
There is one thing about the fight for Marriage Equality I will never understand and maybe someone can help me with. I fully support your right to believe in your interpretation of your Bible, your Torah or your Holy copy of The Complete Chronicles and Gospel of Puff the Magic Dragon. However why in the world does it matter to you if gay people can get married in your country or your state? Fine, don’t allow it in your Church, Synagogue, or….Cave? (where would you go to worship Puff, not sure) but why does it matter to you if they wed in a courthouse?
Chicken man cares (and apparently a lot of people still care) but times they are definitely a-changin.’ Support for Gay Marriage (or Marriage Equality as I like to call it) grows every day. Young people simply don’t care who their Aunts, friends, cousins, moms, Grandparents or teachers share their lives with. As my Sister-In-Law recently pointed out, you don’t see people picketing “Chubby Chasers” or couples who found each other because they both share a passion for beautiful covered bridges. It doesn’t matter why or how two adult people fall in love, just that they are happy and are treated fairly. Eventually it will be a non-issue and I think it will be in my lifetime. However in the mean time it matters greatly to me where I spend my money, who I vote for and that I continue to show pride in who I am.
In the mean time I think everyone needs to sit down with friends and family and discuss why they did or didn’t eat places yesterday. And I will continue to fully support chicken man’s right to believe in his interpretation of the bible and give your money to Anti-Marriage Equality Groups. I guarantee you he won’t be giving mine.
P.S. You wouldn’t have caught me dead in a Chick-Fil-A even before I knew that those cute cows were homophobic because I don’t eat Chicken or Cows anyway, homophobes or not.
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