We recently left a church we'd attended for over a year. The issue was two-fold--both the pastor and several of the congregants had made public statements against gay marriage and the pastor had sermonized about disciplining children with a belt. When I mentioned these concerns to the pastor's wife, stating that the anti-gay message particularly disturbed my daughter, she asked, "is she gay?" I said no, but what I SHOULD have said was, "Why do you ask?" In a Christian church, we believe that God is the God of all. If all means all, that should include gay and straight, black and white, sinners and saints.
So, in the same vein, the Supreme court is considering the Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8 which both concern blocking benefits for married same-sex couples. The essential question being considered is "whether the Constitution's promise of equality for all persons applies to gay men and lesbians when it comes to marriage." (According to a recent article in the Kansas City Star, "Gay Marriage on Docket")
The question I'd like to ask is, haven't we already determined that the Constitution applies to all person? Not just white persons, not just male persons, but all persons. Seems we keep having to make the distinction about what being a person means. I think that each time this decision comes up to vote, we (humankind) are facing our fear of the unknown. Can women really be smart enough and capable enough to have an opinion and to vote? Are they really PEOPLE? Same question for African-Americans, American Indians or other "foreigners." At root, people who have a different sexual orientation are different than the majority and that is scary! I can only hope that at some point we will evolve to where different more often means interesting than fearful.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
How Much Can You Help?
Another article in a (probably continuing) series about the murder/suicide of Kassandra Perkins and Jovan Belcher. A good deal more information as come to light this morning, including the fact that Belcher kissed his girlfriend after killing her and telling her he was sorry.
Immediately after the murder, Belcher drove to the Chief's stadium where he met Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli. Pioli tried to reason with Belcher but that didn't work. Belcher had been in counseling with the Chiefs, who “were bending over backward” to help, Sharp said. But Belcher told Pioli that the assistance wasn’t enough to fix their problems and now, “It was too late.”
In the wake of this tragedy, my question is; once a person is to the point where they are willing to kill, is it too late to help them? Belcher had lots of problems, both financial (according to the article) and personal, but so do many people. He and Kassandra had a fight the night of her murder, but many couples fight. What else could the Chiefs, his mother or his friends have done to prevent this tragedy? Could anyone have stopped it?
Immediately after the murder, Belcher drove to the Chief's stadium where he met Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli. Pioli tried to reason with Belcher but that didn't work. Belcher had been in counseling with the Chiefs, who “were bending over backward” to help, Sharp said. But Belcher told Pioli that the assistance wasn’t enough to fix their problems and now, “It was too late.”
In the wake of this tragedy, my question is; once a person is to the point where they are willing to kill, is it too late to help them? Belcher had lots of problems, both financial (according to the article) and personal, but so do many people. He and Kassandra had a fight the night of her murder, but many couples fight. What else could the Chiefs, his mother or his friends have done to prevent this tragedy? Could anyone have stopped it?
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Modern Life--WHEW!
This weekend we stopped moving only when we were asleep. There were school-related activities and work to do, household activities and work, Christmas activities and work and church. My whole family was on the computer constantly sending e-mails, grading (me), drop-boxing homework (daughter), playing Minecraft (son) and creating budget sheets (hubby). As soon as one task was over it was time to start another.
Modern life does not allow for a lot of down time and I'm craving it. I don't mean boredom--just time when all tasks are done, no expectations are upon me and I can curl up on the couch with a good book or an old, favorite movie. If I do that now I have guilt--I should be doing something!
Reading the Sunday paper this morning while I waited for my hubby to get out of the shower, I enjoyed an article by C.W. Gusewelle called "The Joy of a Simpler Type of Writing" in which he describes his pleasure in using a typewriter when his computer dies an untimely death. I can identify. Some days I wish we could just unplug from everything and all come out to the porch with a glass of lemonade to watch the world go by.
I'm holding out for Christmas break, just 18 days away. I pledge to take at least two of those days and "unplug" from modern life. I'll have freshly-made cookies and a well-worn book, dog at my feet, hubby and children happy and busy (somewhere else :-). A deep breath, a sigh and an acknowledgement that the world will get along just fine without me for a few, precious hours.
Modern life does not allow for a lot of down time and I'm craving it. I don't mean boredom--just time when all tasks are done, no expectations are upon me and I can curl up on the couch with a good book or an old, favorite movie. If I do that now I have guilt--I should be doing something!
Reading the Sunday paper this morning while I waited for my hubby to get out of the shower, I enjoyed an article by C.W. Gusewelle called "The Joy of a Simpler Type of Writing" in which he describes his pleasure in using a typewriter when his computer dies an untimely death. I can identify. Some days I wish we could just unplug from everything and all come out to the porch with a glass of lemonade to watch the world go by.
I'm holding out for Christmas break, just 18 days away. I pledge to take at least two of those days and "unplug" from modern life. I'll have freshly-made cookies and a well-worn book, dog at my feet, hubby and children happy and busy (somewhere else :-). A deep breath, a sigh and an acknowledgement that the world will get along just fine without me for a few, precious hours.
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