The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

If there's one thing the Republican Party likes to do, it's make asinine comparisons concerning the LGBT community. Some have compared it to: Polygamy, beastiality, pedophilia, alcoholism, drug addiction, and the list continues. Just recently, North Carolina House Republican Robert Pittenger decided to make an addition to that ever growing list of nonsense, as he said the following at a town hall near Charlotte with regard to his belief that companies should have the right to fire or refuse to hire someone because they're gay: "You need to respect the autonomy of somebody running their business. It's like smoking bans. Do you ban smoking or do people have the right to private property? I think people have the right to private property. In public spaces, absolutely, we can have smoking bans. But we don't want to micromanage people's lives and businesses. If you have a business, do you want the government to come in and tell you you need to hire somebody?...

I've got nothing against Alabama head coach Nick Saban. Without much debate, he's the best college football coach in the game today, and he could very well go down as one of the greatest college coaches in the history of the game when all is said and done. In saying all of that, however, I don't buy that he's trying to slow the game down for the players' safety, so much as I think he's doing it because he is having trouble adjusting to the up-tempo teams. I also think the analogy he pulled out of his backside regarding the issue the other day was quite ridiculous as well. Speaking to ESPN.com, Saban said this: "The fastball guys (up-tempo coaches) say there's no data out there, and I guess you have to use some logic. What's the logic? If you smoke one cigarette, do you have the same chances of getting cancer if you smoke 20? I guess there's no study that specifically says that. But logically, we would say, 'Yeah, there probably is.'...

I just read a strange article regarding a study. Framingham Foot Study just released results from a study which showcased that high heels don't cause bunions. Here's how this information is played out in the article: "...Scientists have produced study after study proving what women already know: Heels hurt your feet. A lot. Specifically, shoes with heels strain your calf muscles, permanently shorten your tendons, damage your posture and twist your ankles. But we've got some consolation for all your heel devotees: High heels do NOT give you bunions!" The article closes by saying this: "...But of all the harm heels inflict on women's bodies -- hurting our muscles, throwing our posture out of whack, making us fall off a sidewalk or two -- they aren't to blame for those bunions..." Perhaps the author was writing sarcastically, however, if a die-hard high heel enthusiast read about the study's findings, she would likely scream with jub...

It kind of bothers me to constantly hear extremely religious-minded people condemn others based on their sexual orientation, deciding to have an abortion at some point in their lives, etc., yet they'll be finishing a pack of cigarettes at this time, on their 5th shot of tequila, getting ready to sleep with the 10th different guy/gal that month. Do as I say, not as I do, eh? It's alright to damage one's (and others') lungs, liver, spread sexually transmitted diseases through promiscuity, but if one engages in intercourse with a person of the same gender that they've been with for five years, then that's going too far! I'll never understand people like that. They worship a man who says to love all, yet while they make their own mistakes in life, they'll point to others' actions and deem them mistakes of truly great (eternal) significance. This is how they tend to come across to me - "Yes, I messed up, but I'm a believer in Christ. With your mi...

This poem can be found on pages 117-118 of my book, "Seasons Come, People Grow: A Poetic Journey". The book can be bought on several sites, the cheapest of which would be at lulu.com (20% off with coupon code: 2011SURVEY). It can be bought on paperback or download. Here's the poem: I fly in the sky, Never wanting to come down, I feel the ultimate high, As I float up in the clouds, My eyes close and tighten, As words fly out of my mouth, My arms raise high above my head, To where no one else can reach, I zone out into nothingness, Everything around me ceases to be, This is no distraction to my life, So much pleasure from the screen I do receive, One after another, I feel a numbing in my soul, Blurred vision, stupidity, loss of consciousness, Indifference rules in my world, I give myself up, All that I stand for, For a few moments of pleasure, Regardless of consequences, My eyes wide open, Arms fall into place, I feel withdrawal, I feel guilt, ...

Yeah, I attended The National Smokers' Convention a while back. I went to a friend's place and out of ten people (including myself), I was the only non-smoker there. Even a gal with asthma was smoking. Smoking has been banned in public places in Nebraska, where I used to live, and also Ohio, where I currently live. So, smokers are ticked and there are even silly commercials appearing on television dealing with the continuous bans. I saw one a while ago that stated a high percentage of people die in their sleep, so, are we going to ban sleep? Yeah, I get what they're trying to say. If people can die in their sleep or by smoking, then why does it make sense to ban one, but not the other? A friend of mine said it brought up a good point. Not exactly. It's a very desperate attempt by smokers to hang on to those beautiful cancer sticks. Why doesn't it bring up a good point? Sleeping is an essential component to a human being's life. One needs rest in order to survi...

When interviewed by ThinkProgress earlier this year, social conservative leader (Iowa Family Leader), Bob Vander Plaats, stated, “If we’re teaching the kids, ‘don’t smoke, because that’s a risky health style,’ the same can be true of the homosexual lifestyle. That’s why I think we need to speak the truth once in a while.” [1] Indeed we do. This wasn’t the first time Vander Plaats resorted to such rhetoric regarding homosexuality. Earlier this year, he stated the following, “Why not open it up! Bisexual, polygamy, multiple women? Why not?” Okay, so I’ve heard this slippery slope before. “Legalize gay marriage? Then what? Polygamy? Incest? Marrying your dog? Marrying a poster of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Really? What’s next?” Alright, so I’ve heard the slippery slope before when people have attempted to make a case against gay marriage. However, this was the first time I had heard a person compare homosexuality to smoking. That’s right, smoking = being gay. This mathematic...

When interviewed by ThinkProgress earlier this year, social conservative leader (Iowa Family Leader), Bob Vander Plaats, stated, “If we’re teaching the kids, ‘don’t smoke, because that’s a risky health style,’ the same can be true of the homosexual lifestyle. That’s why I think we need to speak the truth once in a while.” Indeed we do. This wasn’t the first time Vander Plaats resorted to such rhetoric regarding homosexuality. Earlier this year, he stated the following, “Why not open it up! Bisexual, polygamy, multiple women? Why not?” Okay, so I’ve heard this slippery slope before. “Legalize gay marriage? Then what? Polygamy? Incest? Marrying your dog? Marrying a poster of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Really? What’s next?” Alright, so I’ve heard the slippery slope before when people have attempted to make a case against gay marriage. However, this was the first time I had heard a person compare homosexuality to smoking. That’s right, smoking = being gay. This mathematically-...