The day after...

Prop 8 is going to pass in California. What the FUCK is wrong with people?? South Dakota can shoot down the Abortion ban TWICE, Colorado can shoot down a law insisting that 'life' begins the second a cell divides, but we can't allow two consenting adults of legal age to have their love recognized by civil union.

EDITED TO UPDATE: PROP 4 IS FAILING!!!!!!! YAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Prop 4 is going to pass requiring doctors notify parents if their daughter comes in seeking an abortion, if the daughter is under the age of 18. I cannot support this because you cannot mandate communication in a family where none exists by making a law. You cannot and should not endanger the lives of girls who have been raped or molested by strangers or BY FAMILY MEMBERS by this law. It breeds a climate of fear and possible death by doing so.

My hope is that both of these propositions are challenged over and over again in the courts and in the polls now and if necessary for years to come.

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That said, I am very, very pleased with the national outcome. We have a super majority. I'd prefer it not be filibuster proof. Time to keep these people honest through lively debate and make them live up to their promise of bi partisan coalition building.

pastelon and I met at Beckett's pub about 6pm. We raced through our dinner in order to belly up to a cocktail table nearer the telly to watch the results. I knew. I KNEW in my soul that change would happen but when 8:01pm PT rolled around I was shaking so hard he had to hold me up for I would fall over. Seriously, my entire body was convulsing in nerves.

There were cheers, tears, shouts, a FLOOD a blue clad students SURGED down Channing street waving flags, banners, scarves, cheering and singing. They turned right and fanned out taking over Shattuck street downtown. The police blocked off the feeder streets and just let the party begin.

Pastelon took me home, I was wrung out by 10pm. I took the dogs for a walk. Cheers, horns honking, fireworks were going off everywhere. Knots of people roamed up and down the sidewalks giddy and and in tears. I was grabbed and kissed by strangers while my dogs barked and jumped up on shins wondering what all the excitement was about.

I was restrained when I texted my mother. All I said was "And history is made." She texted me back, eventually. What she sent doesn't bear repeating. Lets just say that no one can accuse her of being gracious.

This isn't the end, this is the beginning and it is the beginning of a lot of hard work. Then again, nothing worthwhile is ever easy.

State Props for Alameda County

My county voted down Prop 4 and Prop 8 both. Too bad we're not the rest of this very large state:



Edited to say: Here is the state view for Prop 8.

The Berkeley Surge

The blurs you see are the fast moving bodies of over 500 CAL students pouring down Channing to Shattuck last night...their volume was a deep low cheering throb and it brought tears to my eyes.



pastelon watching Obama's acceptance speech.

A Pause...And...