The United Nations Climate Change Summit currently taking place in Copenhagen has been hyped up since the start of the year as what would amount to the next critical step in helping the environment. Over the last week, however, the Summit has been hampered by a series of missteps: African delegates walking out of proceedings; protesters breaking into the chambers; thousands of un-green limos used to transport a limited number of delegates; and today the President of the Summit stepping down.
Much like its mother organization, is the Summit becoming quickly obsolete? Is it becoming apparent that the United Nations, bogged down in bureaucracy, has bequeathed to the Summit a set of procedures which do a disservice to the environmental needs of the globe?
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
An open letter to a New York State Senator
Dear Senator,
It is with great shame and disappointment that I write you. Your actions yesterday regarding the Senate marriage equality vote are abhorrent and instigate a culture of fear and hatred for millions of Americans. The need for a separation of church and State is especially troubling, given that the basis for arguing against the equality vote resides in the religious definition of marriage. The Bible should stay out of the legislative process, as should personal convictions. As Senator, you have a fiduciary trust to represent the people of your district, not those that lobby you the hardest. As Senator Savino so eloquently alluded to, religious institutions may do what they like with marriage but the civic institutions must not preclude unions.
The annals of history will not look at these times favorably. When future generations speak of this issue, your name will certainly fall in the same breath as George Wallace, Jefferson Davis, Nathuram Godse, James Earl Ray and the countless others who would stand in the way of equality, subjugating a portion of the populace to live like second class citizens. In a time not so far removed from the great civil rights struggle of the 1950s, it is disheartening that our elected officials would not learn from history. Perhaps this is the fault of those who placed their trust in you, but rest assured that the next election will certainly wake you up to the real opinion of your constituents, not the fringe groups you so ardently serve.
It is with great shame and disappointment that I write you. Your actions yesterday regarding the Senate marriage equality vote are abhorrent and instigate a culture of fear and hatred for millions of Americans. The need for a separation of church and State is especially troubling, given that the basis for arguing against the equality vote resides in the religious definition of marriage. The Bible should stay out of the legislative process, as should personal convictions. As Senator, you have a fiduciary trust to represent the people of your district, not those that lobby you the hardest. As Senator Savino so eloquently alluded to, religious institutions may do what they like with marriage but the civic institutions must not preclude unions.
The annals of history will not look at these times favorably. When future generations speak of this issue, your name will certainly fall in the same breath as George Wallace, Jefferson Davis, Nathuram Godse, James Earl Ray and the countless others who would stand in the way of equality, subjugating a portion of the populace to live like second class citizens. In a time not so far removed from the great civil rights struggle of the 1950s, it is disheartening that our elected officials would not learn from history. Perhaps this is the fault of those who placed their trust in you, but rest assured that the next election will certainly wake you up to the real opinion of your constituents, not the fringe groups you so ardently serve.
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