Pride

I remember, as a child, hoisting the flag. At school. At my Aunt Mary Jo's house with my uncle Richie.

As I grew up, that childhood patriotism waned. I grew less wide eyed toward our government, toward the process, and more and more disappointed by the lack of education of the voters. The ambivalence. The closed mindedness.

Tonight, my adopted state went blue again. My home state went blue again. And my home state voted not only to overturn a previous law banning same sex marriages but also is looking like they will vote to allow same sex couples to marry.

As we drove home from dinner with my brother-in-law, I realized that I was suddenly feeling a patriotism that I had not felt since I was a child. Maybe I had never felt it at all. But listening to the election coverage was inspiring. And this has been added to the outside of our house.

Chick-fil-A

I do not know why I avoided this for so long. But I have. And I feel shame.

We live in a country where we can stand up and make our voice be heard. We are free to be on either side of the issue. We can teach and guide our children in our beliefs. We can do the same with a company, a school or a group we found. We can hang it all out there.

To this end, I applaud Chick-fil-A. Good for them for shutting down on Sunday, there is nothing wrong with that. They follow the belief system set out for them by the religion they subscribe to. They voiced an opinion that will gain them a certain following but will lose them a group of consumers as well. In a world that often hides behind the guise and anonymity of the internet (hmm...does the finger point at me here?), they truly put their money where their mouth is.

History will find Chick-fil-A wrong. In fact, on a certain level, history probably already has. That is the beauty of history. But their rote dedication to the instruction of their religion will become their downfall. 

The beauty of the human race is that we learn, we evolve, we study our past mistakes. Our forefathers dealt with social issues of their time, it is our turn to deal with the issues we are confronted with today

If you have time, read this CNN.com article by Sarah Aarthun. If not, know that there are plenty who are willing to stand in opposition of Chick-fil-a.

"But at the local level, Chick-fil-A is meeting resistance from city officials in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco.

Philadelphia City Councilman James Kenney sent a letter to Cathy this week, telling the CEO in blunt terms to "take a hike and take your intolerance with you," and vowing to introduce a resolution at the next council meeting condemning the company.

"There is no place for this type of hate in our great City of Brotherly and Sisterly Affection," Kenney wrote.

San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee tweeted: "Closest #ChickFilA to San Francisco is 40 miles away & I strongly recommend that they not try to come any closer."

Mayor Emanuel, a Democrat, said this week that "Chick-fil-A's values are not Chicago values. They're not respectful of our residents, our neighbors and our family members."

And in Boston, where Chick-fil-A is considering opening a location, Mayor Thomas Menino, also a Democrat, made it clear the chain would not be welcome.

"I don't want an individual who will continue to advocate against people's rights. That's who I am and that's what Boston's all about," he said."

This CNN.com article by Sarah Aarthun as well.

"The Jim Henson Co., whose Jim Henson's Creature Shop toys have been served up in Chick-fil-A's meals for kids, announced last week that it would no longer associate itself with the chain.
 
"The Jim Henson Co. has celebrated and embraced diversity and inclusiveness for over 50 years and we have notified Chick-fil-A that we do not wish to partner with them on any future endeavors,” the company said on its Facebook page."

We are making progress. Too slow at times but despite the resistance, we are moving forward.

Shame on you

What is the purpose of government? I am here to suggest that the purpose of government is to look out for those who can not look out for themselves. As individuals, we can not always rise to meet the challenges that strike at our core. Which is why we rely on our government to respond for us as a collective.

Government supports a police force to protect its citizens. Fire departments to protect citizens from danger. First responders to respond to tragedy. National guard to respond to disaster. Military force to protect the nation from danger.

North Carolina passed an initiative that amends the state constitution to make civil unions illegal. The STATE CONSTITUTION. This bypasses a law that was already in effect that made civil unions illegal. Apparently that wasn't good enough. This is a law that in 20 years will be overturned. Why? It isn't a party line thing. The split was age. The older generations are against civil unions. The younger generations have realized that homophobia is the next civil rights battle ground. But the thing that hurts the most is that the same people who stood with MLK on civil rights for African Americans are now drawing a line in the sand and stating that their religious doctrines say that homosexuality is a sin. Shame on you for not seeing the hypocrisy in this. Shame on you for not standing up for your brothers and sisters who are now fighting a civil rights battle. Shame on your for not realizing the bible says many things and that you must cull the items which no longer make sense in our world.

Closer to home, here in Colorado, the GOP effectively blocked a civil unions bill by preventing any debate on the floor which, in turn, prevents an up-down vote on the bill itself. At some point, you people need to realize you are standing on the wrong side of history. While homophobia will never disappear, the tide is turning as you age yourselves out of the way. I only hope that you realize how wrong you are, the legacy you are leaving in your wake and at some point either step aside or concede that your younger generation will overturn your shameful decisions. Shame on you, House Speaker Frank McNulty, for keeping this from a vote. Your fear should not prevent the rest of Colorado from making a decision. Your fear should not prevent the government from creating a stance for those who have been bullied, derided, abused and discriminated against. Shame on you for forgetting that government is created to protect those in the minority, those who need the support and protection of a larger entity, those who are simply looking for the same rights afforded to their fellow citizens.

Finally...shame on me. Shame on me for not lending a more active voice. Shame on me for not taking the time to stand shoulder to shoulder with others who stood in support at our state Capitol. Shame on me for not setting an example to my children that we must be more politically active.

With that, I climb down from my soap box.

I love this game, part trois

I've just been served. Thank you, Mr. Baldwin.


And this.

And finally:


I am more than happy to take a drubbing on this one!

I love this game part deux

What other professional sport is putting gay rights advocacy front and center? Is it just that I really only follow hockey that I see this? Or is the sport I love so much really this cutting edge?

 

Read this.

I do know that there is a line being drawn in the sand. That history will look back on us, right now, and judge who was on which side of that line. We look back on the Mason-Dixon line. The Emancipation Proclamation. Suffrage and the 19th Amendment. The Holocaust. Rosa Parks and Montgomery. Four students in Greensboro. Harvey Milk.

I stand proudly on my side of the line. I will gladly be judged by the test of history.

"And though it's only my opinion

I may be right or wrong

You'll find them both

In the Grand Canyon

At sundown."

-Dylan

I love this game