Thursday, April 21, 2005

Ademus Papam!

An estimated one hundred and fifty thousand people waited around on the plaza at St-Peter`s Basilica, for the announcement of their new King, I mean, spiritual leader. And, almost as fast as the white-smoke dissipated, the moment was over, and everybody left. I was left wondering.

I watched the whole thing live; I was at home and sick that day. As a non-believer, raised catholic (by an ex-nun, no less), the frenzy surrounding the new pope has me baffled. Media analysts and critics spent hours analyzing an event with the same fervor and determination as they did the USA election of 2004. I mean come-on. Am I the only one who sees a problem with this? This is supposed to be a spiritual event, guided by god and a bunch of old men sitting inside a gold trimmed church, burning voting ballots in a tradition that is almost as old as... Well, its old. Very, very old.

Some crazies might say that god (yes with a small g) himself struck me with the stomach flu that day so that I would not have to go to work and be a witness to his choosing of the new head of the catholic church (yes, lowercase letters again). That is all Bullcrap (capital letter). I think he was probably busy trying to inspire the 115 old fogies at the conclave: *twilight zone music* god is everywhere!!!!

So, where are we headed now? Oh they say Herr Ratzinger is a conservative cardinal. I even heard some Radio-Canada journalist on the French-Canada national news channel up in arms about how horrible it was the conclave ended with such a conservative man as the head of the church (get used to it, I am not capitalizing those words).

Well, stop the presses. "Ademus papam" or we have a conservative pope. Oh my god! (Pardon the pun!) Is it really something worth writing about? Open any newspaper and note how much time has been devoted to precisely that topic. How unbelievable it is, that a conservative organization has elected another conservative leader. I even heard a priest on TV, whose name I wish I could remember saying: "I don't think of the church as conservative, I think of it as catholic." Well, that says it all.

I guess 1.6 billion catholics can't be wrong. Or can they? I will save my religious hate mongering for another post. I just might burn in hell. I hear that's where most of my friends are headed anyway.

Monday, April 11, 2005

Civil Rights!

ENGLISH ­ SEE BELOW

CANADIENS ET CANADIENNES POUR LE DROIT ÉGAL AU MARIAGEÊ: APPEL À L'ACTION

Le premier vote lié au projet de loi C-38 sur le droit égal au mariage se tiendra le mardi 12 avril. Les membres du Parlement devront alors se prononcer sur une motion de Stephen Harper destinée à faire avorter le projet de loi. NOUS DEVONS REMPORTER CE VOTE, SINON LE PROJET DE LOI MOURRA AU FEUILLETON!

Nous possédons une légère avance à l'heure actuelle au décompte des votes, mais il y des dangers. Est-ce que tous les membres du Parlement qui appuient le projet de loi se présenteront le jour du vote? Les quatre députés conservateurs qui appuient le projet de loi oseront-ils s'opposer à la motion de leur chef?

Canadiens et Canadiennes pour le droit égal au mariage vous invite à contacter votre députée ou député dès aujourd'hui! Allez à www.mariageegal.ca , puis à l'étape 1. Envoyez un courriel à tous les membres du Parlement. À l'étape 1, vous trouverez leurs numéros de téléphone et de télécopieur respectifs. Il suffit de leur indiquer que vous appuyez le droit égal au mariage de même que le projet de loi C-38.

Les opposants à l'égalité des personnes LGBT ne reculeront devant rien avant le vote final. Aujourd'hui même, le samedi 9 avril, ils ont organisé une marche pour le mariage et la liberté sur la colline du Parlement. Stephen Harper en personne s'est adressé à la foule!

Des messages d'opposition inonderont les bureaux des députées et des députés d'ici mardi, et il importe que ceux-ci entendent également nos voix!

Nous avons l'occasion de régler la question une fois pour toutes ­ mais nous ne gagnerons pas le combat sans votre aide. Veuillez contacter votre députée ou député dès aujourd'hui, ou envoyer un courriel à tous les membres du Parlement en vous rendant à http://www.mariageegal.ca/contactezcand_f.php Cela ne vous prendra que quelques secondes.

SI LE PARLEMENT FAIT AVORTER LE PROJET DE LOI SUR LE DROIT ÉGAL AU MARIAGE, NOS OPPOSANTS NE S'ARRÊTERONT PAS LÀ. ILS TENTERONT EN EFFET D'APPORTER DES MODIFICATIONS CONSTITUTIONNELLES À L'AMÉRICAINE, CE QUI REPRÉSENTERA UN RECUL CERTAIN.

Il se peut qu'il y ait une élection prochainement. Auparavant toutefois, il y aura le vote de mardi. Il se peut que ce soit la dernière fois que le Parlement tienne un vote sur le droit égal au mariage. Faisons en sorte que ce vote soit un événement positif et que les membres du Parlement sachent que nombre de leurs électrices et électeurs appuient le droit égal au mariage.

Veuillez nous aider aujourd'hui. Ne tardez pas. Veuillez aussi transmettre le présent message à vos connaissances et amis.

Le temps presse. Veuillez agir dès maintenant.

Laurie Arron
Coordonnateur politique
Canadiens et Canadiennes pour le droit égal au mariage



CANADIANS FOR EQUAL MARRIAGE: ACTION ALERT

The first vote on the government's Equal Marriage Bill (Bill C-38) has been set for Tuesday, April 12. It's a vote on Stephen Harper's motion to kill the bill. WE MUST WIN THIS VOTE OR THE MARRIAGE BILL WILL DIE!

We have a small lead in the vote count, but there are dangers. Will all supportive MPs show up to vote? Will the four supportive Conservative MPs dare to vote against their leader's motion?

Canadians for Equal Marriage urges you to contact your MP today! Go to http://www.equal-marriage.ca Go to Step 1 and E-mail all MPs. At Step 1 you can also find your MP and get their phone and fax numbers. Simply tell them you support equal marriage, you support Bill C-38.

Opponents of equality for lesbian, gay, bi and trans people are pulling out all the stops before the final vote. Today, Saturday, April 9, tens of thousands of opponents held their "March for Marriage and Freedom" on Parliament Hill. Stephen Harper himself addressed the crowd! He told people "if just a few more Liberals can be persuaded to change their vote, we can kill Bill C-38 in its tracks."

We're bracing for a storm of opposition messages flooding MPs' offices between now and Tuesday. It's important that MPs hear from our side too!!

We have the opportunity to settle this issue once and for all. But we can only win this fight with your help. Please contact your MP today. You can e-mail all MPs at
http://www.equal-marriage.ca/contactcampaign.php . It only takes a few seconds.

IF PARLIAMENT KILLS THE EQUAL MARRIAGE LEGISLATION, OUR OPPONENTS WILL CONTINUE WITH FURTHER ATTEMPTS -- EVEN U.S.-STYLE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS -- TO ROLL BACK THE CLOCK.

Today, on Parliament Hill, Stephen Harper once again pledged to bring in legislation to define marriage as a man and a woman.

We all know an election may be called soon. But before any election call will be Tuesday's vote. It may be the last time Parliament votes on equal marriage. Let's make it a positive one!! Let's ensure MPs know that many of their constituents support equal marriage.

Please help today. Don't delay. Please also pass this message on to your friends and your networks.

This is a crucial time. Please take action now.