Nothing to sink my teeth into

We just watched The Green Butchers (De Grønne slagtere) and I was left very disappointed. This is odd; it seems like exactly the kind of movie I normally like, but fell completely flat. It’s nowhere near as funny as the two I’ve seen it compared to, Delicatessen and Eating Raoul, both of which had me in stitches. Maybe I was just tired, but it seems it never connected deadpan with funny.

Don’t Give Me No Lines: California Proposition 8

It’s time for another rant on ballot initiatives from someone who can’t vote: California Proposition 8 proposes to change the State constitution to withdraw the right for same-sex couples to marry. It’s the umpteenth version that has been trotted out in front of voters, and because (A) voters are really tired of the repeated attempts, and (B) a $#17load of money has been spent by the Right on this, particularly from the LDS (Mormon) Church. Here is what proponents say in their opening argument:

Proposition 8 is about preserving marriage; it’s not an attack on the gay lifestyle. Proposition 8 doesn’t take away any rights or benefits of gay or lesbian domestic partnerships. (Emphasis theirs.)

Well, it does take away the right to marry, so that’s Damn Lie #1. It devalues marriage by reducing it to specific biological components rather than love and commitment between two people, so that’s Dam Lie #2. It does attack the gay “lifestyle” by deeming it unworthy of protections and status accorded to the hetero lifestyle, so that’s Damn Lie #3. That’s packing your lies in a nice, compact space.

The proponents’ argument in the voter guide boils down to “That’s the way we’re used to things”. I have yet to see an argument against same-sex marriage that doesn’t reduce to “I don’t like it,” or “It might cost the rest of us money.” Look, I don’t like people who give their kids made-up names, professional wrestling, or daytime soap operas. I don’t plan on demanding that any of those be made illegal because they bother me.

There are plenty of mediocre or even wretched hetero marriages out there, and same-sex marriages won’t change that. I’m going to bet that in time, there will be plenty of mediocre or wretched same-sex marriages too; we’re humans. We goof. We look for love in several wrong places. But I just don’t see why we should deny some people the chance to pursue happiness and commitment because of their particular genital arrangement.

Vote No on Prop. 8 this November, and kill that motherfucker.