Ticket to the Zeitgeist: 08/03/10

Prop 8 Decision Coming Tomorrow!

Judge Walker will hand down his decision on Perry v. Schwarzenegger (Prop 8 case) tomorrow.

Now, I can finish the play.

Hip Hop Nation

From Mediaite: Rumors swirl that Wyclef Jean will run for president of Haiti.

If you want recent eyewitness and expert update on conditions in Haiti following the earthquake, I invite you to geek out on Partners in Health's Dr. Paul Farmer and his July testimony to the Congressional Black Caucus.

Not Like Ban on Inter-racial Marriage. Worse.

Zeitgeist favorite Ta-Nehisi Coates in The Atlantic on the analogy (or not) between interracial marriage and gay marriage

Much worse, the comparison with interracial marriage actually understates the evil of reserving marriage rights for certain classes of people. Banning interracial marriage meant that most black people could not marry outside of their race. This was morally indefensible, but very different than a total exclusion of gays from the institution of marriage. Throughout much of America, gays are effectively banned from marrying, not simply certain types of people, but any another compatible partner period. Unlike heterosexual blacks in 1960, the ban gays suffer under is unconditional and total and effectively offers one word for an entire sector of Americans--Die. For evading that ban means virtual--if not literal--suicide.

McSweeney's takes on Freud...and Mad Men.

GaGa Goes Down on Arizona Immigration Politics

This strikes me as a pretty tepid political statement, but since it's Lady Gaga, it's getting a lot of attention. Her message - boycotting Arizona won't mean squat - spurring her fans to protest Arizona's immigration law is more effective. That also seems open to debate.