John S. McCain III 1936-2018

By now, you know Arizona Senator John S. McCain III lost his battle with cancer yesterday afternoon. He wasn't my senator and I am the last person anyone would even think of when the word Republican is mentioned, but his death hit me very hard. Harder than I thought it would.

We've all known for some time he was fighting an uphill battle and yet, when word came down Friday that he'd stopped treatment, it was still a shock when my husband told me last night, "John McCain died."

Politically speaking, I was McCain's polar opposite--a proud liberal who despises war and tax cuts for corporations, who hated seeing Obamacare gutted instead of seeing the parts that didn't work fixed. And yet, I respected McCain. He was a true patriot--a POW during Vietnam who lived with the reminders of his captivity and torture for the remainder of his life. Unlike the disgrace who currently occupies the White House, McCain didn't ask for deferments. He served his country for almost sixty years.

In 2008, when he ran for president, I was thisclose to voting for him, and I have never cast a vote for a Republican presidential candidate. But then, he chose the Talking Turnip from Alaska and I couldn't, in good conscience, vote for him after that. The thought of someone as stupid as Sarah Palin occupying the Oval Office chilled my blood. So, I voted for the man I felt was too young and too inexperienced. I don't regret that vote. Not one bit. But I do think McCain would have made a good president.

This one moment of the 2008 campaign is forever embedded in my mind:

In these days, when the occupant of the Oval Office seems to have difficulty with acting like an adult, never mind acting presidential, McCain reminds me of a time when civility still existed. He is the last of a dying breed--an honorable Republican--and our country is worse off for that.

Godspeed, Senator McCain, and thank you for your service. This country will miss you more than you could ever know.

Number 14

I don't get political on this blog. My views are mine and I don't see any need (for the most part) to get up on a soapbox and preach. I'm not registered with any party, but I do tend to vote Democrat. I am liberal for the most part. I'm pro-choice. I'm pro-gun control. I'm pro-same-sex marriage.

Today, New Jersey became the 14th state to legalize gay marriage. Actually, the ruling came down a few weeks ago, but our governor, who I like for the most part, is appealing the ruling. While the appeal is underway, our State Supreme Court ruled, same-sex marriage is legal, with the first licenses being issued as of Monday.

I cannot even begin to tell you how happy this makes me. I am a heterosexual woman, happily married to the same man for almost seventeen (egads!!) years and I support same-sex marriage. I won't do the whole bs about claiming some of my best friends are gay, but I know plenty of gays and lesbians and I can honestly say that I don't give a damn who you go to bed with. I just. don't. care. Love is love and as corny as it sounds, there is no such thing as the wrong way to love someone.

To me, the whole idea of being against equal rights is baffling. Anyone who knows me knows I have no use for organized religion (I was raised Catholic, but the Church and I went our separate ways a long time ago and I don't see me ever going back, but that's another post for another time,) but I respect those who have deeply religious beliefs. But I think those who claim religion as a reason for being anti-same-sex marriage are wrong. They are entitled to believe as they do, just as I'm entitled to think they are wrong. If you're against it, don't do it, but you don't get the right to tell another couple they are wrong for loving each other and wanting to commit to each other. Sorry.

And for that reason, it should not be left up to the general population to decide. Civil rights are not a majority-rules situation. They are rights. We don't get to vote on who gets rights and who doesn't. If we'd left segregation up to the people, what are the odds there would still be separate fountains? Interracial marriages would be illegal.

For those who believe that procreation is the main reason for marriage, I ask you - what about couples who choose not to have children? Or those who can't have them? Are they no longer married in your eyes? If I apply that silly logic, then that must be the case. But wait, their marital status doesn't change, does it?

Your argument is invalid. Move on.

And for those who honestly think that same-sex marriage will lead to people marrying their dogs, or cows, or chickens, I really have nothing for you but an eyeroll and a slap upside your head. You are a moron and should probably not be allowed out by yourself.

Your argument is invalid, not to mention utterly stupid. Move on.
 
What is the big deal? Your hetero marriage is under no threat. Hell, straight people take care of screwing up their marriages all on their own. Same-sex marriage is legal here now and yet, I'm just as hetero-married (hey, a new phrase!) as I was this time last year. Nothing about my marriage has changed, but now, gay and lesbian couples can share in the same wonderful chaos that marriage brings. And for that, I say, bravo to NJ. You did the right thing. Now all I can do is hope that Governor Christie loses the appeal and our State Supreme Court upholds the decision.

Ooops

It's been a few days, hasn't it? Sorry about that. I can't really even blame being sick, since I started feeling more like my old self a few days ago.

Part of it is that I've written and rewritten a post several times over. I haven't posted it because it's very strongly political and I've tried to keep my political views out of this blog. I've tried to keep this blog kind of light and fun to read (and hopefully I've succeeded) and so I'm not entirely sure I want to drag politics into it. Let's just leave it at politicians are making me sick. I can't wait for this election season to end. I can't believe all the nonsense surrounding birth control and women having access to it and when the hell did we get zapped back into the 1950s?

Ahem.

So, since I'm not so sure I want to bring politics into the mix, I'm going to blame my short absence on writing. I've been chugging away at the fourth McKenzie book (although my Musa editor doesn't know about it just yet.) This is Emma's story (she's Drew and Garrett's sister) and so far, I'm loving it. I'm a little over a quarter of the way into it and have already been pleasantly surprised by a few events that I didn't see coming until the words were on the screen. Yay!

What I'm not loving about it is the title. I don't have one. It's been Untitled since I began it a few weeks ago. I hate having it called Untitled. By now, I usually at least have a working title. Not this time. No title and I can't seem to come up with anything. Rats. I'm not good at titles to begin with and this has been driving me crazy. I hate coming up with them. I'd rather write a synopsis than think of a title. Wait... no... that's not entirely true. But you get how much I hate coming up with titles, right? (Not to mention how much I seem to just really like the word 'title'. Yeesh.)

But since the story is flowing like crazy, I'm not going to go too insane over it just yet. It'll come to me. I hope.