Ahh, summer session…an extra class taken up in attempts to get my graduate studies over with quickly.

We were looking at a summary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. One plucked out of the list was marriage rights, and the conversation quickly turned into gay marriage. And where one student claimed that it is an unnatural action, which in turn had me burst out “marriage is not a natural institution.” Which, after a few other exchanges, another said the “what if everyone were to turn gay?” epic fail statement. Which made me “come out” to pretty much defend my ass and the right to marry a woman (if I were to think that the act itself later on seems necessary for security reasons and important for symbolic reasons). Which made the professor slightly panic and lightly attempted to kill the conversation. Continuing on over the cautionary statement of the professor, the offender asked me “I can’t have a right to say my opinion, you’re going to force me to accept your view?” (which is not my “view,” but rather, my state of being). Which led me to state something to the effect of “no, I just asking you to accept me”…maybe, I’m not too sure at that point what I said. But, I sure as hell wanted to jump across the seats and knock people out. And yes, considering the respective commentators’ backgrounds, I should be a bit more understanding, but still, I primarily have to protect myself and my rights, so in those instances…fuck culture. Yes, I said it.

I just thought the shit was funny considering the setting of the conversation, again dealing with international human rights and what it is means, who’s entitled to it, what it consists of and how has it evolved over the course of a few centuries.

…

After class was done the woman sitting next to me told me that she felt bad about the exchange and was surprised about the way that the conversation went. But ehh, we are still in a society, and we still have cultures that are homophobic and view homosexuality as an abnormality (which again I understand as I come from one of those cultures, but still I do not, will not, accept that perspective at all). Yet before I exited the classroom, I was surprised: the “offender” came up to me and apologized. Even hugged me. I said what I wanted to say (pretty much paraphrasing): “I’m not unnatural, I understand (your perspective), but I don’t want be labeled as ‘unnatural.’ I am natural” (because really, who the fuck wants to be labeled as unnatural anyway?). Whether he understood or not, I can’t be sure, but the respect was exchanged.

I left a bit more content. I don’t anticipate people to drastically change their perspective on homosexuality/queerness/non-heterosexuality/ whatever. That’s not what I’m aiming for; that would be a never-ending battle. I just don’t want people to question who I am. I don’t want to be reduce to a deformity. I don’t want people to think that it is something that I chose, as years of struggle, attempts at erasure and “adjustment” only helped to leave scars and unresolved issues. Why would anyone choose to be condemned? To be rejected? To be devalued? To be a walking stigma? All I want is to be left to be…

I used to be an avid reader of Americablog.com. But, then these posts started to appear which just reeked of elitism, like this post on the new tax rebate plan that was approved on Thursday.

And rather than being geared towards helping the economy, they’re apparently geared towards redistributing wealth (that would be our wealth) to the poor.

I mean, really, God/dess/es forbid if my parents, who register less than $35,000 per year combined on their income tax form, get a little additional break. God/dess/es forbid that they are part of the working poor doing less than glamorous and apparently highly rewarding jobs, such as getting paid to blog, appearing on TV, doing interviews, what have you. It’s so offensive to think that these rebates are going towards the working class, because apparently, hey there are no worries, no debt, no bills, no tuition fees, no expenses whatsoever…huh, does this shit make sense to anyone?

And our wealth? Seriously, only people making more than 75K read Americablog.com? Don’t be ridiculous! Well, I guess it’s consistent, since I don’t read the blog anymore, considering that I make almost half of 75K.

Some guy living in a mansion in Topeka making $74,999 a year will get his little gift from the US Treasury and you, living in NYC making $75,001 out of a 300 sq ft studio apartment will get nothing

Well, the hypothetical “you” is a fuckin’ moron for living a 300 sq ft studio in NYC in the first place. Oh, let me guess, SoHo, Greenwich Village, Battery Park, or is it a trendy gentrified spot: SpaHa (Spanish Harlem), Lower East Side, Williamsburg, or Bushwi…oh, oh, excuse me, I meant East Williamsburg.

The Republicans ONLY want to help the rich, and the Democrats ONLY want to help the poor. Screw everybody else.

Someone please insult me and give me a $75,000.01 annual salary! Shit!

Update 1/26: He deleted his post, after censoring many comments, banning a few, commenting in a few of the comments, accusing people of being liars when they were only quoting him, acting like a dick when people were pretty much “typing” pretty calmly, etc. Here’s a link to original post

 An uterus coffin!  Seriously.  Now if it comes with amniotic fluid, it’s a done deal!

From Accra, Ghana, via BBC News

(If they would to make the beer bottle coffin into a Presidente, I would seriously opt for a burial, instead of cremation).