MONDALE ON OBAMA

From Jane Mayer writing about Walter Mondale, the vice-president who served with Jimmy Carter, in The New Yorker "Talk of the Town":

As for Obama, Mondale said, “He’s doing a good job,” adding, however, that when the President first took office he was “a bit green.” Also, he said, “In my opinion, Obama had a few false presumptions. One was the idea that we were in a post-partisan era.” The other was “the idea of turning things over to Congress—that doesn’t work even when you own Congress. You have to ride ’em.” Further, he suggested that Obama should stop thinking about what he can get from the Republican opposition: “You should explain clearly what you want, and, if they oppose you, attack them for it.”

Sounds about right to me. Mondale was there in the White House during the tough years of the Carter administration, and he should know. His seems rather obviously good advice to me, and I wish Obama would adopt the ideas and put them into practice.

STORY OF THE DAY

Getting as comfortable as possible in the
moments before she has to be anxious
again

I can relate.

From StoryPeople.

UPDATE FROM MARK ON KATZIE AND OTHER MATTERS

Mark posted an update on his blog, Enough About Me, which gives the latest news on Katzie. Please visit there and read Mark's post. It's lovely, from the heart, and hopeful in a way that I have not seen before, not just about Katzie, but about other matters, too. He is grateful beyond measure for the generosity of those of you who contributed to help with the expenses of Katzie's illness and subsequent surgery.

Please pray for Katzie and for Mark, especially, that he will continue to walk in hope.

IT GETS BETTER

Two videos to encourage gay and lesbian teens to stick it out, because it gets better. The videos are circulated on Facebook and Twitter, so the young people don't have to migrate to the site of an elderly woman (which they are highly unlikely to do) to hear the message from gays and lesbians who have walked through the fire of harassment and bullying and survived to go on to live happy and fulfilling lives.

GROWING UP GAY

Chris at The Verge of Jordan writes an excellent post about the difficulties of growing up gay.

I hated gym class. Skinny, uncoordinated and myopic, I knew that whatever activity they dreamed up, I wasn't going to be good at it. Some things, like crab soccer and pillow polo, were okay, because they really didn't require much skill. But I dreaded anything where some kids, invariably the jocks, got to pick teams, because I was certain to be damn near last, and with good reason.
....

But I guess I was lucky; I didn't go to the school in Decatur, Ala., where the teacher invented a game called "smear the queer" in which a single student is singled out to be slogged by volleyballs by the entire rest of the class.
....

I was lucky to have enough of a support system to reach adulthood and understand that people who act this way are saying more about themselves and their own insecurities than they are about you.

Not every young person is fortunate to have such a support system as Chris.

Chris documents the recent suicides of gay teens who have been bullied or worse, in school and out. The heartbreaking pictures and stories of the deaths of the young people in Chris' post, are all included in my "How Many Deaths...?" series of posts, which I began early this month and is already up to five suicides.

Chris says further:

On October 17th, friends and I are participating in Out of the Darkness, a Community Walk to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. If you are in a position to contribute anything to help this worthy cause, please visit this link. It would be much appreciated. If you would like to know more about anti-bullying, LGBT youth and suicide prevention, please visit the links below:

* www.afsp.org - American Society for Suicide Prevention
* thetrevorproject.org - Hotline and other resources for LGBT Youth
* thinkb4youspeak.org - Discourages use of anti-gay language and verbal bullying
* truthwinsout.org - Fighting anti-gay lies and the ex-gay myth
* matthewshepard.org - Parents of a murdered gay teen founded this rights and education group

Chris supplies a useful list of resources which approach the problem of teen suicide from different angles, to which I would add one more, It Gets Better, which Counterlight suggested. It wouldn't hurt to read Counterlight's post either, which gives an account of how he and his partner made it through the teen years and includes a series of videos which are well worth viewing.

Not all teen suicides are gay, and not all bullying is confined to gay and lesbian teens. Any young person who is different or who doesn't "fit in" is at risk. Perhaps we can begin to turn the tide in how we, as a society, view bullying and anti-gay attitudes and actions, in adults and youth, and begin to address them as the serious problem that they are because of the tragic consequences that all too often follow.

Thanks to Susan S. for the link to Chris' blog.

UPDATE: Bill Ghrist suggests the link to The Southern Poverty Law Center:

In response to mounting reports of vicious anti-gay bullying and student suicides, the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance project is making a new documentary film and educational kit available – free of charge – to every school in the country.

HOW MANY DEATHS WILL IT TAKE...? - PART 5

From the New York Times:

It started with a Twitter message on Sept. 19: “Roommate asked for the room till midnight. I went into molly’s room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay.”

That night, the authorities say, the Rutgers University student who sent the message used a camera in his dormitory room to stream the roommate’s intimate encounter live on the Internet.

And three days later, the roommate who had been surreptitiously broadcast — Tyler Clementi, an 18-year-old freshman and an accomplished violinist — jumped from the George Washington Bridge into the Hudson River in an apparent suicide.

The Sept. 22 death, details of which the authorities disclosed on Wednesday, was the latest by a young American that followed the online posting of hurtful material. The news came on the same day that Rutgers kicked off a two-year, campuswide project to teach the importance of civility, with special attention to the use and abuse of new technology.

Those who knew Mr. Clementi — on the Rutgers campus in Piscataway, N.J., at his North Jersey high school and in a community orchestra — were anguished by the circumstances surrounding his death, describing him as an intensely devoted musician who was sweet and shy.

I read about Tyler's suicide yesterday, but I had no heart for posting on the deaths of two young people in the same day. I'm sorry.

My original post with the title above was posted on September 6, 2010. That I'm up to post N0. 5 in the series in one month is horrifying. Other incidents may have passed under my radar. I hope not.

The Middlesex County prosecutor’s office said Mr. Clementi’s roommate, Dharun Ravi, 18, of Plainsboro, N.J., and another classmate, Molly Wei, 18, of Princeton Junction, N.J., had each been charged with two counts of invasion of privacy for using “the camera to view and transmit a live image” of Mr. Clementi. The most serious charges carry a maximum sentence of five years.

Mr. Ravi was charged with two additional counts of invasion of privacy for trying a similar live feed on the Internet on Sept. 21, the day before the suicide. A spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, James O’Neill, said the investigation was continuing, but he declined to “speculate on additional charges.”

Those who filmed the video and published it on the internet are not juveniles, and they will suffer consequences, as they should.

And another life of a gifted young man ended far too soon because of the inhumanity of humans, one to the other.

May Tyler Clementi rest in peace and rise in glory.

May God give comfort, consolation, and peace to Tyler's parents and to all who love him.

May God have mercy on us all!

A number of my readers sent me links to the story.

AN OLD COWBOY GOES TO CHURCH

One Sunday morning an old cowboy entered a church just before services were to begin. Although the old man and his clothes were spotlessly clean, he wore jeans, a denim shirt and boots that were very worn and ragged. In his hand he carried a worn out old hat and an equally well read Bible. The church he entered was in a very upscale and exclusive part of the city. It was the largest and most beautiful church the old cowboy had ever seen. The people of the congregation were all dressed with expensive clothes and jewelry.

As the cowboy took a seat, the others moved away from him. No one greeted, spoke to, or welcomed him. They were all appalled by his appearance and did not attempt to hide it.

As the old cowboy was leaving the church, the preacher approached him and asked the cowboy to do him a favor: "Before you come back here again, have a talk with God and ask him what he thinks would be appropriate attire for worship in church."

The old cowboy assured the preacher he would.

The next Sunday, he showed back up for the services wearing the same ragged jeans, shirt, boots, and hat. Once again he was completely shunned and ignored. The preacher approached the cowboy and said, "I thought I asked you to speak to God before you came back to our church."

"I did," replied the old cowboy.

"If you spoke to God, what did he tell you the proper attire should be for worshiping here?" asked the preacher.

"Well, sir, God told me that He didn't have a clue what I should wear. He said . . . . . He'd never been in this church."

Thanks to Doug.

UPDATE ON MARK'S CAT, KATZIE

I've put together excerpts from several emails from Mark concerning the medical needs of Katzie. My earlier post asking for help for Katzie is here. Because Mark is distraught at this time, I've left parts of his emails out of what is published here:

June and Jonathan and Everybody,

I also want to thank everyone, deeply and profoundly. The outpouring of aid has been astounding and humbling. I don't mind suffering for me, but Katzie never asked for it. I'm sure to many it seems ridiculous - risking possible homelessness (yes, a bit melodramatic, but not unrealistic) for a *cat*, and, I'm willing to admit, it may well be. Still, besides the mere affection, which is emotional, there is the fact that I was the one who chose him, and whom he chose in the pet store. I've cared for him for nine years, and I undertook to care for him and protect him and he's been a companion and protector himself. I owe him, because I chose him. Were it something that couldn't be fixed, I would grieve and make the choice for his best. If it were a matter of a better home, I would grieve and send him, but no one will take a cat that's got those problems. I owe him.

None of you owe him - or me, and I can't express in coldly symbolic words how grateful I am.

Love,

Mark
....

I'll stick to cold facts, as I haven't slept more than two hours or eaten an actual full meal since Sunday, and I'm not thinking clearly and am extremely fragile and emotionally-devastated, right now.

The observation revealed the blockage is ongoing and has led to a bladder infection. The result is that [the veterinarian]... needs to do "aggressive surgery" which is the procedure which will widen Katzie's urethra by (layman's understanding) effectively creating a new opening below the belly, like that of a female cat. Females rarely block, while males have much more narrow openings.
....

There's not quite enough to cover the expenses, yet, but it's still coming in, and I haven't spoken with our priest yet.

From me:

Mark doesn't seem ridiculous to me. Once we take our pets into our homes, there is, or should be, a commitment to love them and care for them as best we can. That is what Mark is doing. He's trying for help locally, and he's asked for our help.

I have the name of Katzie's vet if you would like to check out Mark's story. If you email Mark, he will give you the name also. Bear in mind that Mark has access to the internet only at night when he is at work.

Jonathan (MadPriest) says "$483.66 towards the cost of Katzie's veterinary bills, that will end up being (as far as we know at this moment in time) about $700" has come in. I thank all of you who have made donations thus far.

You may send donations to Mark through PayPal at the following email address:

petrus332000@hotmail.com

HOW MANY DEATHS WILL IT TAKE...? - PART 4

Seth Walsh, the Tehachapi 13-year-old who hanged himself from a tree in his back yard after years of being bullied, died Tuesday afternoon after nine days on life support.

Tehachapi police investigators interviewed some of the young people who taunted Seth the day he hanged himself and determined despite the tragic outcome of their ridicule, their actions do not constitute a crime.

"Several of the kids that we talked to broke down into tears," Jeff Kermode, Tehachapi Police Chief, said. "They had never expected an outcome such as this."

He said the students told investigators they wish they had put a stop to the bullying and not participated in it.

Friends said Seth was picked on for years because he was gay.

School administrators said they have an anti-bullying program in place, but schoolmates said staff at Jacobsen Middle School in Tehachapi offered Seth no protection or guidance.

Oh God! Not another one! I'd read about Seth when he was still hanging on to life on life support, and I knew I'd likely be posting again on the tragedy of another premature end to a young life.

Some of the kids who bullied Seth show remorse, but that won't bring Seth back. Yes, I call myself a Christian, and I place my hope in a life to come, but the romance that sometimes attaches to the story of a life so tragically and unnecessarily come to an end, escapes me. I fear the contagion of this romantic view that may entice other young people to see suicide as the solution.

How many deaths will it take to convince the members of our society, including the young people, of their responsibility to treat those who seem odd or different with respect? If adults won't set the example by ending their vile and abusive commentary, how can we expect the young people to be different? How many deaths will it take to convince our citizenry to force the leadership in the schools, not only to set in place policies to deal with bullying, but to implement the policies in an effective way? Will the growing number of teen suicides as a result of bullying be enough to get the wheels in motion?

May Seth Walsh rest in peace and rise in glory.

May God give comfort, consolation, and peace to Seth's parents and to all who love him.

May God have mercy on us all!

H/T to Jim Burroway at Box Turtle Bulletin.

A WORD FROM ENGLAND

From the BBC's article on Archbishop Rowan Williams' recent interview in the Times, which is behind their wall:

"In his interview Dr Williams also revealed he will retire before his full term as Archbishop ends in 10 years, saying: 'I will not be doing this job when I'm 70.'"

I saw a news item this weekend that stated that the Archbishop of Canterbury will not serve until he is obliged to retire (age 70 in the Church of England).

This is good news for the C of E and the Anglican Communion. What worries me is that the Archbishop (now 60) will retire at or before his 65th birthday. That would mean that his successor is chosen by the current Conservative Prime Minister, David Cameron.

I have discovered that, reversing the decision of Gordon Brown to only require one name for episcopal appointments, Cameron has gone back to the historic tradition of requiring two names from the Appointments Committee, from which Cameron will pick one to send to the Queen for appointment. There are rumours (which I am discounting, but which may be true) that the two names that Southwark sent to the Prime Minister have
been sent back, one for being too liberal, one for not fitting the profile of the Diocese. I do not think that this could have happened without it being announced, as the Appointments Committee would have to reconvene to send two more names (as happened when Tony Blair, crypto-Roman PM at the time, sent back the two names for Liverpool early in his premiership). However, it is still a possibility.

The successor to Rowan Williams should be someone who is a consensus-builder, has a truly Anglican view of the Communion, and does not think of himself (or, perhaps by then, herself) as an Anglican Pope. Cameron is unlikely to look with favour on such a candidate.

By that time I believe that the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Church of Canada, the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Church in Wales, and perhaps the churches of Australia and New Zealand will be out of the orbit of the Archbishop of Canterbury. But the wrong person chosen as Archbishop will have a devastating effect on the Church of England. In 5 years Sentamu will be 66 and thus probably too old to take it. The current Bench of Bishops is conspicuously thin on the ground of good diocesan bishops. If Nick Baines has gotten a diocese and settled in by then, he would make a good candidate. But we need to be very wary of a new ABC. After all, we have suffered since 1990 with two very unsuitable Archbishops and a third one in a row would mean misgovernment of the Church for at least 30 years.

A humourous postscript: A Welsh politician has upbraided Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales, for stating in an interview that if he is with Rowan Williams and wants to say something in private, they switch to speaking Welsh. The politico says that this reinforces the stereotype of non-Welsh people entering a pub in northern Wales and hearing everyone switch to speaking Welsh as soon as they see that strangers have entered. That was exactly my experience the one time I went to north Wales, so perhaps it's more than a stereotype.

Chris Hansen

Chris is a friend of Ann Fontaine, and the commentary above is posted with permission.