Sunday, October 18, 2009
A Call to Arms
Nicola Griffith posts a horrible and sad story about a woman and her children who were denied access to her dying spouse, all because they were lesbians and they happened to be in an "anti-gay city and state."
Here's my take: gay marriage won't even have a chance to "ruin" so-called "traditional" marriage because traditionalists (and three guesses just who I'm talking about here) will do there level best to ruin the gay marriages first. The death of Lisa Pond and the treatment of her spouse and children are an awful, avoidable loss, but when you get to the bigger picture (saying that knowing that death is indeed the big picture, but looking beyond the one tragedy with the sad knowledge that this will not be a one-time issue) the losses we will see are of dignity, respect, and humanity. I'll leave it to you to decide which side loses which.
As a final point, I don't live in Washington and so can't vote on this matter, but I can let my voice be heard in my own circles. Which starts here and in my other online venues, but is sure to move to the wider world.
Here's my take: gay marriage won't even have a chance to "ruin" so-called "traditional" marriage because traditionalists (and three guesses just who I'm talking about here) will do there level best to ruin the gay marriages first. The death of Lisa Pond and the treatment of her spouse and children are an awful, avoidable loss, but when you get to the bigger picture (saying that knowing that death is indeed the big picture, but looking beyond the one tragedy with the sad knowledge that this will not be a one-time issue) the losses we will see are of dignity, respect, and humanity. I'll leave it to you to decide which side loses which.
As a final point, I don't live in Washington and so can't vote on this matter, but I can let my voice be heard in my own circles. Which starts here and in my other online venues, but is sure to move to the wider world.
Labels: gay rights, tragedy
Friday, October 16, 2009
Nobody Can Toss Out an Insult Like the Brits
And I mean nobody:
"It's like gazing through a horrid little window into an awesome universe of pure blockheaded spite. Spiralling galaxies of ignorance roll majestically against a backdrop of what looks like dark prejudice, dotted hither and thither with winking stars of snide innuendo."
And a well-deserved insult it is, too. You may not be familiar with the story of the tragic death of Stephen Gately, but if you're curious about what brought on this diatribe, do go check it out.
Update: Lots of furor over the original column. Which I won't link to.
"It's like gazing through a horrid little window into an awesome universe of pure blockheaded spite. Spiralling galaxies of ignorance roll majestically against a backdrop of what looks like dark prejudice, dotted hither and thither with winking stars of snide innuendo."
And a well-deserved insult it is, too. You may not be familiar with the story of the tragic death of Stephen Gately, but if you're curious about what brought on this diatribe, do go check it out.
Update: Lots of furor over the original column. Which I won't link to.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Where the Wild Things Are
There are several movies that I have greatly anticipated this year, but none more so than Spike Jonze's take on Maurice Sendak's wonderful children's book Where the Wild Things Are. From the moment I first heard about it I've been dreaming and hoping that it does things right where so many other adaptations of this sort get it completely wrong. No, I haven't seen it yet, but this review gives me hope, and does a fine (and frighteningly logical) job of spelling out what Hollywood would have done to the movie by putting it into another's hands.
Friday, October 09, 2009
When I Grow Up...
The Guardian goes for the hard news, and I for one appreciate it. Check out the torso on the singer.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
The Crap That Parents Put Up With
From Free-Range Kids, one of my favorite blogs, comes this story about a school - no, not just a school, apparently an entire board - that will not allow children to bike to school. Indeed, they had a police office at school for the first day to greet parents to tell them they weren't allowed to even bike with their children. Even better, kids can't walk to school either.
It does look like some changes might be made, but I have to say that this is absolute insanity. Now, Aidan can obviously walk to school, since we only live a block away. Brennan takes the bus in the morning with Jo, and I do pick him up most days, but days I can't he takes the bus home no problem. And lots of kids bike to both schools without any grief.
It does look like some changes might be made, but I have to say that this is absolute insanity. Now, Aidan can obviously walk to school, since we only live a block away. Brennan takes the bus in the morning with Jo, and I do pick him up most days, but days I can't he takes the bus home no problem. And lots of kids bike to both schools without any grief.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
The New Noblemen (and Women)
I've been watching Ken Burns' National Park's: American's Best Idea on PBS this week, and as per usual am truly enjoying the experience. However, a line spoken in the third episode just jumped out at me and I had to briefly address it.
"In other parts of the world there are certain areas that are preserved because some rich nobleman, out of the goodness of his heart decided to decree it. But in the US you don't have to be dependent on some rich guy being generous to you. To me that's what national parks mean. It's a symbol of democracy. Democracy that works well, at its best." - Juanita Greene, Journalist.
Just for fun, I did a quick Google search and found a chart that lays out the average personal wealth of members of the US Senate and Congress. Go have a look and tell me more about the difference between democracy and these high-minded noblemen, especially considering how many of these wealthy representatives would do damage to those precious, public jewels.
"In other parts of the world there are certain areas that are preserved because some rich nobleman, out of the goodness of his heart decided to decree it. But in the US you don't have to be dependent on some rich guy being generous to you. To me that's what national parks mean. It's a symbol of democracy. Democracy that works well, at its best." - Juanita Greene, Journalist.
Just for fun, I did a quick Google search and found a chart that lays out the average personal wealth of members of the US Senate and Congress. Go have a look and tell me more about the difference between democracy and these high-minded noblemen, especially considering how many of these wealthy representatives would do damage to those precious, public jewels.
Labels: national parks, TV
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