Archive for the ‘Human Rights’ Category
Against Same-Sex Marriage? You Are On The Wrong Side Of History
by David K. Suttonin Human Rights- May 10, 2012 at 10:57pm
People were against freeing the slaves. People were against giving women the right to vote. People were against equal rights for blacks and other minorities. People were against gays and lesbians serving openly in the military.
What do these people have in common?
They are all on the wrong side of history when it comes to the biggest civil rights achievements of the past 150 years. They all chose the path of discrimination and bigotry. Their opposition is forever viewed as antiquated.
The latest civil rights battle is over marriage equality. On Wednesday, President Obama became the first president to openly support same-sex marriage.
If you take a look at all civil rights achievements you find something else in common, they all happened because of momentum that built from generation to generation. Right now young adults overwhelmingly support same-sex marriage compared to senior citizens that overwhelming oppose it. Anybody that looks at this issue objectively will conclude it’s only a matter of time before we have marriage equality for the entire country.
President Obama Announces Support For Same-Sex Marriage
by David K. Suttonin Human Rights- May 09, 2012 at 3:23pm
A couple of days ago I started the new poll question, “When will President Obama publicly support same-sex marriage?” The choices were “Before election”, “Second term (if elected)” and “Never”. When I started the poll I never imagined we’d have the answer so soon. I just closed the poll after only five votes because President Obama announced today that he now supports same-sex marriage. Out of five votes, nobody chose “Before election”.
North Carolina Constitutional Ban On Same-Sex Marriage Passes Popular Vote
by David K. Suttonin Human Rights- May 08, 2012 at 10:57pm
Who would have thought a southern state would vote to limit rights? In a display of intolerance and backwards thinking, North Carolina voters went to the polls on Tuesday and voted for “Amendment 1” which will amend the state constitution to say the only recognized “domestic legal partnership” is between a man and a woman. It also strips away civil union rights which were recognized in some jurisdictions in the state.
This is an issue for which there is no room for debate. You are either for equal rights or you are against equal rights, but make no mistake, you are on the wrong side of history if you are in the later camp. In this country, if we care about forming a more perfect union with equal rights for all, then we will never put human rights up for a vote. End of discussion.
So congratulations North Carolina, you are still a full-fledged southern state.
dks
Pennsylvania Sued By 93-Year-Old Woman Over Discriminatory Voter ID Law
by David K. Suttonin Human Rights- May 08, 2012 at 6:09pm
Yes, Pennsylvania’a new voter ID law (and similar laws in other states) are in fact discriminatory. I don’t care about rationalizations, because the Republican lawmakers responsible for these laws know exactly what they are doing. Their rationalizations might have convinced Republican voters that voter fraud is a serious problem, but for the rest of us these laws are a big steaming pile of horseshit.
America Has The Best Health Care? Not In A Fact-Based World.
by David K. Suttonin Human Rights- May 04, 2012 at 12:26pm
The United States of America has the highest health care costs of 13 industrialized countries with an average cost of $8,000 per person in 2009. Japan has the lowest costs at just $2,878 per person in 2008. This is from a study by The Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation whose mission is to ”promote a high performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society’s most vulnerable”.
Sacramento County Treats Sex Assault ‘Victim’ Like A Criminal
by David K. Suttonin Human Rights- April 06, 2012 at 6:34pm
Do yourself a favor, next time you are in Sacramento County, California, don’t become a victim of sexual assault or you might find yourself behind bars. The county DA is holding the victim (a 17-year-old girl) of a sexual assault in custody on a “material-witness warrant.” The district attorney’s office believes the accused defendant, Frank William Rackley, presents such a danger to the community that it justifies keeping the alleged assault victim in custody at juvenile hall.
Women’s Rights, Senator Toomey, And The Roy Blunt Amendment
by David K. Suttonin Human Rights- February 16, 2012 at 9:29pm
Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) is not happy about the Obama administration’s compromise on birth control. It appears Blunt will only be satisfied when employers are able discriminate against their employees. Senator Blunt would like employers to be able to impose their religious beliefs when it comes to health care insurance coverage.
New York Times/CBS Poll: Clear Support For Birth Control Coverage
by David K. Suttonin Human Rights- February 15, 2012 at 10:19pm
The latest New York Times/CBS poll shows clear public support for birth control coverage on insurance plans.
On contraceptive coverage, 65 percent of voters in the poll said they supported the Obama administration’s requirement that health insurance plans cover the cost of birth control, and 59 percent, said the health insurance plans of religiously affiliated employers should cover the cost of birth control.
Chris Christie Thinks South Should Have Voted On Civil Rights
by David K. Suttonin Human Rights- February 13, 2012 at 11:42pm
In a breathtaking display of ignorance, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie recently said, “The fact of the matter is, I think people would have been happy to have a referendum on civil rights rather than fighting and dying in the streets in the South.”
Oh really? That’s the “fact of the matter”, huh Christie?
I think New Jersey Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski had the best response to Christie when he said, “Rosa Parks didn’t get to the front of the bus through a ballot question and Jim Crow laws weren’t repealed by public referendum.”
Washington Becomes 7th State To Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
by David K. Suttonin Human Rights- February 13, 2012 at 5:40pm
There have been many victories for gay rights in the past week.
Last week California’s same-sex marriage ban, prop 8, was ruled unconstitutional. Today the New Jersey Senate passed a same-sex marriage bill, although it still needs to pass the NJ House and Governor Chris Christie says he will veto it. Also today, Washington state became the 7th state to legalize same-sex marriage when Governor Christine Gregoire signed the bill into law.
