Saturday, October 22, 2005

Conducting our blooming...

Today is six days before the Massachusetts legislature will decide whether or not to put the marriages of 6500 couples, and my right to be married next year, on the November 2006 ballot for voters to decide to allow or to reduce to civil unions. Today is also one day after the Attorney General of Massachusetts, Tom Reilly, decided to accept an illegal initiative petition to put an even more extreme anti-family amendment on the 2008 ballot, to take all of these rights away- no marriages, no civil unions, just danger.
The most infuriating thing about these is the pompous arrogance of anyone who really thinks that my wedding should be anyone's decision but mine. How utterly disrespectful for my neighbor- my equal- to cast a vote on my right to marry. No matter what my neighbor's opinion, the act of voting on my personal life is an irrevocable act of disrespect. Not that I don't fully expect my fair-minded friends to go out there and vote against the damn thing, but I really hate being reduced to the level of a child whose decisions are usually made by others- adults who are deemed more capable than they. This is what makes me want to scream louder- I AM NOT A SECOND-CLASS CITIZEN!
Anxiety so easily takes over at times like these. What's my solution to right-wing aggression and hate-mongering? More wedding planning! Why not go where the endless streams of glitter and tulle fabric seem to flow? I've got some ideas for how to match Josi's dress to mine, but I think we're going to have to go custom for hers. I've added some new pictures to both albums, Wedding and My girl and I, so please feel free to see! We've got the church now, in addition to the reception, so once we've got the officiant set up we can dive into the wonderful world of making your own everything! (Save-the-dates, invitations, favors, centerpieces, jewelry, guestbook, photo album, thank you notes, accessories, etc, etc... we're gonna be busy;)
"The time cracks into furious flower. Lifts its face all unashamed. And sways in wicked grace. Whose half-black hands assemble oranges is tom-tom hearted (goes in bearing oranges and boom). And there are bells for orphans- and red and shriek and sheen. A garbage man is dignified as any diplomat. Big Bessie's feet hurt like nobody's business, but she stands- bigly- under the unruly scrutiny, stands in the wild seed. In the wild seed she is a citizen, and, in a moment of highest quality, admirable. It is lonesome, yes. For we are the last of the loud. Nevertheless, live. Conduct your blooming in the noise and whip of the whirlwind." Gwendolyn Brooks

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