Separating the wheat from the chaff
outside City Hall last night***
Oh no! I've lost three "followers" since yesterday. Quel dommage. Hopefully they're back to knitting tea cozies and fervently praying that their God didn't notice they were reading my blog for a while (Please, don't pray for me. I'll take my chances.). Guess they didn't want to get lumped in with the wrong crowd, eh? LOL.
My ego is sufficiently inflated enough to hope that I might be impinging on the happy fantasy worlds of a few others by showing my support that all people, of all races and sexes deserve to be treated equally by the laws that govern all of us. But I'm just a tiny voice in the world, so I can't say that I have that much power to disillusion someone who is already deluded. These folks better turn up their televisions a bit louder to drown out the voice of outrage, because my tiny voice is now amplified with all the other tiny voices that demand a nation where all people are valued and recognized.
***
"From the equality of rights springs identity of our highest interests; you cannot subvert your neighbor's rights without striking a dangerous blow at your own." ~ Carl Schurz
***
I wish I could write more today. But read Mark Morford's column. With any luck, I'll lose a few more brain-and-heart shackled followers in some Guilt By Association with a columnist who says it like it is. Go Mark!
And I probably won't be around a computer much for the rest of the week. Things are not good with Little Helen healthwise and my Bunny needs me. I'm not sure how much longer my grandma is going to be around.
But I did upload the photos from yesterday's evening protest. You can see them here.
This photo below is my favorite. I don't know who this girl is, but we just caught each other at the same time. Two random people passing at a particular moment in history.
I call this one Picture a Protest.xoxo
33 comments:
I randomly lose followers all the time. And there never seems to be any rhyme or reason to it. I've decided to just stop caring and assume that the lost followers are people who've decided not to blog anymore.
First, I am sad to hear the news of Little Helen. Take care of her & yourself.
Second, Miss Tango, I am amazed you would even notice the loss of 3 followers, considering you have jillions! LOL!
Again - take care.
xoxo
Debi
Love the photos!
Sending good thoughts to you and Little Helen...
Give your little Helen and Bunny hugs from us : )
All I have to do to get hate mail or unfollows are to literally say the words "gay" and "marriage" in the same sentence or block of text, and I end up getting a nice little email full of insults and epithets.
Which cracks me up, because that means someone got super mad that one person out of billions disagrees with them, they spent the time to compose their missive, then send it off and wait for a response.
To waste that much time about something on the Internet is just silly. ah well.
I would be delighted to re-subscribe every time a reader drops your blog. Mine go up and down one at a time and are few, but treasured.
I am not surprised, I have to say, about the ruling. Shortly after the election I began pointing out how Barack Oblah-blah began recanting his campaign promises--to much derision in me email box. But sadly enough, while there has been a sea change from the Bush crimelords, true humane values have not born witness in internationalist policy nor have they shown up in California, a place with great openness among individuals in cities but plagued with the same old rightwing monstrosities (hence the Jarvis-claimed victories last week) that make policy. Not so oddly enough, Arnold is in DC during the election to save face, and Newsom, as you've discovered, is too busy running a campaign to attend to human rights.
Few have the guts for it.
I love the first picture--it reminds me that even though I live in the frustrating state of California I can at least be proud of my home state. :)
Take care of yourself. I am sending warm thoughts toward you, your grandma, and the rest of your family.
I am all for marriage equality, and I like a good protest. But Andrew Sullivan, who is no slouch in the marriage equality debate, seems to feel that some progress was made as a result of the ruling - incremental, but progress nonetheless.
Posts here:
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/05/reading-the-decision.html
and here:
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/05/reading-the-decision-ii.html
One problem (noted by Sullivan) is that opposition to prop 8 before the original vote was badly organized. The Courage Campaign (as you probably know) is pushing for a new vote in 2010.
This time, advocates for this civil right will be prepared. Marriage equality is coming.
lose some, win some--I started following you the day before. I just made a little donation for K and the kids too. Keep up the good work.
It will be great someday when we have a gay president and a First Gentleman, and we look back on all the trials it took to get there. Or a lesbian president and a First Lady. Or our first female president and First Gentleman. But regardless of the progress humanity makes as a whole, as slow as it is, there will always be prejudice. All we can do is feel joy with each little victory and each little kindness.
Sending big love to Little Helen.
sorry to hear about little helen. I am glad you are standing up for equality. I have grown up surrounded by same sex couples and have a few in our family.My children are exposed and have asked a few times why lindsay has two mommys. We just tell him love is love and that is how god chose lindsay to be loved. We have biracial people in our family and love them just the same. my kids asked and again god made them this way. Sad that a child can see the good in everyone but as adults people cant wrap their heads around two men or two woman loving eachother. that there love is no different than hetero couples. So thank you for standing up for equality. CT is standing up for CA.
I only have six followers, so losing three would be a huge blow to my ego. Fortunately they all know i'm a big ol Dyke, so they probably won't leave for that reason!
i'm going to have to post some objectionable anti-god post as well (i did have a little slam about the pope's iPhone today) so i can get rid of some of the god followers as well. what's up with them anyway?
i was listening to the radio today and it sounds like the voices are growing louder, since we could hear them all the way over here, it does seem so stunningly absurd that it simply can't stand. we're not living in the bush administration world anymore, despite darth cheney's recent pass through the sunday talkshow circuit.
thinking of you as you're with your grandma.
xoxox,
/j
I do hope that Little Helen gets well again...
It's infuriating about Prop 8 being upheld huh? For those of us who appreciate equality and civil rights, it boggles my mind that this insanity is being allowed to continue.
If it makes you feel any better, I joined as a follower!
I live pretty close to Iowa and I have to say, I am disappointed in California. It ain't what it used to be in the 60's!!
There. I joined as a follower and I already have you on my roll call of blogs. I have just 1 official follower and I don't know who it is. Also, inspired by your post I shared that Courage Campaign video. Thanks.
Fight the Power Tango! You are like a woman on fire...Love it! I have a pretty good solution to this whole fucked matter but no one will listen to me.
Hear, hear! My sentiments, exactly.
Thinking of you, your mom and Little Helen and hoping for the best. xoxox
I think getting out in support of WHATEVER you feel your heart pushes you towards is amazing!
Good for you!
Good for those you helped!
And for what its worth... i support same sex marriage. I believe everyone should be as happy and heart ful as the rest of us.
Who am i to determine what makes another one happy.
I like to say "Let them be happy". but, eh. thats me.
not everyone's god is as harsh as some other's.
here's hoping your grandmother gets better soon. ((hugs))
Healing and loving energy to you, Little Helen, and Bunny.
Thank you SO MUCH for posting that article! I think it's so embarrassing that this country can't get it together, but it's so good to hear someone cast this in a positive light...I went to school in a really conservative area, so I feel a little hopeless about the whole thing, but hopefully it is not a nation-wide feeling...
Meh...let the haters leave and go follow someone else. They and their closed minds do not deserve to be associated with you.
Yesterday's Prop 8 ruling, along with the depressing state budget news I heard all day long at work today, makes me wonder what in the hell is going on with CA. Not only does our ruling class see fit to treat GLBT individuals like second-tier citizens, but they also want to do away with funding for domestic violence programs, health insurance for kids, life-saving medications for people with HIV/AIDS, and welfare to work programs. Also on the chopping block - child care funding that helps lift families out of poverty.
And just when ya thought it couldn't get any worse...Gavin Newsom could be our next governor.
Maybe I'll be in a better mood tomorrow.
Sadly, those who are judgmental win. There are always two sides to a story, and both should be respected...Unfortunately, it seems one side always closes their eyes and ears when it comes to time to listen and learn.
I am sure your 3 followers miss you already :).
You know I love you girl. My whole blog list got deleted in an accident and I have been trying to get all of my blogs back. It has been frustrating. Hopefully I have everyone. As to the dropped followers, don't pay them any heed. They don't like it here? There is the door, don't let it hit you in the a@@s on the way out.
My thoughts and prayers are with Helen.
Very disturbing/sad/disappointing in CA.
Your protest photos are really very good.
Sending you good thoughts for Helen and for all your endeavors.
no worries! we are hanging in there with ya, sister.
Ron and Lou Ann
You are a hoot girl! Their loss - not yours! I will keep you and your grandma in my prayers though. Hugs!
Jill
Sweet, TB ~ Am thinking of you and Little Helen, Bunny, LCG's Momma - well, just all of you.
Hey there: so sorry I've been absent for a minute. Thinking of you always.
I love the capture "picture a protest"...
hope all is well.
Hi Tangobaby
About the three people you "lost". Hopefully, a seed has been planted. You never know how your honesty, openness and compassion for others might open a door for them one day too.
Now, off to see your flicker.
xox
Constance
It's just awesome to be gay. I know you know. It's just awesome to be in Love. Now to be in Love and be gay is outrageous!!!! To be gay, in Love and married is sheer cosmic energy!!!! I say: Tangobaby for mayor!!! ;-)
Sending good thoughts your way today, for you and your Bunny and your Grandma.
I like that photo as well. Very meaningful, I think. If you think about it. : )
I think I'm going to do a religion blog inspired by a conversation I eavesdropped on. Loose a few followers while I'm at it. 80% of them don't comment anyway and I have no idea who they are. Anyway...I heard a conversation between a Cherokee wise woman and 2 die-hard catholics. It. was. amazing.
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