Daily Archives: 01/12/2013

(Community Matters) suggests reforms to weaken hyper-partisanship

(Community Matters) Can you name today’s top bands? Joene asked us this at dinner club and I couldn’t. Looked today at top selling songs on iTunes:

1. Taylor Swift: I Knew You Were Trouble
2. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis: Thrift Shop
3. Will I Am: Scream & Shout
4. Bruno Mars: Locked Out of Heaven
5. The Lumineers: Ho Hey
6. Swedish House Mafia: Don’t You Worry Child
7. Pitbull: Don’t Stop the Party
8. Justin Bieber: Beauty and a Beat
9. Phillip Phillips: Home
10. PSY: Gangnam Style

Top Albums:

1. Various Artists: Pitch Perfect
2. Taylor Swift: Red
3. Various Artists: Les Miserables
4. Hollywood Undead: Notes from the Underground
5. The Lumineers: The Lumineers
6. Bruno Mars: Unorthodox Jukebox
7. Imagine Dragons: Night Visions
8. Chris Tomlin: Burning Lights
9. Mumford & Sons: Babel

(Community Matters) It isn’t religious discrimination to shun folks who promote prejudice. Kudos to the President and his inauguration team for disinviting evangelical pastor Louie Giglio. No one would question “discriminating” against leaders who preached against blacks or Jews or Mexicans  or women- though of course in the 60s, mainstream religious leaders were arguing that they should be allowed to do so. Their supporters in Congress and in state capitals around the country thought it was suppressing religious freedom to condemn racial and gender prejudice then too. Hell . . . some religious groups still discriminate based on gender and argue that it’s right too

(Community Matters) I suppose some might read the English Catholics’ arguments as threatening; I read them as desperate and signaling defeat of state sanctioned prejudice against gays & lesbians.

After centuries of persecution, Catholics have, in recent times, been able to be members of the professions and participate fully in the life of this country.

Legislation for same-sex marriage, should it be enacted, will have many legal consequences, severely restricting the ability of Catholics to teach the truth about marriage in their schools, charitable institutions or places of worship.

It is meaningless to argue that Catholics and others may still teach their beliefs about marriage in schools and other arenas if they are also expected to uphold the opposite view at the same time Towleroad

I don’t mean there won’t be setbacks and that we’re talking tomorrow . . . but victory for LGBT equality nonetheless.

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(Community Matters) The City considers another housing bond ballot initiative. Potentially interesting – as are ideas of how to fund even without bond monies. I agree it’ll probably never cost less to address the problem. I’d like to see more land banking and property trades for entitlements as part of the package.

Update: See Paul’s comments