I made the news :)

[Exiled in America]

Yes, this is a bit of a vanity post, but what the hell.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID...

Check out www.idahovotesno.org for more info! We're very much a grass roots campaign, so if you find that you can spare a little money to support our effort, make an online donation to the hard work we're trying to do in this state!

Cheers!
Andrew Yoder
Campaign Manager
Idaho Votes No

[diddlysquat]

1. I am proud of you!

[Exiled in America]

5. Interesting fact about our amendment fight in Idaho

The reporter did a good job overall I think, but I wish she would have made the point that the amendment being proposed does NOT just move the state law definition of marriage to the constitution, it goes further to ban any future possibility of civil unions or domestic partnerships. Further, because the langugae of the amendment says "marriage.....shall be the only recognized form of legal union in the state" it means that it takes the over 1,000 protections automatically granted with marriage and makes them forever inaccessible to same sex and unmarried heterosexual couples.

So this proposed amendment isn't about defining marriage. It's about denying a huge group of people and many idaho families from the right to ever petition their government for ANY of over 1,000 protections automatically granted heterosexual couples through marriage. These include some pretty basic things like hopsital visitation rights, automatic next-of-kin status, and many many more.

That is more than a disagreement about what a "marriage" should be - that's codified discrimination, and its inherently unfair. We want fairness for ALL Idaho families!

[WatchWhatISay]

2. Good for you Andrew

I hope your parents are proud of what you are doing. They should be.

[mwdem]

3. Good for you!

That is so cool! Way to go!

[MuseRider]

4. Good for you!

I too jumped headlong into this kind of thing, there is nothing more rewarding. You are in no way bragging or vain, you are a hero.

Good luck, we lost that one sadly but we are trying to fight our way back. If I can find a little extra I will send some money but right now most of mine is going to our statewide organization fighting for equal rights.

I will certainly be thinking of you.

[Demobrat]

6. Hi S!

Congrats!

[Exiled in America]

9. Hi!! :)

Nice to see you!

Shhhhhhhh

[rodeodance]

7. let the grass graw tall. cheers

[peacebird]

8. BRAVO!!!!!!!!

[MadMaddie]

10. Proud of you Andrew!!

Keep up the good work!!

[stevedeshazer]

11. Keep fighting the good fight

I hope your parents get well.

Wish I could help, but we have our own battles here in Oregon.

Good luck, neighbor.

[Fridays Child]

12. I can't tell you how your efforts...

...fill me with pride in you, as a fellow DUer, and hope for the future of equality in our country.

Thank you for what you're doing.

[kaygore]

13. Great article! Good for you.

[cynthia]

14. Congratulations

They keep trying to pull the same thing in Minnesota, but so far the state lsenate keeps blocking it from getting on the ballot. The proposal they put forth here would have done the same thing, taking away so many of the hard-won domestic partner benefits that we now have.


Keep up the good work!

[Sapphocrat]

15. Well done!!!

[NMMNG]

16. Way to go!

We need more people like you on our side!

[cboy4]

17. Hey, you do all of the vanity posting you want! You're great!

Yoder has witnessed the daily challenges of his gay friends.

"I love them so dearly, and it breaks my heart to see them in pain or to see them treated differently by our government,'' Yoder said. "Fighting for equality does not end on Nov. 7. I want to continue this kind of work.''


What a wonderful thing to say.

And thank you for all of your efforts in Idaho.....as Buffy said, we definitely need more people like you!!

[jarnocan]

18. I like your 'Why it is wrong page'

http://idahovotesno.org/whyitswrong.html straight forward and clear. BEST wishes!!!!

[swimmernsecretsea]

19. Keep making the news!

Thank you!

[arwalden]

20. Pride Goeth Before A Fall...

... it would also appear that you've outed yourself, Selwynn. So... goodbye, again!

[Exiled in America]

21. People change.

Yes, I did - I knew I was, and I knew that what I desreved, by the book, is to be removed from the site.

But here's the thing - people change. Sometimes, every once in a while people change. Over a year ago, closer to two years ago, I got ridiculously caught up in a few debates and was immature and nasty. I insulted a moderator - and probably other people - because I was foolish. And I got my account banned - and it was much deserved. I was ignorant and acted in an embarassing way.

Since that time I've learned a lot, changed a lot, and focused as much as I can on dialog and fairmindedness. I contacted the adminsitrators and asked if, based on over a year of clean posting with no deleted messages, no warnings, and no created trouble, I could be reinstated. Posting on another account after a ban breaks the rules, but I think bigger than that is that the people who run this sight are fair people. They understand that people change, and they know that a lot of posters are young adults, like myself. We learn and grow. Though you're not supposed to post on another account, what it showed was a year of consistent change.

The moderators have the discretion on how they run the sight, and the decided to give me another chance, when I asked for it. I'm only here becuase they decided to give me something I didn't necessarily deserve and I appreciate that. I want to be able to keep in connection with this network of democrats and progressives, ESPECIALLY because of my current job.

I the site moderators/adminsitrators decision is beautifully in the spirit of what democratic politics and philosophies of inclusiveness are all about - believing that human beings can and do change. I love the idea of second chances, and I have no intention of making them regret their decision.

So if there's someone else out there who needs a second chance - write them and ask. They're not inhuman. They understand that sometimes people change.

Anyway, I apologize for my flaws and failings in conversation years ago. I'd love to make a fresh start with you and anyone else, with the understanding that it would be guarded and cautious on your part I'm sure.
Cheers!