This is why I keep telling you that you should blog about more international queer issues since you live in France now. It'll keep your head from exploding over the nonsense that is American politics. (And I'd love to know what happens in queer news & politics around the world! What happened to you two in Ireland, for example?)

It's sad, isn't it? A culture taking pride in its xenophobic antics.

1 - If one looks at the number of judges at the time of Day's appointment that were "qualified" (meaning on a bench in the higher courts), you'll find that she was pulled from a court nominally outside the pool typically selected since there were so few judges within the realm that had previously been appointed (which was due to sexism). Ginsberg was a similar choice, but in just that short period, things had changed dramatically.

Ideally, yes, it should be representative. But then, to truly reach such a concept, the court needs to be expanded to roughly 25 judges in order to meet such an onerous requirement, and there is question regarding the number of viable candidates. So the sexism and homophobia kicks in at a much lower level than SCOTUS, which has only 9 seats, and if one is going to make requirements based on individual characteristics, then one should equalize the court over such qualities -- including those like religion and socioeconomic class, as well as age.

There are 9 seats right now. That's it. There's not much likelihood at present that equity of that sort is feasible. So, in this case, truly, be thankful its a possibility.

2 - Actions.

3 - Having worked on a pig farm as a youth, I can say that those sick pigs are not as messy as you might think, and that I wonder the same thing about sheep.

4 - People are lazy and will rely on what is given without regard for it over what is earned. And no, they wouldn't. Most people aren't rational. They are emotive.

5 - Even the political elite don't think that -- that's spin, Alex, of the same sort that says a gay man is a pedophile. Remember, they scare just as easily (see 4, above). And taking no steps to prevent it is due to a rather simple military concept found in sun tzu. the restrictions on liberties as a result, however, and the change to way of living, absolutely need to be undone -- but are unlikely.

6 - Um, the majority of top leadership in the country is technically sociopaths (more accurately, psychopaths, as defined presently in the DSM-IV), because they generally will remain somewhat more separated from the typical emotive concerns, and will use that in other people to achieve their ends. Obsession does not detract from other worthwhile pursuits, either, until it becomes significantly life altering, which the case in point is not indicative of other than as an aspect of acrimony and derision on the part of those ridiculing them. These people get jobs by being sociopaths, to a great extent -- they manipulate and utilize the system to their advantage. Prejudice is not implicitly related to sociopathy, either, btw, so the implied connection and inference is somewhat limiting of your question. And yes, as a matter of fact, they *will* expand horizons. To oppose your enemy, you need to understand them (and as a benefit, in understanding, you tend to find less reason for opposition and greater commonality, thus reducing them as your enemy, which is why the knowledge in person of a queer individual is so effective.).

7- only for a very small minority.

8 - He was born here -- we cannot remove citizenship without his being found guilty of treason, which has not been done. Care to try and get him up on charges?

9 - Its not just you.

10 - (implied) -- these things are what stops you from having a more hopeful outlook. Its never external, always internal, but its easier to blame others for one's own failings. Being hopeful takes work.

And if you weren't hopeful, you wouldn't be doing such a good job here.

And you wouldn't appreciate this: http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20090505-139278.html

The dangers of the Heterosexual Agenda are many... (as a heterosexual, I feel safe in agreeing...)

1. What % of women jurists are strict constructionists? Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Bush, Bush I'm not seeing a whole lot of support for expansive readings of the Constitution.

How many openly queer anythings have there been in the last 50 years?

2. Since in this case independent means critical of a strong central government in all but national security one follow the other as night into day.

3. We eat cows that do the same thing. Petrolium based mono-cultures give us seemingly cheap but eventually toxic food. Industrial agriculture is actully as much if not more of a threat to national security than people flying airplanes into buildings. Wanna make a bunch of Americans sick, mess with their food supply it isn't that difficult.

We grow more McMansions than we grow healthy food crops,growth in any given state should be based on its ability to feed itself.

oops -- have to reconnect subsription