GayOP

Major MAJOR Props

2005-09-15T22:27:00.000-04:00

A gigantic thank you goes out to GayPatriot for featuring me on his site. I tip my hat to you good sir, I am most definitely humbled by the shout-out!

Again, you ROCK!!

Reaction to the President's Speech on ABC

2005-09-15T21:26:00.000-04:00

For some reason, I watched the speech on ABC tonight..... don't know why, just did. I later found out that there was a reason... more on that later.

The speech was ambitious. Pledging nearly $200B for rebuilding, reuniting families, and infrastructure repair, W sought to put some salve on the nation's wounds.

I hated to hear W make apologies, but it was exactly what he needed to do. The line in the speech in which he stated that the responsibility ultimately lies with him, was exactly what he needed to say. History has shown time and time again that leaders who openly admit when they have failed are soon forgiven by the public (think Bill Clinton).

It has been said tonight that the proposal from the Bush Administration is very akin to the New Deal program made famous by FDR.

Of course, the President had no sooner finished his speech when the left began salivating at the mere thought of increased federal spending.

This speech was exactly what the evacuees and the nation at large needed to hear. Bush isn't an "I feel your pain" president, he is a president who recognizes what you are going through, but will give you the strength and courage to pull yourself up by the bootstraps, kick the dirt off, and get back to work. He is far better at instilling hope in the American people than his predecessor.

The Bush Administration will always be remembered as an administration that had to deal with great national catastrophes. From 9/11, the war in Afghanistan, Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, and whatever may come next, his administration has dealt with far more disasters, conflicts, and catastrophes than most modern American Presidents.

After this speech, do not be surprised to see his job approval ratings go up... and quick.

Now, back to the original intent of my post.....

If the President is addressing the nation, more times than not, I am watching Fox News or Fox network (because Shep Smith anchors that coverage!). However, I decided to land on the local ABC affiliate.

Immediately after the speech, Ted "It's not a hairpiece.. honest!" Koppel anchored the response to the speech. He cut away to a reporter who was posted outside the AstroDome in Houston, TX with some displaced evacuees from New Orleans. All persons, with the exception of the reporter, were black.

I could see it coming a mile away... or so I thought. I could already tell that this group was assembled to offer some quick retort to the president's plans, promises, and hope.

I couldn't have been more wrong. This reporter must have found the only group of African American Republicans in Houston.

First of all, it was SO blatantly obvious that the reporter (didn't catch the name) was fishing for negative comments about the speech. He asked the first evacuee if she blamed the federal government and the president for not getting her out of NOLA, even though she had no transportation. Her answer floored me... she said "No, there were GreyHound busses, City busses, and School Busses sitting empty. I blame the Mayor. It is his fault we had no way out."

The answers kept getting better and better. The next evacuee was an elderly black woman. The reporter asked her if she thought NOLA would be rebuilt and if she would move back. Her response was so heart-felt and sincere.. it almost moved me to tears.

She said that of course she would move back. She said it was the only place she had ever known and although she wouldn't be moving back to her old home (which was destroyed) she would be back. When asked why she was so sure... she said "Because the president said so."

It was amazing to see that amount of confidence in our President from the very people who he is trying to help. It was profound that these people, completely removed from their homes and all that they know, could exhibit more confidence in our president than the liberal elitists who have dome nothing more than criticize and use this tragedy for personal political gain.

Back to ABC... the reporter moved from person to person and the reaction was the same. Each responded with frustration, disgust, and anger at the local and state government in LA that ignored the warnings and left the people to fend for themselves.

What was more amazing was the blatant "fishing" that the reporter was doing on live national television. He was obviously frustrated with every reaction and would quickly move on to find a viewpoint that fit neatly into the box of "Bush hates black people "propaganda from the media establishment.

As I said after 9/11, thank God that GWB is our president. He and his administration posses the leadership skills needed to rebuild an area the size of the United Kingdom, and pool all the necessary resources to accomplish this monumental task.

He will be lauded by historians of the future for his ability to manage a crisis and give the American people hope.

Here's hoping that Congress will put aside political differences and give due scrutiny to the huge spending that will be required. Here's to hoping that the best in our elected officials will shine through. Here's to..... oh well, it was a nice thought.... here's to just hoping.

The Hurricane

2005-09-12T22:22:00.000-04:00

Here it is; the blog I have been putting off for so long. The post that has changed so much from it's original form. The post that was going to highlight the spirit of cooperation in America. The post that was going to highlight the best in a situation filled with the worst that nature has to offer.

Oh well, I guess it will never be written... at least in it's original form.

For the first time in my life, I am genuinely concerned about the future of America. I am concerned about the direction that this country is heading in.. far more quickly than I realized.

The source of my angst is this: In 2005, it is more important to find blame than it is to help your fellow man. I was disgusted when I heard Sen. Hillary Clinton call for a 9/11-esque "blue-ribbon" panel to place blame on the inadequate response of the federal government.

This bitch, and yes I MEAN BITCH, found a way to take the suffering of millions of Americans and turn it into a political issue so she can launch her campaign for President.

As both an elected official and a citizen of this country, I am ashamed that the tone in Washington has not been one of help and hope. No, these douchebags who are sent to Washington to represent the people of this country and run this government are too busy trying to get their jollies at the expense of suffering Gulf Coast residents.

Where is the outcry? Where is the utter disdain at the fact that this is the best we have to offer? This is the conduct that has become par for the course. There is no outcry because we expect nothing less.... and that what makes me so afraid for the future of our nation.

Maybe I am a dreamer, an idealist, or just naive, but there is a huge part of me that feels like this is the straw that will break the camel's back.

I hold out hope that one day we will all finally say "Enough is ENOUGH!"

As the politicalization of this horrific natural disaster continues, I will post more and more opinions on the events as they happen. This event will shape debate in this nation for years to come and will leave an indelible mark on the history of this nation.

Major Props

2005-09-12T22:18:00.000-04:00

Major props are in order to PartyCrasher. He informed me tonight that I am an annoying drunk, so I give him the appropriate props for putting up with my drunk ass after the football game this Saturday.

This and That

2005-09-12T22:12:00.000-04:00

I wanted to give you all a little information about why my posts aren't as frequent as I would like for them to be.

First of all, I am SO frickin' jealous of people with high speed internet connections. I have dial-up, after all, I live in BFE. So, by the time everything loads on here, a considerable amount of time has transpired. The lack of a high speed connection also contributes to the fact that I don't post too many pictures on here (they take FOR-EV-ER to download).

Because of my connection I also don't have the luxury of browsing from site to site to reference the various articles that many bloggers view. This is another reason that most of my blogs are personal opinion, rather than commenting on the thoughts of others :).

Finally, being a farmer REALLY helps with the free time thing... that is, not having too much of it!

As the weather changes and time becomes available, my posts will be more and more frequent.

I wanted to personally thank you in advance for your patience, and thanks SO much for visiting my little corner of the world :).

-G.ayO.P.

Equal rights, but at what cost?

2005-09-07T22:44:00.000-04:00

Amid the fury of hurricane coverage (don't worry, I'm about cooled off enough to post about that whole shitstorm later) a landmark event occurred. The California Assembly voted to allow same sex marriages. It marks the first time in US history that a legislative body has voted to allow homosexual marriages. The only states that currently afford this privilege to homosexuals is MA and VT, and even in these states it is only a civil union, not a marriage. It is interesting to point out that this occurred via judicial activism, rather than legislative action, or public ballot initiatives.

Late word has reached G.ayO.P. that Gov. Schwarzenegger will veto this bill, as he should.

Now that you have picked your jaw up off the floor, let me explain my rationale.

I can't wait for the day that I meet that special guy who absolutely completes me. I look forward to the day that I meet the man of my dreams and end up settling down together. I even want to adopt and start a family. But more than anything, I can't wait to meet that man at the altar and commit my life to him.

But there is something bigger than my dreams at work here. It's called democracy.
While marriage to another man seems as natural and desirable to me as a heterosexual couple's same desire to marry a member of the opposite sex, the feeling isn't reciprocated. To most straight folks, it is unnatural.

In my particular state, the people voted to amend the constitution last November as to specifically designate marriage as between a man and a woman. The results from the election was a landslide to say the least. While I voted against the measure, nearly 70% of my fellow citizens voted in favor. And as much as I hate it, I have to respect the will of the people. THAT is what democracy is all about, and if the will of the people can simply be trumped by appealing to a few unelected judges sitting on a bench, what guarantees are we assured for our other liberties?

This is an issue that I will admit I have been very conflicted about since this issue was brought to the center of public attention courtesy of the MA Supreme Court.

The left will have you believe that the firestorm of anti-gay marriage was a product of the Karl Rove machine, that this debate would incite the conservative base and give W 4 more years.

No, no, no, no. The culprit is judicial activism. The decision by the MASC forced the issue to the very center of the cultural debate in this country. State legislatures, fearful of similar judicial activism in their own states, used the only provision available to trump a judicial decision... amending a state's constitution.

I will be the first to admit that this was a knee-jerk reaction to a lone incident, but it occurred none the less.

So, here's the result of this perceived victory in MA. We are now further behind in our fight for equal rights pertaining to marriage. More states have now made it more difficult for homosexuals to get married. But hey, at least we have two.

The thing that most members of our community fail to realize is this; as long as there are people in this county who believe that homosexuality is a choice, there will be significant opposition to gay marriage. As long as homosexuality is labeled as sexual deviancy and unnatural, the fight will always be there.

This relates to Gov. Schwarzenegger's decision to veto the proposed legislation because the voters of California voted on Proposition 22, a proposition which defined marriage as between one man and one woman. The measure passed with roughly 60% approval, a solid majority. This is the will of the people. The people of California have stated that marriage should remain a heterosexual institution.

Already the ramifications of the CA Assembly vote are being felt. A constitutional initiative is being proposed to ban homosexual marriage. Great, yet another state in which we take one step forward and 10 steps back.

The gay community fails to realize that society is changing. PartyCrasher and I have had numerous discussions on this topic and we both agree that gay marriage will be a reality in our lifetime, but not because of judicial activism. No, it will occur because society's perception of homosexuality is changing... and changing for the good.

However, each and every time that our will is forced upon a public that is not yet ready to accept us for who we are, we shoot ourselves in the foot. We have to recognize that we live in a democracy in which the will of the people is more important that getting what we want at all costs. The results of a massive rise in judicial activism for homosexual marriage will only make it harder for us to fit into a society that is only now beginning to accept us for who we are.

A sentinel of liberty

2005-09-07T16:42:00.000-04:00

This county lost a great jurist over the weekend. His name was William Rehnquist and he leaves some pretty big shoes to fill.

Chief Justice Rehnquist was, by all accounts, an incredibly intelligent man who took very seriously the role that President Reagan appointed him to. While his demeanor during court sessions was very serious, friends and family tell of a man who enjoyed cards, a few beers, sports trivia, and a good game of tennis.

Over the past several years, he had often been vilified by a left that was enraged by the simple fact that a stalwart conservative occupied the most important judicial seat in the nation. His love of liberty and the protections of states' rights were seen by the left as a threat to the utopian philosophy of an all powerful federal government. Despite the successes of his career, two important goals were never realized during his tenure; the repeal of Roe V. Wade and reinstatement of school prayer.

In the last round of decisions handed down by the court, the chief's influence had appeared to be waning, along with his health. Both the imminent domain case, as well as the court's split decision on two 10 commandments cases demonstrated a deviation in the court's recent trend to the right.

As the county pauses to remember the legacy of Chief Justice Rehnquist, the Senate Democrats will pause only to plot their impending attack on Judge John Roberts.

The hearings next week will undoubtedly be a sight to see. Charles "Ambulance Chaser" Schumer has been the left's point man throughout this entire process, and he will use this opportunity to grandstand on national television and ask the same questions to JJR that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg refused to answer less than 15 years ago. The left will cry and wail and moan that JJR is far too shady to be allowed to occupy the most important seat in American Jurisprudence, yet they cheered and celebrated when RBG refused to speculate how she would vote on potential cases that would come before the high court.

Teddy "err umm... when's the bar opening?" Kennedy has led the other charge that has become old hat the left; "Despite all evidence to the contrary, always accuse a Republican of being a racist." Think I'm joking? Read his op-ed piece in the Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/18/AR2005081801641.html .

While he doesn't flat-out call JJR a member of the Klan, he calls into question the nominee's devotion to the civil rights that were won in the late 1960's. Ted Kennedy and left actually want Americans to believe that JJR, as a justice, would turn back the clock to 1959 and make black citizens "sit in the back of the bus."

For starters, this is 2005 Teddy. Anyone who honestly held those beliefs wouldn't be sitting on the 4th District Court of Appeals. Secondly, just because someone believes that affirmative action is a thing of the past (along with a certain Senior Senator from Massachusetts), does not mean they are a racist... it means that person has a mind of their own!

The real fight, however, will not be over JJR. No, the real spectacle will be the poor soul who is selected to fill the vacancy of Sandra Day O'Connor. The confirmation hearings that are set to begin next week will only allow the attack dogs on the left an opportunity to sharpen their blades to get ready for the next big kill.

Ever feel like a flathead screw in a phillips screwdriver world?

2005-09-01T23:16:00.000-04:00

That title has no relation to my post, but is one of my favorite quotes :).

I have really got to stop watching the TV. I find that anytime I am near a television, I ask someone to turn it to FNC or CNN to get the latest. As soon as I get home, I turn it on. When I get to the bedroom, I turn it on. When I get up in the morning, I turn it on.

I am getting addicted to the news coverage of this event much in the same way that I was glued to the TV after 9/11. Every little detail about the refugees, their plight, and any new video of the destruction that is shown on the television... I can't turn away.

Anyway, much to write about tomorrow. I have a big day ahead of me and Saturday marks the beginning of that timeless Southern tradition, SEC football :).

A special place in Hell

2005-08-31T22:27:00.000-04:00

That is what is awaiting RFK, Jr. Read why here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr/afor-they-that-sow-the-_b_6396.html

If a conservative were to have said on 9/12/2001 that "Bill Clinton ignored the signs, had many opportunities to apprehend Osama Bin Laden, and the people of New York deserve this punishment," a pile of kindling and a nice stake couldn't have been constructed fast enough to burn said conservative to a crisp.

Where is the outcry from the left? Where is the call for an apology? Where is the outrage at this close-minded ignorance? You won't find it in the mainstream media. To tell you the truth, I only heard about this blog post from Glenn Beck on his show this morning.

How any human being with a functioning heart could write something so vitriolic is amazing to me. How dare he say that the good people of Mississippi deserve this because of their choice for Governor, or that Gov. Barbour's position on the Kyoto Treaty is some excuse for this horrible devastation!!

RFK, Jr. sickens me. His post wreaks of Northern liberal eliteism and condescension to my fellow Southerners.

He would be well advised to stay clear of the area once my distraught brothers and sisters in Mississippi hear of his rant.

I burned my dinner and it's all George W. Bush's fault!!

2005-08-30T21:08:00.000-04:00

OK.. I had totally thought of about 20 different things that I was going to post about tonight. It seems like there are so many events that are going on in the world, and here at home, that warrant full attention.

Since I got in from work (farm work that is), I have been glued to both the television and Drudge Report for all the latest hurricane updates.

It is sad to see such destruction and dismay here in Dixie. My heart breaks for all of these good folks in the bayous and bays who can't even begin to put their lives back together again.

While on my hurricane tirade, I wanted to comment about something I gave only a cursory mention to in yesterday's post..... gas prices. I thought it important to mention this subject again because of a conversation that I had earlier today.

I was talking to this friend of mine who said "I hope someone assassinates the president. You know, I blame him for the gas prices." No word of it a lie, I promise. The thing is, this isn't some irrational person who doesn't hold a job and lacks a formal education. This guy is pretty smart, and very good at what he does... yet he can't see past the partisan curtain that is clearly blocking his view.

Blaming one individual, no matter who that may be, for the current increase in gas prices is asinine, close minded, and demonstrates a lack of comprehension of complex geopolitical events and basic global economics.

Here's the skinny on oil prices courtesy of the Canadian Broadcasting corporation http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/oil/supply_demand.html. I came across this story way back in the Spring when prices started to creep up and I saved the link to my favorites. I have been quick to 'whip it out' when I get the chance :).

The article does a great job of pointing out the increasing demand of Asian nations, as well as the projected decline in world crude production.

Back to my original point. I think it is a total cop-out to blame W for all of the worlds' problems, least of all oil prices. But GayOP, if we didn't invade Iraq, we wouldn't be paying higher gas prices. Total bullshit!! Before the liberation of Iraq, all oil produced in that country was banned for use by most Western nations (except France which can do whatever the fuck it wants to thank you very much...'I fart in your general direction'). Since the liberation of Iraq, all the oil that is produced can now be used by the US and her allies (except France, which can go fornicate itself with an iron rod). Soooo, this means that there is actually MORE oil in the world that the US can now use domestically.

This subject matter is like so many other facing our country today. Not enough people educate themselves on a subject, but use the liberal talking points memo to spout off a predetermined position on a very important subject. It pisses me off to no end, especially as an elected official, when people voice an opinion that is based on one-sided information, or no information at all. And why is it that the liberal perspective on so many issues is always the side that requires no thought, research, or investigation and is at best knee-jerk? As a conservative, I LOVE IT!

Til next time.

Hell hath no fury like a Hurricane

2005-08-29T21:25:00.000-04:00

Wow. I have spent the last two days absolutely glued to FOX News' Hurricane Coverage.

I don't know what it is about hurricanes that fascinate me, but even if a category 1 storm is heading anywhere within 5 states of my location, I can't turn off the tv.

This storm was quite different from the many I have seen over my 20+ years. For starters, it was a cat 5 until immediately before landfall. Secondly, this was THE storm that FEMA had modeled as a worst case scenario for the city of New Orleans. As it turns out, it was far worse for Mississippi and Alabama than the 'Crescent City.'

Countless stories will be told over the next several weeks of survival and demise. Also at issue will be the effect on US gas prices.

On that note, what the hell was Chuck Schumer thinking when he opened his mouth earlier today ordering the President to open up the US strategic oil reserves? I mean, this guy didn't even wait for the storm to completely make landfall before he politicized a natural disaster.

Oh well, Shep Smith is on right now (my favorite FNC hottie) and my attention can't be shared!

Naming a Blog

2005-08-28T03:27:00.000-04:00

Wow, I didn't realize that so much thought and consideration would be involved with naming a blog. I guess that I had taken it for granted when reading such greats as GayPatriot and The Malcontent that thought, time, and consideration were in order while creating a new monicker.

So, I settled on GayOP. Not so much that being gay defines everything about who I am, just that it has such a bearing on my political beliefs.

Go ahead, let out that plaintive sigh that will undoubtedly occur when you realize that I am one of those..... a gay Republican.

Now that your disdain is out of the way... let's get down to business.

I decided to start this blog for several reasons. I had never realized there was such a presence of gay conservatives on the internet until I decided to google one day. I thought I might have a few thoughts of my own to throw into the mix.

Why are my thoughts that important you might ask? Well, for starters I'm young. I think that my generation, even the conservatives, have a very fresh and open perspective on the world of politics here in our country.

Secondly, I'm gay. For the first time in the history of humanity, our community has been afforded a voice unlike never before. Even though we do have a voice, it's no dreamworld. Sure we have problems, but thank GOD in heaven that I'm not living in the 1950's.

Thirdly, I'm a Republican. And when I say Republican, I mean the type that is ab-so-fucking-lutely pissed that this Congress hasn't met a spending bill that it doesn't think is in need of MORE pork. The kind of Republican that thinks the President should have vetoed the highway bill. The kind of Republican who believes that no matter WHAT your beliefs, federal law is the LAST place for moral dictums.... be they Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Atheistic, or Vulcan. As a Republican, I believe that the federal government is in place to ensure freedom exists to live your life the way you see fit... not enforce another's will upon you.

Fourthly, I'm a Southerner and a Christian. Kinda hard to have one without the other isn't it?

Fifthly, I am an elected official. Yeah, that's the money shot. I am a young conservative Republican in the south who is an elected official. For the benefit of Michael Rogers and his "out everyone" campaign, I will remain anonymous. Just trust that I am a young elected official in the south who is a closeted homosexual. Wow... that's some pretty juicy stuff!

My family and most of my close friends know about my sexuality, but as for the public at large.. not a clue. I still get set up on dates with girls all the time. Never mind the fact that a second date never happens :).

Well, that's a little about me. In the future I will post my ruminations on national and international events and how they affect me in many different ways. Not all of my posts will be centered around my sexuality, but I am sure that some events will take place that will bring the be-atch out in me.

This is mostly a place for me to get the millions of thoughts in my head out in cyberspace. And hey, if one or two people decide to read it... all the better.

So, here's to the beginning of GayOP. May you find some comfort here.