To the disdain of of many pro-marriage equality groups, Theodore B. Olson and David Boies who argued Bush v. Gore back in 2000, are challenging Proposition 8 on the grounds the ruling creates a class of “second-class citizens” thereby violating the the U.S. Constitution. Representing two same-sex couples under the newly founded American Foundation for Equal Rights, the legal odd couple will fight Proposition 8 all the way to the Supreme Court. Video from today’s press conference.

Pro marriage equality groups are concerned that if the battle for same-sex marriage reaches the Supreme Court, a ruling in our favor is unlikely considering the conservative-leaning makeup of the court, possibly setting the movement back years. Others suspect that there is conspiracy at work on behalf of the Right to derail the same-sex marriage movement entirely by pushing same-sex marriage into the Supreme Court before gaining enough public support and before the Court is ready to rule favorably.

The L.A. Times obtained an internal White House memo today which provided talking points to Bush Cabinet members. The memo paints a rather rosy and unsurprisingly revisionist slant on the Bush legacy. On tonight’s Countdown Keith Olbermann put together a succinct “reality check” for those of us who may have forgotten some of the events of the past 8 years.

Not because of bad memory… but because there were so damn many…

Truth be told, I’ve never been a bumper sticker kind of guy. Sure I’ve laughed and poked fun at bumper stickers on other cars (and in the SF Bay area there’s a plenty), but I’ve never adorned my own vehicle with one.

Recently while browsing the web I stumbled across an interesting image with the slogan “McCain – 100% Recycled Bush”. I laughed and thought to myself, “that would make a great bumper sticker” and then promptly forgot about it. Until yesterday. After Barack Obama secured the nomination I considered buying an Obama Support Pack, a collection of goodies that included, among other things, bumper stickers. And then I remembered the image and catchy slogan.

Long story short I recreated the image in bumper-friendly format and posted it on CafePress in my new online store. I of course will be buying one for myself. And I’ll also be donating half of any proceeds from the sale to the Barack Obama campaign.

Comments and purchases of course, are welcome.

We did something a little a little unusual yesterday.

We participated in a protest called Beach Impeach III. Some of the photos I took during the event are available here.

I know many would have considered it a waste of time. And at one time we would count ourselves among that group. Always somewhere to go and something to do, and the bits in between spent trying to make sense of everything else. But I’m afraid that complacency is slowly killing us all, without so much as a blip on our collective radar.

The protest attempted to send a single unified message. It’s effectiveness will have to be judged by others but am hopeful it had some impact. I am sure many of you thought it was a bunch of naked, left-wing crackpots trying to spell out IMPEACH on the wet grass but too high to get the letters right. But it was nothing like that at all. Sure there were hippies, but there were also families, grandparents, brothers and sisters, partners, of all ages, colors, shapes and sizes. All trying to paint an image that represents the anger and frustration they carry, and participating in that act with others of like mind and spirit provides some level of ease.

And I think that was the key for us yesterday. It was more about participating then sending a message. And it was time to stop being complacent and do something. So we participated in a protest.

We were sad that no one we knew could join us, because it was an experience best shared. There was such a sense of community standing on that grass as helicopters floated by snapping photographs. For a moment the phrase “It only takes a village,” seemed to have more than a “bumper sticker” meaning.

But protesting is only one form of participation. Some volunteer. Others become politically active. All our equally important and have their place. Getting involved is key. Standing idly by is not.

Because while people work, consume and sleep, the freedoms we take for granted are gradually taken away. And while the dull thudding of a complacent media pounds what masquerades as truth in our ears, our resolve slowly weakens. It happens almost imperceptibly because we don’t notice the tortoise as it struggles toward the finish line, only the hare as it bounds by, drawing attention to itself. It’s this inexorable crawl we should be wary of, as it never exposes itself for what it truly is, and we never notice the damage it has done until it is too late.

I suspect this will not be the last protest we attend, and hope that others will join us.

There are many roles we can play. But playing sheep, shouldn’t be one of them.