War on Sex

The Utah State Senate passed a bill that would effectively limit sex education to abstinence only teaching. Also making it possible for districts to completely drop sex education from their curriculum and if they choose not to, the class is an opt-in for parents. Meaning that the parents have to ask the school to teach sex education.

"To replace the parent in the school setting, among people who we have no idea what their morals are, we have no ideas what their values are, yet we turn our children over to them to instruct them in the most sensitive sexual activities in their lives, I think is wrongheaded," said Sen. Stuart Reid, R-Ogden.

OK. Senator Stuart Reid when was the last time you actually saw what was taught in sex ed classes. It's been a little over a decade for me but there was nothing sensitive about what was taught. A person's anatomy and how to keep oneself from becoming pregnant or infected with STD's is not a moral question. It is about information. What you have just voted to pass into law is telling parents throughout the state that you don't care what their wishes are for their children, you are deciding for them that their kids will only be taught that sex is bad and if they have it they will die (obvious exaggeration added to break down the subject to the senator's level of thinking). You sir are wrongheaded.

Equality

One of my favorite MASH episodes is L.I.P.'s. It's in the second season and consists of Hawkeye accomplishing two missions. First, he hooks up with the girl he wants and second, he helps a soldier marry an L.I.P. or Local Indigenous Person. The part that sets this one as a favorite starts at 22 minutes. When Hawkeye rejects the girl because of some unsavory ideas. Go ahead and watch, I'll wait.



Pretty awesome, huh?

The real point of this opening is one of the main reasons I like to watch MASH. Hawkeye sees everyone pretty much as equals (except women which he learns in later episodes). There is no reason that Kim in the above episode should not be allowed to marry an American or why Klinger shouldn't be allowed to walk around in dresses or the gay guy in another episode be allowed to continue to fight after he is outed to his unit and they beat the shit out of him.

I think I'd rather not, but they do have a point.

Dear MoveOn member,

You should run for office. 

No, really. You, Moose Knuckler, should run for elective office: maybe city council or school board in Washington, or the state legislature in Salt Lake City.

Here's why you're exactly the kind of person who should run:

1. We need more true progressives in office—more MoveOn members!--and fewer career politicians.

2. This is exactly how the tea party took power in 2010—running grassroots candidates in as many districts as they could.

3. With a wave of at least 2,012 American Dream candidates running up and down the ballot, we can start to defeat corporate Republicans and disappointing Democrats, and not just for one or two election cycles but for a generation.

Would you ever consider running for office? It's easier than you think, and there's lots of help available. So what do you think? Are you in?

 

Yes, I'd consider running for office.

The tea party movement has recruited thousands of candidates for office over the past couple of years, and used them to spur a wave of attacks on progressive policies across the country.

We're working with partners like the New Organizing Institute's Candidate Project to find strong progressives to run for office and fight for our rights, state by state. That's how conservatives are working to change America, and that's how we're going to beat them in 2012 and beyond.

It's a whole new strategy for MoveOn. We can connect you with the resources to help assess what running for office would take, to find an elected position that could be a good fit for you, and to provide you with expert training, winning strategic advice, and other campaign help.

If you've ever thought you might be willing to take your local involvement to the next level by running for office—or if this is the first time you've considered it—let us know and we'll help you get started. 

Yes, I'd consider running for office.

Thanks for all you do,

–Adam R., Elena, Tate, Kat, and the rest of the team

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The season is upon us.

The campaign signs are out.

This is means that it is time for us to put our collective nothingness to good work and do some campaigning.

I've checked the local campaign sign codes and as long as we are campaigning for something, any political sign is legal this time of year.

So lets make some signs...

I'll let you know when and where.