From Lorraine: Fragmentation

#&(*@*^<*&>!!!

That having been said, i highly disagree with Habermas when he more or less states that things were better or would be ideal if educated (and white) men ran things or were the only ones allowed to participate in the public sphere. Again, the people that Habermas favors seem a little too privileged and disconnected to the majority of people who have to work (hard) for a living and will be affected by the discourse by those who Habermas deems worthy to participate in the public sphere. I'm not sure if Habermas ever acknowledges this, but power has a tendency to corrupt, and if one group or individual is given power without anybody to oppose them, it can really screw things up for everybody else, especially those who would be denied a voice or participation in the public sphere. It reminds me of that one episode of The Simpsons where Lisa and all the other smart people in town try to run Springfield, and they're no better than the corrupt morons who were running it. Stephen Hawkings eventually intervenes and helps everyone to realize that power corrupts, no matter how smart you are. I especially like it when Stephen Hawkings shares a beer with Homer and is interested in Homer's idea that the universe is shaped like a doughnut. Hawkings, the intelligent, white male does not discount Homer's idea on the grounds that Homer is an imbecile (albeit a usually well-meaning one).

What would be another good example of this? What about lobbyists from major corporations who essentially buy votes from Congress, which is the public sphere of our government? Those congress people take money from these corporations, and tweak policy to where the bottom line is that the working poor and the diminishing middle classes are given the shaft. Don't believe me? Check out these links:

http://www.demos.org/inequality/numbers.cfm
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0616-09.htm
http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/economist/19750

As far as this diatribe can be related to the gay community, I'll tell you: My older sister and I are very close. My sister is also a lesbian. When she and her girlfriend were hanging out, just holding hands (that's as far as the PDA's went) and minding their own business, they were accosted by a straight couple who made their opinions very vocal and they even attacked my sister and her girlfriend. When the police were called, my sister had fought back in self defense, but SHE was the one thrown in jail. I reckon you can say, in this instance if interaction in the public sphere, my sister's voice was moot (along with the fact that she was defending herself and her attackers were the ones who struck first) because the police did not do anything to her attackers.

Beyond that, I'm all for gay rights. Why? Because there's nothing in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights that excludes them from getting married, having kids, etc. Again, I talk about America because of Industrialized nations, we're pretty behind in the times (did you know in some foreign Industrialized countries, gay people can get married? Wow). In fact, we have the rights to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" and last time I checked, letting gay people get married or adopt kids does not trample on anybody else's rights--but denying gays and lesbians those chances does by definition alone.

Here's a clip from Otep, leader of the band that bears her name, who's also a lesbian and poet who threw the primarily African American audience for a loop at "Def Poetry Jam"