Answering Rick Perry's Question

A simple answer to Rick Perry's question can be provided:

 “There is still a land of opportunity, friends — it’s called Texas,” Perry said. “We’re creating more jobs than any other state in the nation. … Would you rather live in a state like this, or in a state where a man can marry a man?”

Would I rather live in Texas or live in a state that allows gay marriage? Hmmmm...that is a really tough call there....

Also, what was after the creating more jobs. "We're executing more black people than any other state in the nation." Or perhaps, "We're allowing more chemical plants to give more of our citizens cancer than any other state in the nation." Or one of the many other awesome things about Texas that makes Rick Perry proud.
 

Around Latin America

-Many are aware that Colombia has been in a civil war for 40+ years, but the ongoing process of electoral processes sometimes obscures just how violent Colombia still is. In the last 8 years (2002-2010), 20,915 people in Colombia have died as a direct result of its ongoing war. Stop and think about that: 20,915 people. That's nearly 18,000 more than those the Pinochet regime killed in 17 years; that's 10,000 more than the number of people killed in Brazil's favelas in twelve years. That's a depressing but important reminder that the war in Colombia is ongoing, it is real, and is still extremely violent.
-In Uruguay, former foreign minister Juan Carlos Blanco (who served during Uruguay's dictatorship in the 1970s and 1980s) was sentenced to twenty years in prison for his role in the disappearance of a Venezuelan teacher in 1976, marking yet another victory against dictatorship-era officials in Uruguay.

-In neighboring Paraguay, the government has imposed a 30-day state of emergency to combat an armed leftist group operating out of the country's north. The group, Ejército del Pueblo Paraguayo, has launched attacks on government buildings and police stations, and a recent attack left four people dead. Among other things, the 30-day state of emergency will allow the Paraguayan government todetain suspects and ban public meetings in the five provinces affected.

-Paraguay is not alone in facing a governmental crisis. In Nicaragua, a showdown between the judiciary and Daniel Ortega is intensifying, after two judges refused to resign in the face of Daniel Ortega's questionable use of an allegedly-expired law, leading to an increasingly uncertain situation in Nicaragua. As Greg points out, it's not a question of leftism; many view Ortega's move as an increasing tendency towards dictatorship, with one critic going so far as to declare that Nicaragua had gone "From Somocismo without Somoza to Somocismo with Ortega."

-Honduras has established a truth commission to look into the coup of last June. However, the commission is already off to a rocky start, with criticisms coming from all sides (including the suggestion of an "alternative truth commission" from non-pro-government individuals). Among the more problematic aspects of the commission: a leading member of the commission's formation declared the report would be archived for 10 years upon completion, meaning nobody would see the commission's findings for ten years. As the good folks over at Honduras Culture and Politics put it, this is effectively an effort to "hide the truth for ten years."

-Evo Morales has offended Brazilian farmers after the Bolivian president declared that eating chicken reduced masculinity and could lead to homosexuality. The claims are silly but fairly unimportant in terms of evaluating Morales's political agenda (though it does say something about societal views of homosexuality and homophobia in Bolivia). Still, given how much agriculture Brazil produces and supplies to the rest of Latin America, including Bolivia, I wouldn't really want to actively alienate any major food producer in Brazil.

-Finally, in doubly-depressing daily news out of Brazil: a 24-year-old housewife was lynched in Rio de Janeiro state yesterday after she ran over a pregnant woman while driving drunk. While the pregnant woman survived, the baby was lost, and in anger, a crowd gathered and shot the housewife. Certainly, drunk driving is not acceptable, but the crowd's response is far more unacceptable.

Cornyn Brings The Stupid

John Cornyn, when asked if he would vote for a gay nominee to the Supreme Court, answered, “I’d have to think about that,” he said. “As long as it doesn’t interfere with their job, it’s not a particular issue.”

I'm just wondering how being gay would interfere with the job of the judge.

Of course, given that Cornyn's opinion that a Supreme Court judge should agree with all of his own policy agenda, clearly being gay would get in the way for such a judge. Since Cornyn wants a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, I guess it would be OK for a judge to be gay if the judge was both in the closet and self-hating. Just the kind of gay person John Cornyn likes.

 

Is Jamaica the Most Homophobic Country in the Americas?

You can definitely make a strong case for it:

Today has been proclaimed 'Gay Eradication Day' by residents of the McGregor Gully community in East Kingston. Residents say that they will be taking action as a two-week notice given to all gays and lesbians to flee the community has now expired.

THE STAR learnt that about two weeks ago angry residents who declared that they were fed up with seeing the activities of several gay persons in their community, ordered that they leave by today or suffer the consequences.

Some residents who admitted to THE STAR that they are a part of the "gay clearing out" scheme said that it is being done to protect their families and the community on a whole.

Most Americans (in a different kind of base stereotyping) think of Jamaica as an island of happiness, home to marijuana and Bob Marley. Few realize that Jamaica is actually home to rampant homophobia that isn't even remotely veiled. Attacks on homosexuals on the island are not limited to verbal assault; Jamaican homosexuals often face very real violence if they come out of the closet, with nowhere to turn. Even the police get in on the act, committing abuses based on sexual orientation. It would be nice if this despicable (and that's being charitable) act of this community in Kingston was abnormal. Unfortunately, it's not - it's symptomatic of broader attitudes towards homosexual men and women in Jamaica, and there's just no sign of any aid coming to those who are threatened anytime soon.

Republicans: They Still Know How to Hate

I guess with the purging of moderates, the Republicans can be more open with their hate.

South Dakota senator John Thune opposes Obama naming a gay person as a Supreme Court judge.

But conservative leaders have warned the nomination of a gay or lesbian justice could complicate Obama’s effort to confirm a replacement for Souter, and another Republican senator on Wednesday warned a gay nominee would be too polarizing.

“I know the administration is being pushed, but I think it would be a bridge too far right now,” said GOP Chief Deputy Whip John Thune. “It seems to me this first pick is going to be a kind of important one, and my hope is that he'll play it a little more down the middle. A lot of people would react very negatively.”

I don't think this would be particularly polarizing. In fact, I don't think anything resembling a majority would care at all. With Maine today, 5 states have now have legalized gay marriage and we're probably looking at least 2 more (NH and NY), as well as Washington DC, by the end of the year. It would anger conservatives, but they are angry anyway. So who cares.

Meanwhile, Kos points us to this lovely ice cream flavor created by the Republican Women of Clifton (VA):

In Honor of the 44th President of the United States, Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream has issued a new flavor, ” Barocky Road.” Barocky Road is a blend of half Vanilla, half Chocolate, and surrounded by Nuts and Flakes. The Vanilla portion of the mix is not openly advertised and usually denied as an ingredient. The Nuts and Flakes are all very bitter and hard to swallow. The Cost is $100.00 per scoop.

When purchased, it will be presented to you in a large beautiful cone, but then the Ice Cream is taken away and given to the person in line behind you. Thus you are left with an empty Wallet, no change, holding an empty cone, with no hope of getting any Ice Cream.

Oh, that's just freaking hilarious...

And finally, it looks like Jeff Sessions (Segregationist-AL) will be the #2 ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, replacing Arlen Specter. What are Sessions' qualifications? Well, he once claimed the NAACP was a communist-inspired organization and a former subordinate said that Sessions liked the Ku Klux Klan, at least before he understood that some of their members liked to smoke pot. Which is the single worst reason to change your mind about the KKK that could possibly exist.

So yeah, the Republicans are really rocking the hate right now. This should really help them become relevant again!

Proposition 8

So it really sucks that Proposition 8 passed in California, eliminating gay marriage.

A lot of people are really upset about this and rightfully so of course. Cara at Feministe expresses her anger and disgust as well as anyone on the matter.

While I am disgusted as well, I want to be positive. Think about how far the gay rights movement has come. 10 years ago the idea of gay marriage having any chance to exist at all was crazy. Even 4 years ago, when Massachusetts starting allowing it, it was seen as out of left field. 15 years ago when I was in college it was difficult to be gay, even in Eugene.

A lot has changed.

A lot of work needs to be done.

Josh Marshall suggests that Prop 8 passed because African-American voters who came out for Obama also voted yes. There's no question that there are huge problems with homophobia within the black community. I hope Obama makes this a priority. It's sad that what leads to a great historic victory can also lead to a devastating defeat that takes rights away.

And certainly people in states less liberal than California and Massachusetts are banning gay marriage.

But the times are changing. Huge progress has been made in 15 years. Young people, even many young evangelicals, support equal rights for the LGBT community. This is going to happen. It might take another 20 years, but damn it will happen and in our lifetimes too.

UPDATE: To add a little evidence to this argument, note that in 1993 44% of Americans thought gays should be able to serve openly in the military. A recent poll shows that number rising to 75%. This is real progress.

So I'm upset about this too (and it is one of the biggest bummers of the night) but history is on our side.

This also serves as another excuse to mention how much I hate ballot measures, which almost invariably appeal to the worst American tendencies.

Attitudes towards Torture and Homosexuality in Brazil

There is a disturbing, if not altogether surprising, poll this week that shows just how far Brazil has to go in overcoming its prejudices towards alleged criminals, homosexuals, and racism. An IBOPE poll asked a number of questions based on social issues. Among other things, it reports that 26% of the people it interviewed said that they would torture suspects if they were a police officer. I find this rather remarkable, too, given that just 25-30 years ago, significant portions of society (including white-collar and the middle-class sectors) were speaking out against torture during the military dictatorship. The fact that people seem to have forgotten the torture during the dictatorship isn't so surprising to me, particularly given that torture has been used against the poor and criminals for over a century (even if not always called "torture"), but the fact that you still have 26% who say, "sure, I'd torture a suspect" is disturbing, to say the least.

The depressing figures also extend to attitudes towards homosexuals. I commented earlier on the possibility of civil unions becoming legal in Brazil, but pointed out that there probably would be significant social hurdles in overcoming prejudice. The poll seems to support the latter point, as 33% say they would abandon a friend if he or she admitted his/her own homosexuality.

Unfortunately, I was unable to get any more information (including what the reports on racism were), thanks to Globo "offering" me to read the rest of the report by paying only 36 reais for their online service, but the day I knowingly and voluntarily give O GLobo money will be the day I day, so I can't report on the rest. Still, while it does mean 74% said they wouldn't torture, and 67% would remain friends with somebody even if that friend announced her/his homosexuality, the figures 26% and 33% are still significant.

Suppression of Homosexuality in Jamaica

There is a lot of material in this report on the suppression of homesexuality in Jamaica that is extremely distressing, from the use of "homo" in the media to the blaming of homosexuals for shortages in women's underwear; from the blatant physical attacks and the need to be in hiding to the protests at funerals. There is clearly not much good in the way Jamaica treats homosexuality. I hope it isn't as bad as the article suggests, but if the attitudes truly are as pervasive as they seem to be (the closing paragraph is extremely damning, given not just the fact that homosexual men are seeking ministers to be "cured," but that ministers themselves have to stay in hiding because they even associate with homosexuals puts their life at risk), then I'm not sure exactly what can be done - more international pressure? Travel boycotts? Other options? No matter what, things are definitely far more dire in Jamaica than people realize, and this kind of report is really important in shattering (generally racist) notions of the "happy Caribbean".

Lucid arguments about homosexuality and the U.S. military

As good as Rob's analysis is, the real gem in this piece on General Peter Pace's unapologetic stance against homosexuals in the military based on (what he perceives is) their immorality is R. Stanton Scott's arguments about leadership in the comments thread. As Scott points out, the general empty complaint of "unit cohesion" is meaningless, and if the military cannot integrate homosexuals into units, that only shows a lack of ability on the part of military leadership. His argument is extremely well-stated and well worth checking out (and if you get the chance, take a look at Scott's new blog, too, which covers topics such as globalization, international relations, and power systems, or, as he puts it, "Politics, Economics, and other silly things".)