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Post by Craazyforadam on Mar 30, 2014 0:49:15 GMT -5
adamrocks. Agree with you and has nothing to do with naive at all. There are many other reasons not to marry, as I said, not every situation is related to gay. Fully agree with you. But, that none at all, that you encounter in your life, would be related to somebody being unmarried because they are gay ...that is hard for me to imagine. Question is, how many times do you find out one way or the other? The statistics are helping here a little, maybe: If 5 % of the US population are gay, how many people is that in your own life? The average US person knows about 300 people. That means 15 that are gay. Just ask yourself how close to that number you are, depending on how big your circles are. I think, there are many more gay people surrounding us, but they are closeted. And yes, times are changing. Just because the media are portraying the OUT situation as 'the new normal', does not mean that our lives are that way quite yet. And for every closeted person there is one person having to live with all that this means on a daily basis. And agree with whoever pointed out that most of the US is purple - not red and blue and that the whole gay topic is not nearly as straight-cut divided along either party or religious lines. It's far more complicated than that. But most of us have multiple circles in which we move about in our RL, and their value and belief systems are far more mixed than geography would indicate. But so is, the level of understanding people have of gay rights, issues that the gay community faces, etc. Where gay people are closeted, it is very easy to assume there are no issues. Because obviously, we don't see them, and the whole burden rests with the person that is gay and not with us.
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Post by glittergma on Mar 30, 2014 0:49:24 GMT -5
Want to back Q3 up on the image of middle America. I sorta cringe when that sytereotype is thrown at me actually. What I think we are, with some exclusions, is varied. Myself I have lived in far more conservative parts of California than the more liberal parts of my home in Ohio, a great swing state. Actually, I have lived in conservative neighborhoods 15 minutes from the liberal neighborhoods there as well. Now I live in Minnesota where it is both the most religious place I've ever lived and simultaneously the same people are the most progressive/liberal I've lived amongst. We also have gay marriage and Iowa has it too...since 2009. So it really is more complex than labelling us all eternal red or blue states and assuming that voters from certain parts of the country would, without a doubt, be voting against Adam on Idol. I completely agree with everything you have said here. Along with that, I feel it has a lot to do with how you were brought up. I've always lived in Nebraska. My parents were both born and raised here. But...they were very liberal in a very conservative state. I will always thank them for being the wonderful parents/people that they were. It didn't matter if it was about race, religion or sexual orientation. They NEVER judged anyone, ever!! I found out, much later in life, that a friend of my parents was gay. I would have never known, but he was the sweetest guy ever, to me. Also, once some of my Mom's friends confronted my Mom when she stood up for interracial marriage. They asked her how she would feel if one of her kids came home with an African American person and said they were going to marry them. I loved her answer. She said that she felt she knew her kids well enough that, if that was the case, then she would trust their feelings enough to know that this was the right thing to do, and would welcome them into the family, for sure! I've always felt that my parents were way beyond most of their friends as far as all of these issues go. And, I feel I'm very lucky in that respect. Prejudice just didn't exist in my family, and I've raised my kids the same way. And, I am overjoyed in the fact that I have a soon-to-be, currently foster, Grandbaby girl, who just happens to be African American. She is the brightest, most delightful baby girl that I've ever known! And, she has a most definite attitude, which I so love!! She's a true blessing, as is my darling Grandson. I am blessed in many ways!! |
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rpeura
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Post by rpeura on Mar 30, 2014 2:34:51 GMT -5
Aleks...many cats live 20 years, especially if they are part or full Siamese and you keep them indoors. Heartbreaking to lose them...certainly..but even more heart hurting to never know the loving and caring they give you. There are studies showing the life extending value of a feline pet! I have had cats as pets all my adult life...only once took on a kitten...Much prefer to adopt a young adult, preferable but not necessarily around a year old. Then you know if you are adopting a more active cat [looking for a mouser?], an independent girl cat or a loving lazy boy.  What about the bonding, I thought it would be easier with a kitten? What if we adopt a year old cat and it doesn't like us? *sniff-sniff I have 23,5 years old cat (photo). I got him as a kitten when my marriage broke down. He has been a great comfort for me since then.  |
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scotia
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Post by scotia on Mar 30, 2014 3:17:47 GMT -5
Loved this photo! His age got me to wondering about the oldest cat and I found out when I googled it that "the oldest cat ever documented is Creme Puff, of Austin, Texas, who lived from August 3, 1967 until August 6, 2005, three days after her 38th birthday."
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murly
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Life's my light and liberty and I shine when I want to shine.
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Post by murly on Mar 30, 2014 9:49:37 GMT -5
Awww, I love that kitty's sweet face, rpeura! Congratulations on getting him to that ripe old age and I hope he has many more years to be happy and make you happy.
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