Pardon your ego sir, but im NOT emptying my pockets!

When is enough, enough?
As a community, when do we take a stand against bullies? When do we stand up for ourselves and say “I’ve had enough of this, and I’m going to do something about it?!” This leads me into my story for the day. I was approached by a tearful coworker today, on her birthday no less. She relayed a horrific story of her evening yesterday. She, her sister, and her children went to Hobby Lobby. This is not an abnormal activity for a Thursday night, I was actually planning on heading there myself last night. Still dressed in her business casual attire she went shopping for some odds and ends to begin a craft project. She noticed a man watching her, never thinking he was watching her due to suspicion of shoplifting! She also noticed a rather rude employee in the same isle also keeping tabs on her and her family. I suppose I should mention that her children are always well groomed and well dressed, her daughter maintains honor roll level grades in High School and her son is about 6 years old. Nothing abnormal here folks, keep looking on. OH did I mention they are Latino?

After continuing to shop with some man hovering over her family, he finally approached her. Flashing his badge as a Pueblo Police Officer in plain clothes he stated that they had her on camera putting items in her purse. To her surprise he made her, her sister, her 15 year old daughter, and her 6 year old son empty their pockets! Is this appropriate behavior? Do we now harass families shopping because we saw them “put something in their purse?!” I put things in my pocket all the time. Things that belong to me, my phone, my wallet, my keys…..am I next?! What are our rights as shoppers? Because I can tell you, I would have made a HUGE stink out of the situation, and may have left in cuffs! I have been called many things in my 30 years of life, but one thing I am NOT is a thief! I digress….after being humiliated in front of her family, my coworker went to find the manager of the store, asking questions and getting mixed answers! The final statement was that “they thought they saw her put something in her bag.” Is this now justification for humiliation? Now don’t get me wrong, I DO NOT think its ok to steal! However, I also don’t think its ok to profile people and follow them around the store making them uncomfortable, then later humiliating them and making 6 year olds empty their pockets for a dollar package of beads!!! Did I mention they didn’t find anything in her purse or the pockets of her children?! That should be noted!

So as a community, what do we do?! Where do we go?! I can tell you what I did! I got on the phone, and I got on the keyboard, and I wrote this story! If this EVER happens to me, I would request police assistance, and a uniformed female police officer to come search me! To find what, you might ask…..NOTHING, you will find nothing in my pockets but my dignity and a potential lawsuit and one hell of a complaint! I do NOT believe security guards in stores have the authority to ask you to empty your pockets! So if I am ever asked to empty mine….that security guard is going to get a big ol “fuck you!” out of me!

I have a lot of feelings....

Ever just have one of those days? Just for some small reason, or no reason you just get a case of the blues? Today has been a day like that for me! Actually, today there is a reason. Today is Desi’s birthday. She woulda been 22 years old today. I think about her often, and I miss her. Desi and I weren’t the best of friends, but we were friends. She meant something to me, she touched my heart. I never thought of Desi as an addict, even though I knew she was. My sister has seen this side of her, I have not. I am sure there were times when she was around and she was high…but I didn’t notice. I chose not to notice. I remember a conversation she and I had awhile back (several years ago) on my birthday. I was so mad at her I was crying, and I asked her to get help. I pleaded and probably begged for her to get help, and told her I would support her in anyway that I could. I didn’t see her that often after that. She was in and out of jail, and in and out of treatment. A few weeks before she died I was sitting on my couch upstairs, like I always am, and I heard the door open. It was Tish, and its never out of the ordinary for someone to just walk in my house on any given night. She was really happy saying “I have a surprise for you!” It was Desi! I was really happy to see her! I hadn’t seen her in awhile and she had just gotten out of jail. She greeted me with her normal giant hug and an excited “JOSA!!!!!!” We talked about a lot of things, I asked her how she was doing, how life was going for her, exchanged numbers, and we talked about her future for a bit. Same ol Desi.

Then, before I left for Vegas in July I talked to her briefly over facebook. She asked what I was doing in Vegas and I told her, work stuff. She told me to have fun and be careful. Probably a week later I got a call from Tish that Desi had overdosed on heroin and passed away. Such a wonderful little spirit she had, a warm heart, and an outstanding presence. She always made you feel important to her, and always let you know that she cared about you. I don’t know why I decided to write this today. There are a lot of things I don’t understand about the world. Why someone so special was afflicted with such a terrible disease, and why she had to go. Why certain people stay who arent good people. Life is a mystery for me……all I can say is that I miss you Des. I hope you have a happy birthday and ill see you again one day, and I hope I am greeted with the same ol big hug I always got….

Some sense and no nonsense....

We are so behind the times…
I am currently doing some research into the cost of allowing same sex couples insurance through Pueblo County. The County would contribute $ 83.00 to those couples a month! Really?! $83.00…. it seems so trivial when we just spent 50 some odd million dollars on an unneeded building (WARNING: MY opinion only), and my contribution to the recession here in Pueblo in 2010 was about $1,500.00.

I think aside from money it’s about much more than that. Let’s face it, I’m NOT married, nor am I in any sort of relationship that will be headed towards marriage anytime soon. I am married to my union, and to my job! Aside from having that big “S” on my legal documents, I AM a human being. I deserve the same rights my heterosexual coworkers have. I have no options, and in the eyes of my employer I will forever be a big “S.” My single heterosexual peers have the option of one day being married and adding their spouse to their insurance and estate planning. I do not have that to look forward to. Again, it’s not something in my near future, BUT what happens if the planets magically align and I change my mind? I am basically just out of luck! So does that make me less important? Less of a human being? Less deserving of basic human rights?! I DON’T THINK SO! I give just as much to my community and to my employer as anyone else. I put my heart, soul, and time away from friends and family into this job, but in the eyes of Pueblo County…..I am not equal. (I realize there is a larger scale here, but for the purposes of this post, im speaking locally only).

So change is on the horizon! Never underestimate the power of a large group of people with passion for any given topic! I believe in the power of the people! I believe in people doing what’s right, and just! Just this week Proposition 8 was ruled unconstitutional, so change is on the horizon! And WE wont stop! I realize that I have not been as active in the LGBT community as I should be, but I stand firm on my ideals 118%! I deserve equal rights, because I am just as good as the next person. This isn’t the life I CHOSE, this is the life I was given, and I embrace it. I also believe our elected officials should get with the times! Come up to speed with whats going on with the rest of the nation, and step to the forefront, and fall behind our state of Colorado, who has already provided benefits to same sex couples….updates to follow……

Josa

State of the Union Address

The State of the Union Address is much more fun to watch when you have your buddies giving commentary via text message. At one point when describing Speaker of the House Boehner I sent an emoticon of an orange and referred to him as "Snooki's dad." What an awful spray tan that man has! All joking aside, it was nice to see Gabby Giffords sitting front and center last night. I have so much admiration for that woman. The world at times seems to have gone mad, so its nice to see someone who has risen from the ashes and continues to be a role model for strength.

The Presidents words hit home for me. He talked about the issues "we" (my friends, CAC, Union Brothers and Sisters) have been talking about for the past several months. The status I posted that says something like "fuck yea our president rocks!" got 22 likes. Some of the most absurd things I post are well liked by people. It just blows my mind sometimes! Some of the most serious things aren't even looked at. The people I associate with are an interesting bunch of folks, ahem....diverse bunch of folks. So onward with 2012 election season. There is much work to do and i will continue recruiting folks so we can create a good volunteer base here in Pueblo. "Boots on the ground" is what I'm looking for I suppose. The only way to achieve the things our President talked about last night is to work hard, (and get the crazies out of office, but work hard too). I am anticipating some of these bills being brought up. Next up.....SB1 in Colorado, AND the extension of UI benefits! Rally on my brothers and sisters!

*I just noticed I really didn't write much on the SOTU but i agreed with 99.9 percent of what the President said, i figured you got that from this post!