Politics

I hate politics. I really do. That doesn't keep me from having very strong views for some political topics, but those are all based in what I have seen and learned.

You may be thinking that at 19 I haven't been around long enough to really have much experience with anything, but you'd be wrong. I've been working with computers since I was 5, learned BASIC when I was 7 (mostly through books), started modeming when I was 11, was on the net by 15. May not seem like such a feat now, but when you consider that that was in 1983, 1985, 1989, and 1993, respectively, it was a big deal. I used to be the only person I knew who had a computer (granted, it was an old Commodore 64, but it was still technically a computer, even though completely different from the ones we have now), and now I'm working at an internet provider where it seems like everyone and their half-wit brother owns one and wants to get online. Sigh, I remember the days when I would talk to someone about a modem (and not that long ago, maybe 4-5 years), and someone else would ask, "What's a modem?" and I'd explain that it's something that connects a computer to a phone line, and I'd get a look that said, What a geek.

And I'm not just experienced with computers. I've been a musician since I was 6. I've had more than my share of boyfriends. I've come across discrimination in many forms. I've had more than my share of shit thrown at me, and what hasn't triggered my depression I've dealt with fairly easily. Hell, I've even been mugged and now carry pepper spray around with me.

So what are these mysterious political things that I believe so strongly in? Will, first and foremost (as you may have gathered from my binary page) the fact that there is always more than two sides to every issue. A prime example of this is the abortion issue. We have pro-lifers (who believe that abortion is murder) and pro-choicers (who believe that the woman should have a choice of what to do with her body). But most people forget that there are things in between. Yes, I believe that a woman has a right to do what she wants with her body, but I also believe that that stops when it comes to taking another life. That still doesn't make me pro-life. Mostly, my opinion on abortion is driven by my belief that people should be held responsible for their actions. If you're a woman, and you have sex with a man, you run the risk of getting pregnant, no matter how much birth control you're using. You should be aware of that, and be prepared to accept that particular consequence of your actions. But if a woman is raped and becomes pregnant from it, she should be able to abort the pregnancy because it is of no fault of her own.

Of course, this also brings up the issue of what if she can't afford the baby (well, she should have thought of that beforehand), or if the father runs out on her? In the case of the latter, the father in question should be hunted down and possibly castrated so he won't cause any more trouble. Am I kidding? I haven't figured that out yet.

Another of my strong beliefs is in the legalization of pot. I don't smoke it. I don't smoke cigarettes, either, nor do I drink. I think it should be legal because it's considerably safer than both cigarettes and alcohol, yet those are both legal. There has never been a death attributed solely to marijuana use, nor is it very addictive. So why is it still not legal? Well, here in California, it finally is, for medical use. That's a start. My personal theory is that it's not legal simply because ye olde lawmakers are too stubborn to admit that they might be wrong. Then there's the argument that it's a gateway drug... to which my response is, "Only because it's illegal. Otherwise it would be no more a gateway than cigarettes or alcohol."

Another is the "Whose rights are more important?" debate (AKA the "Should smoking be allowed in public?" debate). My answer? Well, if it's just harmful to the person doing it, then go for it. If it's also potentially dangerous to those around them, then keep it private. I will support your right to smoke until it infringes on my right to breathe. I'll support your right to drink until you either a) get into a fight or b) get behind the wheel of a car (or any other means of transportation, for that matter) or c) do anything else that is potentially damaging to others.

Then there's the Big Issue: homosexuality. Yup, you knew this was coming and you knew right. Obviously, I'm not of the opinion that it's a Bad Thing. I am, however, of the opinion that that should be obvious. The #1 reason (that I've heard) for condemning same-sex marriage is that it would "destroy the institution of marriage as we know it." Huh? Say again? How would two gay men getting married in New York affect a heterosexual couple in Oregon? They wouldn't. They wouldn't even affect the heterosexual couple in New York that they happened to move in next door to. It's a silly thought. The #2 reason that I've heard is that it would lead to other things, such as incestous marriage or man-dog marriage. Again, I say, "Huh?" While this makes slightly more sense to me, it's still a silly thought. As for the man-dog marriage, the answer is simple: The dog is incapable of giving consent. It's a non-issue. As for the sibling marriage, it's slightly more likely to happen, though I doubt it will ever be widespread. Even then, the state does have a reason to deny the marriage license in the case of sibling marriage: increased chances of genetic disease. Of course, then you get into gay sibling marriages... I won't even go there. Personally, I don't have a problem with it. It's also not the question at hand at the moment. What harm does a married homosexual couple do? None, so far as I can tell. It's better for everyone if they can be legally married instead of merely "Domestic Partners". Yes, it's even better for the children. Children always do better when their parents love each other and their relationship isn't viewed as "wrong."