In Defence of Arizona

In November, Arizona had several controversial propositions to vote for. The three biggest ok, the three I actualy cared about were the one about the pay day loans this one pissed me off. The comercials about them had no basis in reality. They flat out lied!! How can you legaly or moraly lie like that. I understand twisting the truth. It is moraly repugnant. But a flat out lie?!? that would extend the pay day loans exemption from the AZ State usury laws indeffinitly, while now they end in 2009. It would also raise the intrest rate from 390+% to over 400%. Luckily, Arizonan's voted this one down. The second was a proposition to require a measure to pass it had to have the vote of the majority of eligable voters. Not a majority of people who voted, but a majority of all the people who could have voted, whether they decided to or not. Stupid, huh? Fortunetly, Arizonan's showed good sense again and voted this one down as well. I was feeling pretty confident. My state had voted down two stupid propositions. Then they faced the third.
The so-called Defence of Marriage Act. Yes, I am sure you have heard of it. Arizona, along with Florida and California, amended our state constituton to say marriage is between one man and one woman. What pisses me off the most about this is that it is the first time we have voted to limit the rights of an entier group of people. It doesn't really matter if you agree with homosexuality or not. It doesn't matter if you beleive marriage is a religious institution under god this is a completley different topic. If marriage is a religious institution, what does the state have to do with it? If it is a governmental thing (and since you have to get a lisence from the government it is) then what does religion have to do with it? Choose. Either marriage is a religious thing, and the individual church can choose who gets to get married or not and the state stays out of it; or it is a governmental contract and equal right for everyone and the religons get no say. I could go on, but then you'd forget what my original point was. Actualy, so would I. It matters if you beleive that a whole group of people should be denied a governmental sanction because of their membership in a group. I understand that the majority of the people in government grew up beleiveing this was ok. Until 1976 the law may have been changed earlier, but it was on the marriage lisence until then it was illigal in the State of Arizona for a white person to marry a "coloured" person; this means hispanic, asian, black, native american, ect. Until the 1980's there were parts of Tucson that were segregated by law. There was actualy a law that said interracial couples and non-white people could not live in certain neighborhoods in some areas there was a provision that they could not live in a house. This made it possible to have live-in help. They got a shed on the property. To many guys from DMAFB were comming back with their foreign brides and the military got this one overturned. They didn't have enough houseing on base and were getting sick of guys comming in saying they were denied houseing after fighting and bleeding for their country because their wife was not a WASP actualy that would be WASC since it is southern AZ. But that doesn't roll off the tounge that well.

Anyway, you get the impression that we/Arizonan's don't really care. Well, knitters care!!

The local Tucson knitting group was approached by Tucson Medical Center to come in and teach their antipartum mothers to knit. These are women who are pregnant and for whatever reason are stuck in the hospital, sometimes for weeks, sometimes for months. There are only so many movies you can watch. So we will go in and teach them to knit, and to make stuff for their babies. Booties, hats, blankets, sweaters, ect, depending on their skill level. Should be interesting. So if you are a knitter in Tucson and want to get involved in this, email me cerridwencolleen at gmail dot come or the group and we will get you information. You need to pass a background check and have had a measles vaccination.

ok, the first and the second really don't have much to do with each other, and my seque sucked. But I wanted to bitch about the first and mention the second. Yay, two birds! But seriously, if you are a knitter in Tucson and want to help. Or even if you aren't a knitter. There are many volunteer opertunities at TMC and the other hospitals, as well as many other worthy causes in Tucson that need people. And if you aren't in Tucson but this still sounds interesting, call your local hospital. If they don't have a program like this, maybe you can start one. Or find an other program you can help with! The best things I have ever done have been volunteer. First at Souther Arizona AIDS Foundation then the Peace Corps, and am grateful everyday that I was given those oppertunities.