Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Same-Sex Marriage Bill in Maryland - A Catholic's Take

The same-sex marriage bill currently in question in Maryland comes as a news worthy of defining our time.  The 50s began the civil rights movement, beginning with equal rights for African-Americans, and later moving on to include women.  I believe that same-sex marriage will be looked back on in a similar light.  One day, when we're older, we'll look back and think, "How could something like this have happened?" and "How could people take away such a civil liberty?".  One day, we'll look back in shock - we'll realize how bigoted we were - much in the same day we currently look back and view the rampant racism and sexism of the 1950s.  How could this have happened?

As a life-long Roman Catholic, you might think I adamantly oppose same-sex marriage.  Well, I don't.  And to be honest, I believe many of Catholics don't.  So many outside people judge the Roman Catholic community in a most brutal, bashing manner - particularly in the media, we've always been a target.  However, people judge from the outside looking in - they don't actually know what's going on.

In some parishes of the Catholic Church, yes, some priests are vehement when speak out against gay marriage - but if you look around the room in these situations, you'll see a number of members of the church staring at the ground or shaking their heads in disapproval - they're the supporters of gay marriage.  The Catholic Church is not a democracy - we don't get to pick and choose at as a whole in what we believe in - but it is certainly not a dictatorship.  Members of the church cannot vote on what they deem to be "right" or "just" for the church - that definition is left up to the pope.  And while beliefs may change over the years (the Catholic church is more focused on interpretation than strict reading of the Bible), reform is very slow-going, as our religion (our culture, even) is very strongly rooted in tradition.  When people see all Catholics as bigoted, anti-gay marriage folk, they are completely wrong.

You see, people aren't seeing things from my perspective.  At my Roman Catholic high school, the graduating class above me had five LGBT students.  Two girls on my JV softball team were dating.  My Catholic priest at my current parish has a sister who is a lesbian, and during his homily, he always tells us that although the Catholic Church may take the stand against gay marriage, that doesn't mean we aren't to love members of the LGBT community any less - he still loves his sister just the same.  Even some members of my parish are of the LGBT community, and they come to church every Saturday/Sunday.  Just because an organization as a whole says something, doesn't mean everyone believes it - just look at the United States, for example.  Do you believe in everything the government says?  Do you support every position it takes?  And yet you still define yourself as an American.  Why?  Because it's part of who you are.  That is how Catholicism is for me.

I love my religion.  I'm always going to be a part of it.  I respect everyone's personal beliefs, and I have personally studied with great admiration an abundance of different religions from a very young age.  I believe that every religion/belief, so long as it points to a greater good for humanity as a whole, and so long as it seeks to connect with a higher power, is - by the full definition - true.  I believe that each religion is just another facet of understanding something greater than ourselves - and I believe no matter what religion or belief you choose to believe in, and no matter what religion or belief your neighbor chooses to believe in, we are all striving for the same thing.  Catholicism is my way of finding that greater good in life.  Perhaps over the years, you've found your own way too.

I believe that love is universal.  I believe that in terms of a sexual relationship, if that relationship is loving, if those two parties are wholly committed to each other in an ethereal manner, it doesn't matter of you're gay, straight, transsexual, or bisexual.  Love is love.  And love between two people who wholly committed to each other is marriage.  I have seen beautiful LGBT relationships among all sorts of people - from close friends to celebrities - for someone to deny them the right to legally marry, in my personal opinion, is wrong.  I believe it's devaluing our human dignity.  Let your beliefs be your beliefs - but don't let it impose on the greater good.  With the protection of "marriage" within certain religions, of whom will still be free to practice marriage as they wish under their own sanctioned rituals, I believe there is no reason why this bill shouldn't pass.  This bill is for the betterment of civil rights, and the betterment humanity, and while it may tick off a lot of religious groups, I hope it passes.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

State of the Union

State of the Union -  President Barack Obama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgfi7wnGZlE
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/25/state-of-the-union-address-full-text

Republican Rebuttal - Mitch Daniels
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE_SJc4_A6M

Tea Party Rebuttal - Herman Cain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6XOAvqAmB8


I watched the State of the Union today, and surprisingly I agreed with most everything that President Obama said.  The United States definitely needs to start "in-sourcing" our American jobs.  I am a big proponent of buying either American or fair trade (which levels the playing ground for us here and others in developing countries).  I think he was very powerful in his statements (other than the "spilled milk" comment - he gets a keyboard cat playoff for that lol), and he is (as always) very optimistic about the future of the United States.  His emphasis on community colleges is something I have always supported along with him, and is one of the driving forces for me voting for him in the last presidential election.  Of course, his push for green energy is one of my big things - however, the mess with that solar company has me cynical.  I know how tough the job market is right now for new graduates, and he seemed to laud himself and his staff for stimulating the economy, when in actuality, we as new graduates are suffering.  He didn't even acknowledge the existence of this issue, or a definitive plan to solve the problem.

I thought the Republican rebuttal was awful.  It was so convoluted and high-brow, it was difficult to understand what he was saying.  It almost seemed like they were supporting the concept continued tax breaks of big corporations and the wealthy elite, without exactly saying it.  He didn't really shine through with much personality, and was blinking and hurrying along quite a bit.

Although I'm not a fan of the Tea Party (because of smeer campaigns and their extremism), Herman Cain's speech was delivered in a manner that was far easier to relate to.  He spoke in a very direct mannerism, and was very to the point and clearly spelled out his points of disagreement with the President.  His commentary made sense, and expressed the frustrations and futility of job-searching for new graduates.  His rebuttal should have been in place of Mitch Daniels for the Republican party by far.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Hello!

Hi!  So, I'm a bit new to blogging, but I'm setting this up for one of my classes, and it seems to be a really neat idea so far!  My name is Brooke Warrington - I hope to post some of my thoughts and experiences up here, and I hope you'll enjoy them!  I've had a lot of interesting jobs and experiences that I suppose some people might find interesting, including working with injured wildlife, and pretty soon, working at the National Aquarium in Baltimore.  This site will probably also be a great way of exchanging information via web - articles that I'm reading, and thoughts on current events - particularly regarding wildlife issues.  Most of my stuff on here will probably be animal/environment/nature related, because that's what interests me the most.  I also love researching local lore and history, as well as my own family history and genealogy, and will probably put my discoveries on here as well.  Anyways, I hope you'll enjoy! :)