Thursday, October 15, 2009

This Is a WTF Moment - Really? Is Rape Okay?

As I try to stay informed these busy days, I was watching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart this morning and was taken aback by a segment on the show. It never amazes me what our elected representatives will and will not vote for while "representing the people." This, however, has got to be one of the most insane issues I have seen to date and wonder what the 30 senators who voted AGAINST it were thinking.

Al Franken, freshman Democratic senator from Minnesota and former Saturday Night Live alumni, passed an amendment to a defense bill this week that would withhold government contracts from organizations like KBR (Halliburton) if they restrict employees from taking rape and sexual assault cases to court. Seems simple enough, don't you agree? I mean, why would we want to restrict due process and give justice to those who are due?

This stems from Ms. Jamie Leigh Jones, a Halliburton/KBR employee, who in 2005, was gang-raped by her co-workers while she was working in Baghdad. She was detained in a shipping container for at least 24 hours without food, water, or a bed, and “warned her that if she left Iraq for medical treatment, she’d be out of a job.” Jones was prevented from bringing charges in court against KBR because her employment contract stipulated that sexual assault allegations would only be heard in private arbitration. This is NOT an isolated case but even if it was the only one, it would be one too many.



This is the result of that vote as explained by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show.

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Now, I have worked with federal government contracts in the past and know that the government can and will set forth rules and other directives to maintain a level of integrity for those that are, in essence, representatives of the federal government. But for what ever reason, the following 30 REPUBLICAN senators voted NAY to S.Amdt. 2588 to H.R. 3326 (Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010):

Alexander (R-TN); Barrasso (R-WY); Bond (R-MO);
Brownback (R-KS); Bunning (R-KY); Burr (R-NC);
Chambliss (R-GA); Coburn (R-OK); Cochran (R-MS);
Corker (R-TN); Cornyn (R-TX); Crapo (R-ID);
DeMint (R-SC); Ensign (R-NV); Enzi (R-WY);
Graham (R-SC); Gregg (R-NH); Inhofe (R-OK);
Isakson (R-GA); Johanns (R-NE); Kyl (R-AZ);
McCain (R-AZ); McConnell (R-KY); Risch (R-ID);
Roberts (R-KS); Sessions (R-AL); Shelby (R-AL);
Thune (R-SD); Vitter (R-LA); Wicker (R-MS);

What is embarassing to me is that BOTH Alabama Senators voted NAY on this admendment to the bill. I am not making any accusations but I wonder how deep in Halliburton's money pocket are they? What do you think? I suggest you ask your Senator, if they voted Nay, what was their logic behind their vote. I know I will. I need to remove the picture I have of myself with Senator Sessions from my Facebook and Blog pages until perhaps he comes to his senses.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Long Time, No Hear From

Sorry for the big break. A lot of things going on in my life - work, professional activities, preparing for personal life changes. They seem to be taking a bit of a toll on me. One good thing about it is that I have lost 15 pounds in the process of hustle and bustle. I may break that 200 pound mark within the week.

The last two days were supposed to be my off days but I ended up having to do something with work both days. Never a problems because I am dedicated to the task at hand. Sometimes the work keeps my mind from wondering on things that could bring me down from my normally bubbly personality.



Spent a week in the Los Angeles and Anaheim area for professional development and got to enjoy something I have seen on TV and movies - Roscoe's House of Chicken 'n Waffles. It was fantastic. I totally recommend it if you get on the west coast.



Hopefully I will have a little more time to jot down my thoughts. I have had a lot on my mind and need to get it out. I will leave you with this one thought - I consider myself a very inquisitive person. I believe the more information you lnow about a situation, the better prepared you are. Well, I guess I wonder, how much information is actually too much information? Ponder on that and get back to me.