Marriage is a Human Right

I love being married. My better half and I have been together for nearly 27 years and are still going strong. We've bought houses together, reared children together, gone through medical emergencies and financial hardships and--mostly--fun together. His job brings in the health insurance; mine makes the house payment. We're partners. And there is nothing, but nothing about our marriage that would be harmed or threatened if same-sex couples were allowed to marry in our home state of CA. Indeed, a bigger threat to our happiness is the fact that these men and women--our neighbors, colleagues and friends-- are being forbidden the right to enjoy what we've been able to celebrate so freely. During the last election, an infusion of out of state money and right-wing christian churches were able to strike fear in the hearts of a narrow majority. Today, the state Supreme Court upheld the initiative, but has also decided that same-sex marriages performed prior will be honored. Today, too, is the day we start the new fight to ensure that all adults share the right to share their lives and loves in marriage. Here's to marriage equality.



You can go here to sign a petition of support and to donate to fund the fight for marriage equality.

5/28/09: National Day of Resistance to U.S. Torture

Time for our civil society to demand a return to civilized society. You can find information on actions taking place here.

Come Clean for Congo

What do tin, tungsten and tantalum have to do with social justice and violence against women? Take a look and see:

Josefin's Waltz

A bit of beauty from Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas on Sunday night, for no special reason. Only that I was thinking of the miracle of friendships, laid brick by brick, word by word, question by question. Through years, through the ether, through the wonder of the internet, through generations, wonder piled on wonder, no? Here's to you, Tom. To you, Sami, Sahar, Haider, Laith and Mo and Hamed. To you Magda, and you, Hanna. And you, Sri Lanka, whose name I don't know (thanks for stopping by so often. I hope peace flourishes soon in your country).

Thinking of Others and of Catastrophes, Then and Now

With the above in mind, Darwish's poem is all the more bittersweet:


Think of Others
by Mahmoud Darwish

As you prepare your breakfast – think of others.
Don’t forget to feed the pigeons.
As you conduct your wars – think of others.
Don’t forget those who want peace.
As you pay your water bill – think of others.
Think of those who only have clouds to drink from.
As you go home, your own home – think of others
– don’t forget those who live in tents.
As you sleep and count the planets, think of others
– there are people who have no place to sleep.
As you liberate yourself with metaphors think of others
– those who have lost their right to speak.
And as you think of distant others
– think of yourself and say “I wish I were a candle in the darkness.”

Sweet