Ed Rendell seemingly did a terrific job as mayor of Philadelphia. Aside from his pro-choice stance on abortion, I thought he could do a good job as governor of Pennsylvania. Perhaps I was wrong. He’s really screwing the pooch on this public transportation cutback. He’s being very “un-Democrat”.
There’s an ongoing controversy at the University of Pittsburgh regarding same-sex benefits. I’m going to send in the following as a letter to the editor of the Pitt News.
Same-sex benefits do not make sense financially. Such benefits will not make sense until homosexual civil unions are recognized by the state as legally binding contracts like their heterosexual counterparts.
Before offering health benefits to partners, insurance companies want assurance of a binding marriage contract. This ensures permanence in the relationship. Without that permanence, fraud and abuses abound (eg Benefits could be offered to partners who are little more than roommates.). One might be tempted to call marriage impermanent these days, given the ~50% divorce rate. However, when the marriage contract is willfully terminated, benefits need no longer be offered to the divorced partner. Marriage is permanent in the sense that it does not cease with a simple “good-bye” as unbound partnerships can.
If I were making decisions for an insurance company, I would make it prohibitively expensive for a company to offer benefits to partners of its employees. This would serve to offset the inherent liabilities. I suspect that this is already current practice. Thus it does not make sense for Pitt, or any other company or institution in PA, to offer benefits to any unbound partners, same-sex or otherwise. Instead of crying to the ACLU or picketing the university, advocates for same-sex benefits should focus on getting homosexual civil unions recognized by the state as marriage contracts.
Pittsburgh is going to build ultimate fields. 🙂
Murphy wants city to fund Ultimate Frisbee fields
By Andrew Conte
“Despite Pittsburgh being cash-strapped, Mayor Tom Murphy wants to spend $100,000 to build three Ultimate Frisbee fields.”
Pittsburgh protest demonstrated conviction; Bush should listen
by The Tartan Editorial Board
"This weekend, thousands of students and local residents protested the impending war against Iraq, showing their solidarity with a series of marches, speeches, and sit-ins."
Peace rally was successful because it remained peaceful
"Unless you fell asleep on Friday afternoon and didn’t wake up until Monday morning, you are aware that Pittsburgh hosted a peace rally that many have called the largest in about 30 years. Dubbed the ‘Convergence’ by its organizers, the weekend-long rally featured a parade through the South Side on Saturday and a similar march through Oakland Sunday afternoon. Responses to the gathering have been mixed, generally divided along lines of support or opposition to possible war with Iraq."
War protest is anti-American
by JOHN MARTIN
"Sunday was a day of protest throughout Oakland as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to march against a war with Iraq. Creating a circus-like atmosphere, these activists were trying to send a message to the American people that war against Saddam is ill-considered. At least that was what the demonstration was supposed to be about. In reality, the parade along Forbes Avenue illustrated anti-Americanism at its ugliest. Protesters attacked the U.S. government with slogans that were on par with simple nursery rhymes. Most chants and signs featured ad hominem attacks against President Bush (e.g. ‘Bush eats pubes’) that were downright offensive. Such childishness does little to advance the cause of peace, but I don’t think the protesters care."
A regional anti-war protest in Pittsburgh may, organizers hope, draw the sort of attention that yet another march on Washington can�t muster
By MARTY LEVINE
Anti-War Demonstrations Drew Thousands
"Police said that thousands of people gathered in Pittsburgh on Sunday for a rally to protest the possible war with Iraq, carrying peace signs and chanting "Drop Bush, not bombs" as they marched through the snowfall. "
Day of Action: 5,000 protest in Pittsburgh streets against war in Iraq
"Five thousand people marched slushy streets under a steady snowfall yesterday in the culmination of a weekend of anti-war events in Pittsburgh. "
Anti-war rally draws thousands
by Erin Nicole Stock
"Yesterday, 75 year-old Pittsburgh resident Caryl Beal set her handbag down on Fifth Avenue, lay down on the sodden cement, and folded her hands together across her body. Beal stayed that way, motionless, for fifteen minutes while snow continued to fall. She was one of about 150 other protestors who participated in the �die-in�, an act of civil disobedience in show of opposition to the war"
Die-in protests war’s dangers
by ROCHELLE HENTGES & NIKKI SCHWAB
"Following the rally and march, protesters took to the streets, literally. About 75 people braved the cold and took part in the ‘Die-In,’ a demonstration in which people laid in the middle of Fifth Avenue to dramatize casualties of war."
More than 5,000 rally in Oakland streets
"Radical Cheerleaders, an Uncle Sam on stilts, Kiss look-alikes, and a large mother earth were among the 5,000 protesting in Oakland on Sunday."
More than 5,000 march against Iraq War
"The Pittsburgh Regional Anti-War Convergence on the weekend of January 24th-26th saw a range of different events and a diverse group of participants, part of what organizers with the Pittsburgh Organizing Group and Garfield-based Thomas Merton Center called a ‘diversity of tactics.’ Read on for a summary of the different events, compiled by reporters for the Pittsburgh and Cleveland Independent Media Centers. "
"Thanks to everyone who participated in the regional convergence! The most credible crowd estimates we’ve seen suggest 3,000 for Saturday’s parade and 5,000 for Sunday’s march! This was by far the largest mobilization for peace in more then 30 years.� After a bit of rest POG will be discussing where the group wants to go.� We will try to keep people up to date.� Solidarity!"
A Peace of Their Minds
The ‘Convergence’ weekend�s anti-war protest events draw thousands
writer: Justin Hopper, Marty Levine, Brian Liberatore and Bill O�Driscoll
"Abbey Casey, 79, of White Oak, surveys the ‘dead’ — about a hundred people lying on freezing, slush-covered Fifth Avenue near Craig Street in Oakland, protesting the possibility of a U.S. war with Iraq. �I�m disgusted by Bush. He should be impeached,� she says. This ‘die-in’ — the culmination of a weekend�s worth of local anti-war activities billed as the Regional Convergence Against War — is Casey�s first protest rally. ‘My uncle was in the first World War — he was gassed,’ she says. ‘My two brothers were in World War II — one didn�t come home. I�ve lived my life. I�d like to see them live theirs.’"
Protesting In Pittsburgh
by Feyler
"We drove from Buffalo to Pittsburgh and arrived late on Friday January 24th. Saturday, we braved the bitter cold and demonstrated outside of the UU Church on North Avenue. Several people had gathered with signs, music and a positive energy. We received several encouraging ‘Honks For Peace’. It was amazing for me to see that the local news media had come over to talk to the demonstrators. I had been used to Peace Demonstrations being completely ignored. "