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Tuesday, November 02, 2004
I cannot believe how viciously I can hate a place I love so much.
Not just because of the presidential uselessness of conservative votes, but also because of the way our ballot propositions are going, T and I are now looking up job listings outside the state of California. Only thing is, we'd have to find a place where my parents would live with/near us, because it would be unfathomable for us to leave them with my dad's health the way it is.
I am just sickened to be living in this state right now. It's a shame such a beautiful place has to be ruined for people like me.
Fantasizing about a state called "Inland California"...
OK, deep breath. I'm a bit calmer. Not everything is bad here. The two things that make me the most upset:
Stem-cell research. I really think the focus for stem-cell research should be on adult stem cells and umbilical cord blood stem cells -- which is the field of study that has actually seen results, whereas embryonic stem cell has had zero. I think the idea of creating new individuals simply to destroy them for their cells is absolutely abominable, and it's really not a great idea even if you aren't a staunch pro-lifer, IMO. It's a manifestation of our extraordinary hubris as human beings, creating life and then destroying it for what we think is a good purpose. And this is before you even bring up the taxpayer cost of 3 billion dollars -- which is almost inconsequential in comparison to the other arguments for me.
The DNA registry. This had the potential to be a really helpful concept, except that they made it an enormous violation of the privacy of innocent people, because you only need to be arrested, not convicted, to have your DNA added to the database. That's a system that is wide open for misuse, if you ask me. And it's another enormous taxpayer expense.
But there are some decent things too. California decided to spend some money in a good place, on children's hospitals. I have a soft spot in my heart for those and they do a lot of good, and need the chance to have the best equipment and personnel and facilities they can, in my opinion. And my beloved Fresno Zoo, which, hello, my grandmother used to go to as a young person, has been saved by a sales tax measure. As has our local hospital.
And federally things look good, although I'm afraid to breathe quite yet. ;-) Overall, I think the stress probably took a few months off my life tonight, but I feel less ill than I did a few hours ago. Not that I don't still think the Inland California (Western California -- whatever, I'll take it) thing is a good idea.
