Guys I am Back!! The Philippine Drug War

Joaquin Tenedora-Forte

August 9, 2016

You may probably know about me I am a big libertarian, a libertarian believes in the free will of a person even if that ‘will’ take people to do horrible things to themselves. To be perfectly clear here, I am not advocating for people doing horrible things to other people. So there is no surprise that I disagree with the Philippine drug war and any and every drug war.

For me one way to see this is to end the drug war. I hate to say this the drug war is just a way for police officials to kill people.

In Portugal they decriminalise all drugs. At first the conservatives in the country do not agree with decriminalisation but what happened astonish them . decriminalisation worked not only that they have fewer crimes, they have fewer drug users.

I know some people will say that in the case of the Philippines, It is not possible because of its colonial past. I will not go into that, it is a different story for a different day.

Drugs is one of those things, that should not be illegal in the first place. Some drugs like crystal meth {shabu} is really bad for you. But Marijuana, really? When you use drugs in moderation, you are not doing any wrong.

Did you know that the number one cause of substance related crimes is alcohol. So are they advocating for the prohibition of alcohol. No, because it does not work. When you make some thing illegal people will want that thing ten times more, that is human nature.  Look, It have been a failure in the United States.

Lastly,The drug war does not and will not work ever, even if you crack down in every one who uses drugs. Just legalise it because you can not crack down every one.

Marriage Equality: One Year Later

Joaquin Tenedora-Forte

June 28, 2016

As we know June 26 marks the historic decision of the Supreme Court, that brought down same sex marriage bans. Making it so Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual people have the same rights as every person does, in marriage. The question becomes, what’s next?

 

Do not get me wrong. the LGBT community had made their biggest strive. Marriage equality can not be change for now. But there is some smaller fights that needed to be won.

As we all probably know in twenty plus states had no protection, what so ever, for its gay and lesbian citizens. You can get married on Saturday, post on FaceBook on Sunday and get fired on Monday. That is why the passage of the employment and housing non discrimination is so important. So that gay and lesbian people, (and Bisexual people in a same sex relationship) will never go through discrimination.

After the US got marriage for gay, lesbian and bisexual citizens it became less acceptable to discriminate agains Gay and Bisexual people. It became okay to discriminate agains Transgender people in the bathroom. Conservatives states like North Carolina pass laws that state that people should go to the bathroom of their birth and not as they identify as. how will this be implemented. I DO NOT KNOW. What about the FTM or female to male transgender.

I will not finish this article without tackling the big elephant in the room, What happened in Orlando two weeks ago which killed 49 souls is one of the biggest thing that happened to the gay community, and one of the worst hate crimes in US history. What should the LGBT community need to do to combat hate is to come out of the closet, the more LGBT people the general population knows the less chance for the community to get attack.

Lastly, The LGBT community had injured a lot of things in the process of coming in to this point. Finally, lets combat hate by love, and loving everyone not just white gay men, but every buddy else.

talk to me on Twitter @joaquinwrites

Second Amendment: Hidden History

Joaquin Tenedora-Forte

June 21, 2016

Last week america had an incident,the worst mass shooting in its history and the worst terrorist attack since September 11, 2001. In Orlando Florida,  in a LGBT night club. Naturally people blame the second amendment and america’s lacks gun laws in this incident. In todays blog we are talking about the hidden history of the gun amendment also known as the second amendment.

I did not know this I just heard this on Kyle Kulinski’s show Secular Talk a radio show on the internet last week. He mention that the second amendment is use to preserve slavery. Wow. I can not get that out of my mind. Obviously I rush to the internet and research the history of this amendment, to my surprise Kyle is right.

So why is it that they put “a well regulated  militia necessary for a free state” instead of for a free country, the founders are aware of that though. (Please check out the 10th amendment) because the needed to preserve slavery to get Virginia to join the union, America needed to compromise, because Virginia is a slave state.

The line where there is the right of the people to keep and bare arms is use, to the people of the militia or slave patrol, it did not say individual. In the these states their’s slave patrol so you need guns. The slave owner wants to make sure that that there slaves are in check. Do not tell me that it says individual because it does not.

What the supreme court on the case District of Columbia vs Heller is wrong, because people do not have a right to buy guns. The justices give the gun lobby namely the NRA more power than it deserves. You have no right according to James Madison to a weapon of mass distraction.

Lastly, people died in an elementary school,  in a high school, in universities, in a movie theatre, a church, in a work place, now the latest is in a night club. Is this added to Americas great traditions.

Finally, What the heck! america. Please stop with all the shootings. Let us think of people that died, guys. To the senators who voted NO to basically stoping a shooting like this from ever happening again: YOU HAVE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS.`

My source:The Second Amendment was Ratified to Preserve Slavery

Tweet at me @joaquinwrites

America: Stop with all the shootings

Joaquin Tenedora-Forte

June 14, 2016

When something like this happened, I am become completely numb about shootings like this, it’s just another shooting in america. This one is no deferent at first, Sunday morning I was checking my twitter. I saw there have been another shooting in orlando. Not again I said to my self, This is like deja vu because there is one Friday night, But as I read the twits, the news: I said to my self WOW this is unbelievable. 50 people are dead Wow, What is unsettling is who the victims are. This is in a gay club. Wow

The question always when this happen is Why? This is a hate crime, this person wants to bring fear to the gay community. His father said he hated gays kissing. This is one of the effects of radical religious believe, even if its not direct. People need to stop defending islam.

I hate when people say: Oh its there culture blah blah blah. You mean it’s there culture to kill innocent people because they do not agree with their “LIFESTYLE”. I hate this so much, this well meaning people, this are liberal progressive people. I know muslims have a bad wrap in america, but duh….

Do not get me started on the gun issue, Here we go again, America, after the Sandy Hook shootings which killed young kids, I thought the lesson had been learned. We need it, but as we all know the NRA will not be happy. What we need is what Bernie Sanders advocates for, A POLITICAL REVOLUTION. To people who say the we can not do it because gun control, Republicans do not want it, excuse me, people who identify as Republicans, I mean your run of a mill republicans want gun control.

The problem is the Democratic Party, Who does not know how to promote shit (sorry for the vulgar language). I can not believe  after Sandy Hook and 90 percent of Americans support gun control. After only one try they gave up. What the heck! If I were the democrats I would say to the electorate look at the republicans, they do not represent you, and I will start from there.

Finally, This is very sad because first this month is LGBT pride month and it should be a fun occasion but secondly this hits so close to home,  I never had spoken about this before on this blog but I am Bisexual. People need to come out because if they do it will help the send a message that we are who we and are no one can stop us.

Tweet me: joaquinwrites

Thank you for all the memories American idol

Joaquin Tenedora-Forte

April 11, 2016

As we probably know this is the final season of American Idol, this is making me sad because idol had been there since 2001. I have been watching religiously for the show since 2006. it seem like my childhood is officially ending. i am now 23 years so american idol had been on air for more than half of my life.

The show is a prefect example of chasing the american dream, an american dream that dwindled during the show’s heyday due to the great resection.

The show was the first ‘adult show’ (not children oriented show) I remembered watching and was drawn to. I remembered watching the 3rd season when Fantasia Barino was on with two other ladies one of them was Filipino American Jasmin Trias and as a Filipino myself I supported her. I have plenty of memories watching the show, that i am going to miss. I am going to miss the auditions, hollywood week and just  the talent specially this last few seasons.

My favorite season of American Idol is the eighth season of the show: that is when Adam Lambert was on the show. When I first saw him he was already my favorite, boy did he delivered. Adam owned the stage from the time he was on the show. He thought me that it is okey to be deferent. When he lost i cried (literally) two weeks later he came out as gay. and as a sixteen catholic kid I understood what being gay meant. I am now a vocal supporter of gay rights.

A one of the Beatles George Harrison said in his 1970 song All Things Must Pass. American Idol time has pass. All we are left with is the memories. I will miss you American idol. You guys rock!

LGBT Monday: Harvey Milk and the hope he is still bringing up to today

Joaquin Tenedora-Forte

October 26, 2015
There are some people who’s legacy will not be recognize, until years or even decades after they died. This is definitely true for Harvey Milk, Harvey Milk is the first openly gay public elected official. I think he is more relevant today than back then. He gave a lot of hope to people that till this day is felt. 

  
I was 16, when I first watched the movie Milk, by Daniel Lance Black, staring Sean Penn as Harvey Milk. And I am not going to lie, I did not like the movie, I suppose I am too young to watch a gay theme film. But after almost 4 years at the age of 20 I watch the film again, and I absolutely love it, because I absolutely got the theme of the film, and the film is about hope.

  
Even after Milk was gun down, he is giving people hope as the first elected state supervisor just by being out. He is the first person who has given people an idea that being gay is not a crime or a sin. He’s death has more meaning now than ever before, after The US Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality, Milk’s legacy of equality, came to life.

  
The hope that Harvey Milk gave to a lot of people back then that are in the shadows about being gay, holds true until today, with the organization the It Gets Better project. The founders spouses Dan Savage and Terry Miller, in the wake of the 2010 crisis of teens committing suicide, that the campaign is aim on giving hope to teenagers, that they can live happy lives. 

  
Lastly, I hope that Harvey Milk story of courage in the midst of everything that happen to him in his life, will be on every history book not just in liberal states, so that every LGBT kid can have the courage to live their lives as authentic as possible. Finally, I want to give you my favorite quote from Harvey Milk, “if a bullet should enter my brain let it shutter every closet door.”

Special: Pope Francis supports Kim Davis?

Joaquin Tenedora-Forte

September 30, 2015
In his visit to America last week, the leader of one billion Catholics in the world, the Pope, Pope Francis. Spoke to congress he talked about climate change, helping the poor, abortion among other things. He also talked about Immigration (he said that he is a son of immigrants). and the Syrian Refugee crisis. There is one thing that got in my skin that the pope said, this is about Kim Davis the county clerk from Kentucky, who refused to give out marriage licenses to gay people.

  
I agree with the pope on so many issues like climate change, immigration, the Syrian Refugee crisis and helping the poor, abortion (to a certain point), and him being an example of what a good person is. But what he said about marriage especially the Kim Davis controversy, got in my skin.

  
Kim Davis a Kentucky county clerk who refused to give out marriage licenses to gay people. It is illegal what she did, because she is a representative of the state of Kentucky. Kentucky is a state of the United States. Federal law trumps your religious freedom. So she should obey the law of the land, that simple. 

 
The Pope when ask by a reporter on the way back to the Vatican said that people like Mrs. Davis have a right to refuse gay people marriage licenses. No, he is flat out wrong, what the pope should have said is this, I may not agree or she might not agree, with the state but the Supreme Court already decided on the issue, she should obey by what the law is. That is a more diplomatic response. 

  
Lastly, the progressives should remember that Pope Francis is the leader of a church. And being the leader of the Catholic Church he needed to obey by the church orders. Finally, I as a Catholic, want to like Pope Francis, If stuff like this keeps on happening I can’t like him as enthusiastically as I probably can.

U.S. Constitution Friday: What constitutes freedom of speech

Joaquin Tenedora-Forte
 Is there a right that is more American than freedom of speech. This is one of those rights written as an amendment to the constitution, this is what makes America great. In most countries freedom to say what you want it, and when you want to say is sadly not always granted. But what are the rules regarding free speech? What if there is a war, what if you disagree with the government and the law.

  
 You are intitled to you’re own opinion, you are not intitled to your own facts. This encapsulate what freedom of speech is all about. You can say what ever you want to say, whether it’s true or not, like what Donald Trump said, that president Obama is not a natural born U.S citizen, Because this is not true, in fact Obama is born in Hawaii, Hawaii is a state of the United States, making him a natural born U.S citizen.  

  
 In other countries like France, if what you said is wrong or factually incorrect or hurtful, You can be charged with libel, a civil offense. Like what happen in the wake of the attack on the cetitrical magazine Charlie Hebdo, where in Fox News said that there are a lot of ‘no go zones’ in Paris. The mayor of Paris threaten to sue Fox News for libel but back down.   

  
So what the is exemption to free speech in America, one is when in time of war, usually your habas corpus will be gone for the time being. Or when you are inanimate of danger to others, for example, you shouted bomb at an airport or at any public space, you should be arested. 

  
        Lastly, even though we have a right to say what is on our mind that does not mean that we need to. A little bit of decentcy will come a long way. Finally I want to repeat what I said earlier, you may be intitled to your own opinion you are not intitled to your own facts. 

Religious freedom: America and religion

Joaquin Tenedora Forte 
       In the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution that states the country should be neutral on the issue of religion. That President Tomas Jefferson confirms, in a letter to a Baptist church in Connecticut. But this is not implemented as well as I wanted to. In seven different states there are laws in the books that said that atheist, cannot run for office. Though it is not enforceable because of the fourteenth amendment, supremacy clause. 

  

  
      Seventy six percent of America are Christians. All of American presidents are Christian. They are not persecuted in the country. How can people like, Pat Robertson say that American Christians is under attack. Christians is not under attack. People like Pat Robertson are attacking minority groups, like gays and racial minorities.
        America is the riches religious country in the world. Religion brings war and terrorism, Like what happened in the civil war. were in white people in the South said that their religious freedom states that we can keep our slaves. It took the civil war to change law. The bible backs slavery and segregation and the hating of gay people.

     It’s in the best interest of America to be secular. And not to have a state religion. Because there are many people who are not Christians, some people are Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish and some people are non religious, and the country should respect that. By having a state sanctioned religion, the government will be able to crack down on other secs, that they do not agree upon.

    Lastly, the United States government is not a church, it is a secular institution, they should make no law protecting a religious sec. And all laws should be secular. For example In the issue of gay marriage, If a church do not want to marry someone who is gay because of religious reasons, they don’t need to, but the country should protect gay marriages. 

My favorite U.S. Supreme Court case: Loving v. Virginia

Joachim Tenedora-Forte 
  

        Why is it that if there is something different or weird Americans want to ban it to the point of no return. Even though they have nothing to do with it. America prides themselves as the pellets of liberty but in reality they are not. Liberty means freedom, freedom means less regulation especially in people’s private lives. In today’s article I want to write about my favorite Supreme Court case, no it’s not the recent ruling on marriage equality but the first marriage case Loving vs Virginia 1967.

    Richard and Mildred Loving are childhood sweethearts who wanted to get married in their home state of Virginia. But there’s a big problem. They are mixed race. Richard is white and Mildred is black. In southern states there are laws that ban interracial marriages. The reasons why interracial marriage is ban, was absurd to say the least. 

    The Loving’s went to Washington DC to obtain a marriage license. When they went back home, the police come knocking at their door. It is illegal what they have done. Richard and Mildred were in jail for one year. Until they were let go. They were proclaim persona non grata by their home state, Virginia. They were outrage that they can’t even visit family together. 

      The Loving’s sued the state of Virginia to the fourteenth amendment of the United States constitution. In the equal protection clause. But the Loving’s lose at the circuit court, the judge in his decision said that God created the races separate (absurd right?), and that people shouldn’t marry interracially. 

       The Loving’s case went to the Supreme Court, unable to come to the hearings, Richard Loving convey to the court thru his lawyer Bernard Cohen the following words: “Mr Cohen tell the court I just love my wife and I can’t wait to live with her in Virginia”. In a unanimous decision the U.S. Supreme Court in the grounds of equal protection and due process decided that all anti miscegenation laws is unconstitutional. Protecting the right to interracial marriage.

         The fact that the decision came only 45 years ago tells something about how America views racism. My favorite Supreme Court ruling, they got this so right, 9-0 favor the right to interracial marriage. It breaks my heart why Richard and Mildred Loving need to go thru that.