Big Leather Couch

No post from Monday. Was off interviewing...met with three people from this firm and spent over 4 hours describing myself and how I can help their organization...was exhausted when I left... won't know anything until next week...

And yesterday, when I had the chance I could not get onto blogspot. When I finally was able to, I was too busy to get the post done...so here we are...WEDNESDAY and first post of the week....sheesh!

I deleted the video that was posted here, because I did not like the "sales content" that appeared with it. It was the first time i used that site to find a video and did not realize it would have banner ads and that they would be for pornographic sites. I apologize to anyone who saw it and was offended.

This morning, the US Senate is voting on a Constitutional Amendment to ban same-sex marriages here in the USA. All indications is that it will be defeated, but our President is pushing this one hard.

The wording of the amendment is as follows:
"Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman."

Seems to me...and others...that this big push by "W" and his backers is more of a smokescreen then anything else. Let's see...the lowest approval rating of a President since Jimmy Carter (End of Term Approval 34%)...A war that is not going well and a country that wishes we were no longer sending out troops to fight it...


But President Bush will have to work a bit harder, as the Senate defeated the vote just 10 minutes ago:

The 49-48 vote fell 11 short of the 60 required to send the matter for an up-or-down tally by the full Senate. The amendment's failure was no surprise, but supporters said the vote reflected growing support among senators and Americans.
"We're building votes," said Sen. David Vitter, R-La., who is among supporters of the ban who were not in the Senate when the amendment was last voted on in 2004. "That's often what's required over several years to get there, particularly to a two-thirds vote."

Now, I am a strong believer that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry and enjoy all of the benefits hetero-couples are allowed. IF, however, that will not be acceptable by the majority, then allowing civil unions is a must. In this way, those couple will be afforded the same rights as hetero-couples. Those include health benefits, the right to own property and inherit property, the right to make medical decisions if one of the partners is ill.
I know couple that have been together 10-15 years (longer then some hetero-couples I know), and if one of them passes away, the other is not entitled to any of the rights or benefits they deserve.

Last Wednesday I wrote about some amazing kids. One of them, Maximiliano Arellano, is a 6-year old, whose mother wanted him to be enrolled in University in Mexico. That struck a chord with one of my readers. She is a teacher in New Brunswick, Canada and she wrote me this email. Her name is Corinna and with her permission, I share it her reply with you all...

I've been an educator in the public school system for 15 years, and I'm
a firm believer in the concept that "if a school has caring, competent
professionals teaching there, little miracles can occur".  Why do I
believe so firmly in it?  Because for the past 8 years, I have been a
staff member at just such a school and I've seen those little miracles
occur, a few times in my own classroom.

Take a "special needs" student who can neither read nor write and teach
him, not only to play a musical instrument, but to read music.  Take
that same student five years down the road who, because he found out he
COULD, is enrolled in first year university in ENGLISH LIT with dreams
of becoming a university professor.  He is one of my treasured memories.

Another story is a grade 7 class that I have worked with for 2 years.
There are only 12 in the class because the behavior and learning
problems attached to these children are legion.  They are, without exception,
low-level learners and from poverty-ridden homes.  Enter a team of 5
teachers who were destined to work with this group.  A scant year later,
they are the pride of the school.  These children single-handedly
organized a turkey-drive at Christmas, earning enough money to purchase 342
birds for the local foodbank.  Last week, they performed three
selections on musical instruments at our year-end variety show.  These kids,
once the scourge of their elementary school, have acted as ambassadors in
the community for our school; they take unprecedented pride in their
appearance and their comportment; they act as guides for visitors to our
school; they glow with the pride their accomplishments have afforded
them.  These kids are going somewhere.  They have been enabled.

These are what I call success stories.  I have many more if you're
interested.  Now, back to that 6-year old.  Think of the basic social
development that occurs in each age group.  Skipping  grades has been a
trend educators have been trying to discourage for years (teachers, not
admin - you have to be on the front lines to see the results of it) What
kind of person develops under those circumstances?  Statistics show that
70% of children who miss out on the peer-social interaction that school
affords suffer from it in a lasting way.   40% show evidence of
anti-social behavior.  Another 22% have attachment issues (cannot relate to
other people in a healthy, nurturing way.  8% are deemed socio- or
psychopathic.  The remaining 30% are more or less "normal".  What does that
mean?  The experience of growing and learning with similarly-aged
children is crucial to one's healthy mental development.  Notice I didn't say
"school".  Personally, I believe that school affords the greatest
opportunity for children to develop  in a safe and healthy environment.
However, I realize that depends on the school in question.  I understand
that the little boy in the article is gifted, but that doesn't mean he
is not normal in every other way.  In my school, we have a young man in
grade 10 whose future is very bright indeed.  He attends classes with
his peers, participates in sports, music and student government.  There
is one big difference.  Since grade 2, he has been benefiting from an
accelerated program.  He "graduated" in grade 6, began his studies in
university-level science in grade 7, and is currently taking pre-med
studies.  In every other way, the kid is normal, and one of the most
well-adjusted kids I have ever had the privilege to know.  Fortunately for
him (this is unmitigatedly biased, btw)  he is enrolled in a
forward-thinking, supportive institution.  

Excellent points Corinna...Of course, as you state, it appears you do work in a "forward-thinking, supportive institute," and should be proud to do so.

I grew up with a boy who was far and away the most intelligent person I have ever met (when he was 8!), and he skipped and moved on to college early. I can not tell you what has happened to Eugene since we lost touch at 13-14 years old, but I can tell you, with all of his intelligence, he had very little common sense. He was always uncomfortable around kids his own age and he had few friends. Now this was a person who needed to be with a group of older people, as he could not talk to people his own age...it was just not possible.

Thank you to Corinna for actually reading this blog and then sending this response. I have a small group who read each day and a few who post often. It makes me feel like I am not out here alone on a desert island...

So, like Corinna, if you read something you do not agree with (or if you do agree with something), I hope you take the time to write a comment here.

Keep that spark of insanity kids...It helps keep you an individual.

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