Midnight Ramblings

Let's get to the big DVD news:

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith comes out November 1! Lusasfilm has yet to release the complete list of bonus stuff, but they did give us this partial list:

- feature-length documentary on the making of the film
- 2 featurettes: one about the stunts, and one about the whole "chosen one prophecy"
- the 15 web documentaries made for starwars.com
- a playable demo for Star Wars Battlefront II

November 1! Don't forget.

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So, I'm looking into what one has to do to become a marriage commisioner in Alberta. It's this whole same-sex marriage thing. It's got me bugged.

See, the Alberta government likes to tell we the people that we're all opposed to same sex marriage. I'm not, but the government tells me I am. Now, the way I understand it, there's a bit in the federal law that legalized same sex marriage that goes like this:

"Religous institutions still have the right to refuse to perform a same sex marriage if it conflicts with their religion."

Not bad. Everyone seemed to agree that it's a fair compromise between legalizing same sex marriage and protecting freedom of religion. Everything's clear, pass the beer.

Except, of course, in Alberta. Alberta's taking drastic measures to make sure that all rights are protected in this same sex marriage that's being forced down the throats of Albertans. (Not my throat. As I've said, I'm cool with it, but the Tories are telling me to think otherwise.) So, here in Alberta, they just envoked section 33 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This is the much-talked-about "not withstanding clause." It essentially allows a province to pass a law that violates the Constitution or Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as long as the provincial government renews it every 5 years. So, what new Alberta anti-same-sex marriage law had to be passed that requires section 33?

"Religous institutions still have the right to refuse to perform a same sex marriage if it conflicts with their religion."

GOSH DERN STUPID TORIES!! Quit your fear-mongering! You just did the same thing as the feds!

Now, granted, there's more to the Alberta law than this. The new Alberta law also extends the "right to refuse to do a same-sex marriage on religious grounds" to the government's marriage commisioners. So, now, Mr. Commisioner down at the city courthouse can also refuse to do a same sex marriage because Mr. Commisioner just happens to be Catholic. (Just an example.)

I also know that the right wing pundits are all paranoid right now. They like to present this horror story: church refuses to do a gay wedding. The gay couple charges the church with violating their rights. Church is hauled before human rights tribunal. Human rights tribunal rules in favour of the gay couple. Churches all over are now forced to do same-sex marriages, even if it violates their religion.

I, in all honesty, don't think that's going to happen.

But I'm watching all this chaos and thinking, "What can I do to stir up some mischeif?"

So, I'm going to become a marriage commisioner. I'm going to marry any couple that comes to my door.

Except, of course, those horrid straight people. It's against my religion.

Let's see if I can take that to the Supreme Court.