Zcom_simple

Hello,

Blogs are a familiar feature on the internet - where users post content in an accumulating manner, with comments, and search options, etc. They facilitate expression and exploration, and via attached comments, also debate and synthesis.


Reading and
Navigating Blogs

Our blogs are quite powerful. Each writer can post, as is typically the case. Sustainers who have the option can also post, however. All Blogs appear in the blog system, and sometimes also in content boxes the top page of ZNet - and always via the left menu of the top page - and can be found via searches, etc.

Commenting on blogs follows the blogs, attached at the bottom, and blog comments, like all others, are also visible in many places that show comments including in the forum system. In addition, the entire blog system gathers content for everyone - but one can look at the accumulating content in many ways.

  • For example one can look at one writer's efforts - so one is seeing what is effectively a blog system for that one writer, or Sustainer.
  • One can also look at the content by topic, seeing blogs that are tagged as being about a certain topic - or place, as well. Thus, when doing that, it is a blog system about a topic, or a place, with many contributors.
  • One can look at only writer blogs, or only sustainer blogs, as well.
  • One can look at blogs for particular Groups, too.

All this is easily done using the left menu. Searches allow even more variables and refinements.


Creating Blog Posts

If you are a Sustainer with permission, and are logged in, you will see a link in the left menu for you to post a blog - and you can use that to post one, and then tag it various ways (such as with a topic or place, or a group tag), and once you do, it is in the system with you as the author.

You can also use the console button to the left to post a blog - anytime and from anywhere in the site, as long as you are logged in.

Meanwhile, enjoy the blogs - and, by the way, if you are a Free Member or a Sustainer with a ZSpace page, of course you can put one or more content boxes on it, pulling blog links of any sort you may want to filter for, for example, by you or by your friends or by others - and by topic, about places, for groups, etc.

Blogs

Thoughts on Gay Marriage

By Michael McGehee at Oct 08, 2008


Change Text Size a- | A+

Noam Chomsky has long been noting that not only is the US one of the most heavily polled countries in the world, but our opinions are much more progressive and to the left than either political parties platform.

A quick browse through www.pollingreport.com quickly confirms this.

But there is one issue that is still divisive in this country: Gay Marriage.

It doesn't make sense to me but that is probably because I am an atheist (though I know many liberal theists might object to this, but I don't think many will deny that the bulk of objections to gay marriages centers around religious views).

To me it is purely a civil rights issue: is there an acceptable reason to deny equality to homosexuals; is there a legitimate legal argument to banning gay marriages? I don't think there is.

A few states have recognized the unconstitutional aspect only for "mob rule" to allow their prejudices to deny others what they hold selectively for themselves.

If marriage is a religious issue then there should be no legality involved since the first amendment is clear on Congresses ability to make legislation respecting an establishment of religion.

And if marriage is not a religious issue and is a legal one - which is clearly the case - then there is no legitimate basis to deny equality to others simply because of their sexual orientation.

The irony is the annual boasting of our past as it pertains to civil rights. We pat ourselves on the back for having the courage to say no to racism and sexism, but we quickly adopt the behavior of the Old South when homosexuality is mentioned.

But this too will pass. My generation and those younger than me - I am 28 - are already vastly more tolerant and open minded to gays and lesbians.

I guess the most troubling thought for me is that we shouldn't have to ride out this wave. This ought to be a non-issue and homosexuals, bisexuals and transexual ought to be able to enjoy equal rights.

Loading_border