Ms. Dill Goes to Washington (but not really)

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." -The Declaration of Independence

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." -First Amendment to the United States Constitution

I would just like to point these two passages out for those who call themselves patriots while:

a) Opposing gay marriage

b) Not wanting to allow Muslims to be able to build places of worship in this country, those who are worried about the threat of Sharia and especially those who believe that Islam should be banned in America

Don't forget that the First Amendment calls for the separation of church (or mosque or synagogue or temple or any other religious institution) and state. If you don't agree with gay marriage on a religious level, fine, don't marry someone of the same sex, but you do not have the right in this country to ban others from doing so on religious grounds.

It looks like the First Amendment also calls for freedom of religion, whatever a person may choose. Now my understanding, and correct me if I'm wrong, is that Muslims have the right to practice Islam because the First Amendment protects that right. The same way it allows Christians, Hindus, Jews, Pagans, Sikhs, and any other religion that same right. You may not agree with their beliefs, but they still have the right to believe in them! (Or not believe in anything if they so choose)

Let's also note that the Declaration of Independence says that all men are created equal (even if they're not heterosexual) by their Creator, "our God" or the "Christian God", but whomever they believe their Creator to be.

So to sum this up, don't call yourself a "true patriot" while denying others their rights, because by doing so you are also denying the foundations upon which this country was built upon and that doesn't sound very patriotic to me.

Thanksgiving at Mike's

Happy Thanksgiving!
There are many things that I am thankful for: my family, my friends, my health, the fact that I have a job, to name a few. Even though the history behind the holiday is morally questionable, I still appreciate the idea of having a day in which to give thanks. I'm a believer that you should be thankful everyday, but hey, not everyone thinks that way. My dinner (which of course was eaten around lunch time) proved rather unconventional, at least for me, but hey, not every year can be picture perfect.
My dad is in town, visiting me, which I am extremely happy about. Today would have been a rather depressing day if I were all alone. I had to work last night until 11:30 and we didn't get back home till around 1am so getting up and cooking really wasn't a practical option. (I'm not a very good cook anyways). Instead I watched the pros cook on "Top Chef" and we walked to 31st to a nice little place called "Mike's Diner." I'll be honest with you, my dad liked the food (or so he said) but I found it to be terrible. Good food is nice on Thanksgiving, but is not a requirement. That is not the point. I had food on my table, and some people don't, so I choked down as much of the food that I could, all the while smiling. Our waitress was a sweet woman who left her three children and husband at home to serve me subpar food. She commented about how cute it was that my dad and I were there together and generally enjoyed our Midwestern cheerfulness in a room full of cranky (and poor tipping) New Yorkers.
We left after paying our bill and tipping like people should on a holiday. My stomach has still not recovered, even though I barely ate my turkey and stuffing (want my leftovers?) but I'm so glad that I got to spend this time with my dad, healthy, safe and overall happy.
For those of you I wasn't with this holiday, I miss you, I love you, and I hope to see you at Christmas :)

YES WE CAN!

I have no doubt that if I were in Grant Park right now, I'd be sobbing like a little girl. I almost lost it when I saw the Reverend Jesse Jackson crying on tv, along with Oprah and many more across the nation. Tonight is a giant leap forward in American History, and I am glad to be (if just a tiny) part of it. Last February I waited in line for over 3 hours to listen to Senator Barack Obama speak at the Kohl Center in Madison. His speech was not only eloquent, but also inspiring. Listening to Obama speak solidified my support for this man. I saw someone who spoke to the disinfranchised and got people excited in politics again. I think that John McCain is a decent man. I find it unfortunate that McCain had to change so much from his views in order to please the far right. I appreciate his graciousness and the genuine look of disgust that crosses his face when his supporters boo Obama. (I have no comment on Palin, but I have an unfortunate feeling that this won't be the last we see of her.) It is not unpatriotic to believe in the freedom of choice, or talk with our enemies before sending our loved ones into war.
My sister and I spent the night sitting on our living room floor (we still lack a couch), waiting to hear the news of the next president. We watched as Obama gained more and more electoral votes, and as what once seemed impossible, become more and more likely. I always assumed that I would see a female president before a black one, and I never imagined I'd see anyone other than a white male in that position so soon. While I see so much progress from the days of the Civil Rights Movement and the Suffrage Movement, its no secret that Americans still hold many prejudices. It is my hope that with the election of Barack Obama, this nation can continue to move forward and that his election will inspire people to reach for their dreams, because anything is possible. My faith in mankind has been renewed as I see a country that is not as ignorant as I assumed, which is something I will gladly admit.
Congratulations Barack Obama :)