Gay Riots in Los Angeles

I don't think there's been much coverage in the national media, but we have had protests and demonstrations supporting the rights of gay Americans to marry in California every day since the election. Much of the protesting is focused toward the Mormon Church, which invested over $20 million in California to pass the proposition amending the state Constitution against gay marriage. Now the protesters are demonstrating again in my neighborhood.

I was just watching TV a while ago when I heard loud chanting and crowd noises from outside. I opened the door of my apartment to hear distant sirens growing louder and the protesters chanting and moving down Melrose Avenue, which is visible two blocks north. There were flashing lights everywhere but no helicopters for quite a while, and that is very surprising because helicopters fly overhead every day and night around here.

Soon the helicopters arrived, but I couldn't find any live reporting on local television. The choppers buzzed around overhead and followed the mob west down Melrose. The crowd apparently shifted south a few blocks and turned on Beverly Blvd. because now I see a little coverage on the local late news that the marchers are near the Beverly Center.

It saddens me that so many people are still homophobic, especially in a live-and-let-live state like California. The encouraging thing is that young people get it -- they don't give a shit if you're gay, straight, bisexual or whatever. It really is nobody's business who I want to share my body with or who I want to spend my life with in a legally recognized committed relationship. That is an inalienable human right already recognized by advanced western allies such as Canada, the UK, and Spain. Yes, that right: even a traditionally conservative Catholic country like Spain has gay marriage, but the USA, the so-called "land of freedom" doesn't!

I'm not worried though. If we can elect a black man to be President, we will have gay marriage in the United States of America. It may take another generation, but it's a legal inevitability and several states are already making progress. California will almost certainly overturn this latest ban just as they did the previous ones. We can't allow an electorate blinded by religious dogma to legislate discrimination against a whole class of citizens. That's simply un-American!

I Won! Congrats, President-elect Obama!!

For the first time in my voting life, the guy I voted for won! It's been so demoralizing to belong to the losing cause the last few years, but I am so proud to be a part of this extraordinarily hopeful and historic moment.

There's no getting around the fact that this has been an historic election, perhaps the most intense and unusual in American history. The list of "firsts" is endless: the first black contender for the presidency; potentially the oldest new President; the first female VP candidate; the longest and most expensive campaign; the most money earned by a single candidate; the most donations given through the Internet; the most unpopular incumbent president; a Congress with the lowest ratings ever; and perhaps the most new and energized registered voters participating in this patriotic process, especially millions of Latino voters, who favored Obama more than 60%, a huge shift against their traditionally conservative ties.

We may also include the unprecedented use of technology to communicate and analyze information both by the campaigns and the news media both online and on television. It's probably also the first time a candidate's grandmother passed away on the eve of the election. Such a sad twist to this climax seems almost par for this bizarre journey of a course. This has truly been the great American drama.

Who would want the job as President anyway? We've got the greatest economic turbulence perhaps ever, two wars on foreign shores, the largest deficit in history, the worst credit and housing market in memory. He's going to have a heavy load to lift and without any warm-up.

Obama is the man with all the cards in his favor. It was his to lose, but thanks to his excellent COMMUNITY ORGANIZING SKILLS, which were soundly ridiculed by the Republicans, he mounted an amazing ground war across the entire nation, with thousands of motivated citizens campaigning on his behalf. He'll need to keep that momentum in order to achieve his goals as President.

I can't believe that many black people in the South still weren't able to vote when Barack Obama was born in 1961. His rise to the Presidency is truly meteoric -- four years ago, he was still a State Senator in Illinois! Mr. Obama ran an outstanding campaign of epic proportions, but most importantly he was in tune with the American people and right on the issues.

The nation is still divided, but thankfully we have seen our political process work successfully and we have made history. It's a great moment for the American people as we move forward, beyond the Bush era and in hope of regaining our stature in the international community, by solving our problems here at home. The eyes of the world are upon us, so regardless of your political persuasion, let's all hope Obama, a true citizen of the world, continues his historic streak and becomes the greatest President ever!

Lightning Strikes Hollywood!

Wow! I just heard, and felt, two huge lightning strikes not far from me. First a bright flash, like a huge camera bulb in the sky, then a thunderous crash so loud and low, it literally shook the building.

There's a lovely fall front blowing through over the hills and a light rain has turned into a strong downpour for the past several minutes. In my 12 years here in California, I have seen and heard thunder and lightning only three times! This is great fun -- it reminds me of growing up in Colorado and relishing the first big snow of the season. Except this storm will be over by the time I publish this post. Da da da, da da....I'm lovin' it!