Does Mitt use lesbian quotes often?

I was going to post one of the many "Mormon Tabernacle Choir" performances available on you-tube of this since the "Mittster" likes to quote the beautiful verses from the original poem written by Katharine Lee Bates. I just find it a little odd that Mr. Romney would use a poem written by an "alleged" Lesbian to try to make any points? That and who can resist a little "Babs in the morning"?

I have included the lyrics below, as I for one, never knew there were so many verses:

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet

Whose stern impassioned stress

A thoroughfare of freedom beat

Across the wilderness!

America! America!

God mend thine every flaw,

Confirm thy soul in self-control,

Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved

In liberating strife.

Who more than self their country loved

And mercy more than life!

America! America!

May God thy gold refine

Till all success be nobleness

And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam

Undimmed by human tears!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the enameled plain!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

Till souls wax fair as earth and air

And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,

Whose stem impassioned stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat

Across the wilderness!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

Till paths be wrought through

wilds of thought

By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale

Of liberating strife

When once and twice,

for man's avail

Men lavished precious life!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

Till selfish gain no longer stain

The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam

Undimmed by human tears!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

Till nobler men keep once again

Thy whiter jubilee!

Over and "Out" from Portsmouth, VA USA

Republicans can play nice too...

This is a video going around right now that many of you have probably already seen. The brother story is a phenomenal one that can't be beat... 

The underlying story (that I see) is that the Republican Party is not all that bad. It's their alliance with the religious fundamentalists that has messed them up... 

Remember my republican friends: Separation of Church and State... No candidate for any office in any state or federal office should be supported financially by any religious organization, unless that group would prefer not to receive all those (local, state, and federal) tax breaks they so enjoy.

Republicans are not all affiliated with the Christian Right, just like many Democrats are not supportive of gay rights and are not supportive of a woman's right to choose...

Golly, I need to use this soapbox to fill the holes under the fence that Ubu has been digging to play with the dog behind us...

Over and "Out" from Portsmouth VA, USA

On Marriage and Divorce...

One again I stood up and gave the ladies of the "View" (all of them including Elisabeth) an ovation of my own, after I saw this yesterday...

Marriage is Marriage, there is no law that says it has to be "performed" in a church or in any religious ceremony. I agree with the statement that divorce should be much higher on the priority list of what struggles any church or family has to contend with... I say "Give all Humans the right to marry whatever other Human they want to, but make divorce more difficult"...

Kicking my little soapbox back into the closet...

Over and "Out" from Portsmouth, VA USA 

Who needs New Hampshire, When we have the Pope!!!

Pope Benedict XVI denounced gay marriage in his annual “State of the World” address Monday, going so far as to say the same-sex nuptials threaten the future of humanity.

In the speech, the pope, 84, unleashed what some consider being his strongest tirade against gay marriage, saying it is among conventions that “undermine the family” and “threaten human dignity and the future of humanity itself,” Reuters reported.

“Pride of place goes to the family, based on the marriage of a man and woman,” the pontiff said.

“This is not a simple convention, but rather the fundamental cell of every society,” he continued. “Consequently, policies which undermine the family threaten human dignity and the future of humanity itself.”

The pope also condemned laws that “not only permit but at times even promote abortion for reasons of convenience or for questionable medical motives.”

The annual address was delivered to an audience of Vatican diplomats from nearly 180 countries.

The Catholic Church, which teaches that homosexual acts are sins, and that marriage should be between a man and woman, is a notorious adversary of same-sex unions.

Next month, the pope will elevate New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan to cardinal. Dolan, a leading opponent of gay marriage, once sent a letter to President Obama, blasting the administration for not supporting a federal ban on gay marriage.

Dolan said Obama’s decision could “precipitate a national conflict between church and state of enormous proportions.”

The pope touched on a wide range of topics in the new year address, including world violence and fiscal crisis.

Read the entire “State of the World” speech at Vatican Radio’s website:

As a cousin of mine said on her FB page: "The Pope's degrading and ignorant comments about gay marriage that he made in his state of the world address is a prime example of one of the many reasons I no longer consider myself a Catholic."

Thank you "M", I would have overlooked this ridiculous piece of oral-manure without you...

Over and "Out" from the side of my little soapbox, here in Portsmouth, VA USA

A Potential Bully... Your Own Father...

You never know where some bullying stems from. Here is an interesting perspective from a store clerk that has some insight about potential threats from inside your own home...

This piece was originally published on Kristen's blog


You thought I didn't really notice. But I did. I wanted to high-five you.

Yesterday I had a pair of brothers in my store. One was maybe between 15 and 17. He was a wrestler at the local high school. Kind of tall, stocky and handsome. He had a younger brother, who was maybe about 10 to 12 years old. The only way to describe him was scrawny, neat, and very clean for a boy his age. They were talking about finding a game for the younger one, and he was absolutely insisting it be one with a female character. I don't know how many of y'all play games, but that isn't exactly easy. Eventually, I helped the brothers pick a game called "Mirror's Edge." The youngest was pretty excited about the game, and then he specifically asked me, "Do you have any girl color controllers?" I directed him to the only colored controllers we have, which include pink and purple ones. He grabbed the purple one, and informed me purple was his FAVORITE.

The boys had been taking awhile, so their father eventually came in. He saw the game, and the controller, and started in on the youngest about how he needs to pick something different. Something more manly. Something with guns and fighting, and certainly not a purple controller. He tried to convince him to get the new Zombie game "Dead Island" and the little boy just stood there repeating, "Dad, this is what I want, OK?" Eventually it turned into a full-blown argument complete with Dad threatening to whoop his son if he didn't choose different items.

That's when big brother stepped in. He said to his dad, "It's my money, it's my gift to him. If it's what he wants, I'm getting it for him, and if you're going to hit anyone for it, it's going to be me." Dad just gave his oldest son a strong stern stare-down, and then left the store. Little brother was crying quietly. I walked over and ruffled his hair (yes, this happened all in front of me). I said, "I'm a girl, and I like the color blue, and I like shooting games. There's nothing wrong with what you like. Even if it's different than what people think you should." I smiled, he smiled back (my heart melted!). Big brother then leaned down, kissed little brother on the head, and said, "Don't worry, dude."

They checked out and left, and all I can think is how awesome big brother is, how sweet little brother is, and how Dad ought to be ashamed for trying to make his son any other way.

I'm not sure that my Dad was a bully, but it sure felt like it sometimes...

More to come someday...

Over and comfortably "Out" from Portsmouth, VA USA

And... Finally This Week... Your Call...

(Click to embiggen)

I have only used a couple of the photo's from George Takei's posts on facebook, here on my blog, but I found this one so appropriate considering today's political atmosphere... Please check out his blog as well...

Please excuse us if we are only a lighthouse... Your Call...

Over and "Out" from Portsmouth, VA USA

A post script from: George Takei

Apologies to the fans for not checking first on the veracity of the naval incident. But honestly, lots of things that never happened are quite hilarious. Case and point: Michelle Bachman's bid for the whitehouse. Or her husband's conversion to heterosexuality.

Six on the Sixth - January 2012

Once again, it's that time of the month, time for Six on the Sixth...

1.   Employment numbers are Up, yet I remain unemployed.

2.   Monday (this week) high temp was 33, yesterday was 65

      (can you spell climate change?).

3.   I have been having fun with "Archives.com" preparing a family tree

      (with my family it's more like a forest though).

4.   My paternal/biological Grandfather wrote at least two books,

      Both are sitting on my coffee table and to my surprise, one is

      actually autographed by him (I never knew the man) but ordered

      his books through Amazon for $10 each.

5.   It looks like Ubu's previous owners just abandoned him, welcome

      to our family (he is so sweet and loyal).

6.   I am writing this last night, and it's Beer-thirty... Cheers!

I need to jot down ideas for this series during the month rather than waiting for the last minute to come up with my Six... What about you (that we may not know) would you like to share? Give it a try!

Over and "Out" on another 6th day of the month, from Portsmouth, VA USA