Thursday, 4/9/15, Public Square

Tuesday, 4/7/15, Public Square

A man who isn’t afraid to speak

James Baldwin, an American novelist, essayist, playwright and poet

What an interesting man James Baldwin is!

A television interviewer once asked Baldwin to describe the challenges he faced starting his career as “a black, impoverished homosexual,” to which Baldwin laughed and replied: “I thought I’d hit the jackpot.”

This article at NPR tells us some about this fascinating, talented man and gives us a peek into his newest book, ‘The Cross of Redemption,’ which is a collection of several of Baldwin’s essays, speeches and articles.

He’s a man who has much to teach us on the subjects of race, homosexuality, tolerance, communication and observing so we can advance knowledge and reduce hate and fear.

“You give me this advantage,” Baldwin once wrote to his white audience. “Whereas you never had to look at me — because you’ve sealed me away along with sin and hell and death — my life was in your hands and I had to look at you. I know more about you than you know about me.”

Have any of you read him?  If so, do you have a favorite to recommend?  I haven’t yet read him, but I WILL!

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Argentina Passes Gay Marriage

Same-sex civil unions are also legal in Uruguay and some states in Brazil and Mexico, while gay marriage is legal in Mexico City.

In the United States, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Iowa allow same-sex marriage, as does Washington, D.C.

How do you say “hooray” in Spanish? Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalize gay marriage. The vote took place last Thursday in the Argentinean senate at 4 a.m. after 16 hours, with 33 senators voting for, 27 against, and three abstaining. The Roman Catholic Church fought the measure tooth and nail, organizing a 60,000 person march on Congress. The legislation will also give gay couples all the same rights enjoyed by straight couples, including adoption and inheritance.

Read more here.

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What defines a ‘true’ Conservative?

I’m trying not to be snarky here, but I once was (a few years ago before bush the lesser!) a conservative and today I feel betrayed, so my disappointment and (sometimes) anger might come out snarky.

I was reading the latest installment about the Young Republicans election of their new chairman written by John Avlon, “Bullying Behind GOP “Racist” Win, and he states, “The Young Republicans faced a stark choice at their convention in Indianapolis yesterday as they chose their next leader: a center-right twentysomething interested in greater outreach, or a self-described “true conservative” who is almost 40 and spent last week dealing with Daily Beast reports about her beliefs, which are, at best, often hateful, and at worst, downright racist. The delegates, in a vote of 470 – 415, chose the latter.”

Calling the newly elected chairman a “true conservative,” made me wonder anew what that title means. I suspect it has a different meaning for different people and that just might be one of the biggest challenges facing The Republican Party today!

Two happy fathers

Why can’t humans be as understanding and accepting as other living breathing inhabitants of our planet?

“Two gay male penguins have hatched a chick and are now rearing it as its adoptive parents, says a German zoo.

The zoo, in Bremerhaven, northern Germany, says the adult males – Z and Vielpunkt – were given an egg which was rejected by its biological parents.

It says the couple are now happily rearing the chick, said to have reached four weeks old.”

Would many human children find loving homes if we were more accepting of gay couples?  Would we move a step closer to solving the problems of unwanted pregnancies if couples who would love to be parents were given the opportunity?

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