"...they use my bathroom...."

From Yahoo News:

A Louisiana justice of the peace said he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple out of concern for any children the couple might have. Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, says it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long.

"I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way," Bardwell told the Associated Press on Thursday. "I have piles and piles of black friends. They come to my home, I marry them, they use my bathroom. I treat them just like everyone else."

Bardwell said he asks everyone who calls about marriage if they are a mixed race couple. If they are, he does not marry them, he said.
....

Beth Humphrey, 30, and 32-year-old Terence McKay, both of Hammond, say they will consult the U.S. Justice Department about filing a discrimination complaint.

Ah, but the justice of the peace did it only out of concern for the as yet non-existent children of the couple. After all, he lets his black friends use his bathroom, which does NOT have a "Whites Only" sign. See. He is not a racist.

I lived in Hammond, Louisiana, in Tangipahoa Parish, for 5 years, and I did not like it there. Thibodaux is a liberal town compared to what Hammond was back then. Since we moved away some 40 years ago, Hammond has grown quite a bit, because two Interstate highways now intersect just outside of town. I assume an influx of new people moved in, and the town may have changed, but surely not a flip-flop, with Justice of the Peace Bardwell as Exhibit A.

Thanks to Roger and Ann for the link.

UPDATE: From NOLA.Com:

The ACLU sent a letter to the Louisiana Judiciary Committee, which oversees the state justices of the peace, asking them to investigate Bardwell and recommending "the most severe sanctions available, because such blatant bigotry poses a substantial threat of serious harm to the administration of justice."

"He knew he was breaking the law, but continued to do it," Schwartzmann said.

According to the clerk of court's office, application for a marriage license must be made three days before the ceremony because there is a 72-hour waiting period. The applicants are asked if they have previously been married. If so, they must show how the marriage ended, such as divorce.

Other than that, all they need is a birth certificate and Social Security card.

UPDATE 2: From CNN:

The actions of a justice of the peace in Louisiana who refused to issue a marriage licence to an interracial couple have prompted some top officials, including Gov. Bobby Jindal, to call for his dismissal.
....

Sen. Mary L. Landrieu, D-Louisiana, said the committee should "use its authority to have Justice Bardwell dismissed from his position."

"Not only does [Bardwell's] decision directly contradict Supreme Court rulings, it is an example of the ugly bigotry that divided our country for too long," she said.

There you have it. I think he'll be out.

"When the Word on the Street is RESIST"

Here's the link to the original text of Bishop Peter Selby's Address to the Inclusive Church Conference.

As I reread Bp. Peter's address, I am enormously impressed by its prophetic brilliance and timeliness, especially in light of the fact that Bp. Peter says that his ideas are not new and were first expressed in 1991 in his book titled BeLonging: Challenge to a Tribal Church. I present a few choice quotes from the address and my brief responses:

I write in the knowledge that the Archbishop speaks and acts as he does out of a profound concern for the unity and mission of the Anglican Communion, and that he acts as he does in the belief that his role as its principal Primate and ‘instrument of unity’ demands that he does. I sadly believe that his good purposes have been and are being subverted.

Indeed, the Archbishop's words are being widely subverted by a good many folks to suit their own purposes, and not always to good purposes. It seems to me that if the Archbishop spoke and wrote with clarity, his words would not be so easily exploited and subverted.

For in that paper these denunciations of homophobia are made without any reference to the fact that the Archbishop was personally responsible for a decision – I refer of course to his requiring Jeffrey John’s withdrawal from his acceptance of the see of Reading – that was personally hugely painful and damaging. While I don’t know any gay person who doubts Archbishop Rowan’s personal sincerity in making those statements against homophobia, I know many who say that their situation in the Church is far worse than it was during his predecessor’s time, something paradoxical to say the least, but for which he surely needs to own some responsibility. Expressing horror at overt homophobic acts is only a part of what we need to do; we also have a responsibility to acknowledge the distress that is being inflicted on LGBT people by the teaching that is being proclaimed and the characteristic style of the debate. In particular, when the Archbishop says that there must be no questioning of LGBT people’s human or civil rights or of their membership of the Body of Christ, it needs to be said that what he is questioning has serious implications for both; I shall not forget the occasion when a bishop who is unmarried wrote to me after the article I wrote dissociating myself from the statement of the House of Bishops made on civil partnerships, ‘Being celibate doesn’t make you acceptable’. (My emphases)

Pressing Jeffrey John to withdraw from his appointment as Bishop of Reading was, I believe, a serious misstep from which the Archbishop never recovered. After that decision, perhaps other paths harmful to LGTB persons, however unintentionally, were easier for the ABC to take.

The Archbishop’s opening warm comments on TEC carry little weight if most of his thoughts are actually directed against it. It needs to be said also that, as is shown by the strong American critique of TEC in the paper I mentioned above, The Anglican Covenant: Shared Discernment Recognized by All, opinion within TEC is deeply divided, and it is that division within TEC which, arguably, has been projected outwards into the Anglican Communion.

Yes, indeed, once again. All too often, I saw the Archbishop's words directed to and about TEC as offensive beyond my understanding, especially coming from our "primus inter pares", the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion. The repeated, offensive remarks came so often as to cause me to consider why I wanted to be a part of the AC which looked to the ABC for spiritual and a degree of temporal leadership.

As to the "trans-communion recognisability" of the member churches of the AC upon which the ABC insists, Bp. Peter asks:

One might ask whether the history of the church bears out such a notion as having operated in the decision-making of churches over issues of considerable importance; and in particular one might ask whether the history of Anglicanism supports requiring that way of undertaking and then sanctioning developments. Is it the case that provinces have not acted on new ideas until they had consulted with other provinces and taken the teaching of ecumenical partners into account? Is it not rather the case that quite controversial decisions have been taken because they seemed to be right, and it has taken time for it to become clear whether they were legitimate developments or not?

Yes, it is the case that the member churches have moved forward in important decisions on many issues without seeking the approval of other provinces of the Communion. Concerning many weighty matters, the members have neither sought nor received the consent of other provinces, and they have not spoken with one voice. Whence this new, non-traditional idea from the Archbishop, which dismisses a large part of the history of the Communion?

What is happening to the role and person of the Archbishop is a question that cannot be avoided and is far from being just his responsibility. It has been pointed out that his paper is addressed to ‘the Bishops, Clergy and Faithful of the Anglican Communion’, a form of address very familiar to readers of papal encyclicals, including the address to ‘the faithful’, a term well known (and not always happily so) to Roman Catholics but not the usual way in which we refer to lay Christians in the Anglican Communion.

The Archbishop denies more than once in his paper that the Covenant and his paper are manifestations of centralisation; but why would he need to deny this? The sad reality is that the Archbishop has removed himself from his natural area of thought in the matter of sexuality, that is his remarkable capacity to bring a godly wisdom to bear on secular developments, a gift we need more than any other in attempting to work out how to assess current developments in human attitudes and behaviour in matters sexual. Instead the issues that surround sexuality are now treated by him only as ecclesiastical problems, to be resolved as such.

A tragedy, surely. I see the Archbishop more and more as a tragic figure, who could have avoided much of the disapprobation which has been visited upon him simply by being true to himself. Yes, there would still have been those in vehement disagreement, even to the point of withdrawing from the Communion, but he may have gained respect, even from them, for having the courage of his convictions and not making "unity" in the AC into something resembling an idol.

As Bp. Peter says in his next to last paragraph:

Above all what we need is not to take our eye off the issue, that of the treatment to be accorded to LGBT people and the ways in which they have – over many generations, not just in the last few decades – sought to live lives obedient to the gospel within the cultures in which we all, sexual majorities and minorities alike, seek to do just that. To leave that issue behind in favour of the worthy but secondary issue of how to keep the Anglican Communion together will stunt our discernment – and not keep the Anglican Communion together either. The Archbishop says the enterprise is ‘becoming the Church God wants us to be, for the better proclaiming of the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ’; but that means engaging in the search for the truth together, not settling for the stalemate which is what his paper actually advocates. (My emphasis)

Yes.

Update On Myron

Dear Friends,

I've been alerted this afternoon by Maryann that Myron will be headed to Christiana Care this afternoon for evaluation of abdominal pain. He was complaining about it yesterday and today his urine is discolored, and has tenderness on his right side around the gall bladder. He will be admitted through the ER and that will insure a quicker CAT scan and work up. I'll keep you posted concerning his progress.

Therapy at Bryn Mawr has been progressing nicely. So this is a set back where his therapy is concerned.

Sue

Not the best news, but we continue with our prayers for Myron and Maryann and look ahead to continued progress, once the present condition is resolved.

Go Nancy!

From TPM:

Speaking at her weekly press conference just off the House floor moments ago, Speaker Nancy Pelosi made her most impassioned argument in weeks, for including a public option in comprehensive health care reform legislation, arguing against the idea, favored by some conservative Democrats, of mandating that people buy health insurance, and then throwing them into what she called the "lion's den" of the private insurance industry.
....

The House, she said, "will not force America's middle income families to negotiate with insurance companies."

What about you, Harry Reid? Where are you? Take a lesson from your sister in the House.

In these parts, Nancy Pelosi is disliked almost as much as Barack Obama.

Isn't La Bella Principessa Lovely?

From MSNBC News:

A new portrait by Leonardo da Vinci may have been discovered thanks to a centuries-old fingerprint.

Peter Paul Biro, a Montreal-based forensic art expert, said that a fingerprint on what was presumed to be a 19th-century German drawing of a young woman has convinced art experts that it’s actually a Leonardo.
....

Canadian-born art collector Peter Silverman bought “Profile of the Bella Principessa” at the Ganz gallery in New York on behalf of an anonymous Swiss collector in 2007 for about $19,000. New York art dealer Kate Ganz had owned it for about 11 years after buying it at auction for a similar price.
....

“I would say it is priceless. There aren’t that many Leonardos in existence,” Biro said. He said he had heard that one London dealer felt it could be worth 100 million British pounds (more than $150 million).

Gallery owner Kate Ganz says she does not believe the portrait is by Leonardo. I understand why. Whoever painted it, I think the portrait is lovely.

"You Know I Don't Normally Do Stuff Like This..."

...but when I saw Irma's name...well...

1. Passing the Purple Hat to You

In honor of women's history month and in memory of Erma Bombeck who lost her fight with cancer.
Pass this on to five women that you want watched over.
If you don't know five women to pass this on to, one will do just fine.



IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck (written after she found out she was dying from cancer.)

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.' There would have been more 'I love yous' More 'I'm sorrys.'

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute.look at it and really see it. live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!

Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what. Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.

If you don't mind, send this on to all the women you are grateful to have as friends.

Maybe we should all grab that purple hat earlier.

Please send this to five phenomenal women today in celebration of Beautiful Women's Month.

If you do, something good will happen--you will boost another woman's self esteem.

2. KEEP IT LIT!

IN MEMORY OF...

Gayle, Jean, Edna, May, Aimée, Barbara, and others.

IN HONOR OF...

Donna, Susan, Lois, Richard

These are the colors that represent the different cancers.



All you are asked to do is keep this circulating, even if it's to one more person, in memory of anyone you know who has been struck by cancer.
A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle.
Please Keep The Candle Going!

This one I do ask that you please send on.
By sending this on, you will think and realize how you've been blessed, up until now.

This is a disease which affects all families... no one is exempt!

I'm sending it on to all of you at the request of David@Montreal, who says:

Consider it a loving prayer of gratitude for each of you.

This morning, one particular much loved sister who underwent surgery successfully has us large with gratitude & praise.

Please add your names to the memory list in the comments.

Story Of The Day - The Doctor Visit

Grandpère and I got off to a late start for New Orleans, because of the broken water heater, the plumber arriving, our house guest departing to drive back to Connecticut, and my mistaken idea that the appointment was 15 minutes later that it actually was, so we arrived at the office of the optometrist at Ochsner Medical Center about 40 minutes late. The receptionist looked pained, and when she checked to see whether the optometrist would still see me, she told me he would, but that I would have to wait. I asked if she had any idea how long, and she said she really didn't know, but it could be hours. I told her that I wouldn't wait and asked if I could borrow her phone book. I chose Ochsner because I'd had surgery there already, my medical records were there, and I was familiar with the place, but I decided that I'd explore other avenues.

My optometrist here in Thibodaux recommended an ophthalmologist in New Orleans, so I called his office on the off chance that I could get a last minute appointment with him, but his receptionist told me that he was in surgery all day. Next I called the office of Dr. B., who performed my mother's cataract surgery, and to my great surprise, the receptionist gave me an appointment right after lunch.

When my mother had her surgery, I watched the procedure live on TV from a camera fitted with a microscopic lens. At the time, I thought that Dr. B. must be quite sure of his skills to permit a family member to observe, and I was impressed with his dexterity and speed in the operation. Just last year, in "New Orleans Magazine", Dr. B. was rated the best ophthalmologist in the neighborhood by his peers in the profession. He was a pioneer in our area with the small-cut cataract procedure, and I should have chosen him from the beginning. I believe that the mix-up at Ochsner turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

After lunch, GP and I headed over to the office (me driving), and, to make a long story short, my surgeries are scheduled for Nov. 9 and Nov. 23 by a doctor I know and in whom I have great confidence.

The bit of bad news is that I have early-stage dry macular degeneration in both eyes. For now, the treatment is a vitamin supplement, which I already take, and which obviously didn't prevent the condition from developing in the first place.

GP drove us home, because I couldn't see due to the drops in my eyes, but he did quite well, and we had an uneventful trip back to Thibodaux.

The Wisdom Of Walking The Dog

Last night we discovered that our hot water heater was leaking. Good thing we discovered it, because our whole downstairs once flooded once from a leaking water heater while we were sound asleep. We stepped onto a soaked carpet when we got out of bed. Had I not decided to take Diana along when I went for a walk with our house guest, we may not have discovered the leak, because the dog lead hangs on a hook in the closet where the water heater stands. We turned off the heater and the water source and drained much of the water out by letting faucets run, so we only had wet towels around the heater this morning, instead of a flooded house.

The plumber and his helper are here with a new water heater, and we've asked him to install a pan and a drain leading outside in the event that this happens again. We will leave them here to do their jobs as we head off to New Orleans for my doctor's appointment.

"Resist!"

If you have not read Church of England Bishop Peter Selby's address to "Inclusive Church's residential conference Word on the Street - Swanwick - 7 October 2009", then you must. It is absolutely brilliant. It's what I and many of us on this side of the pond and a few on the other side have been saying, but Bishop Selby makes the points beautifully.

While I was away I tried to read the online version for days and never succeeded, because I had little computer access. Last night, I printed it and read it as my bedtime reading. Excellent!

Home Again - Part 2

Whoa! Do I have a busy day ahead of me! I made it through all the security points with an expired drivers license. My first priority is to get a valid drivers license.

Also, I ask your prayers because tomorrow morning, I have an appointment with an optometrist at Ochsner Medical Center to start the process for having cataract surgery. What can I say? I'm scared. I know, I know. It's a simple surgery, and I will be much better off afterward, blah, blah, blah, but nevertheless....

UPDATE: Perhaps I was not clear. My surgery is not tomorrow. The visit tomorrow is to get the ball rolling to set a date for surgery. I am frightened way ahead of time.