JASON COLLINS, NBA PLAYER, COMES OUT AS GAY

I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay.
....

When I was younger I dated women. I even got engaged. I thought I had to live a certain way. I thought I needed to marry a woman and raise kids with her. I kept telling myself the sky was red, but I always knew it was blue.

This is major good news, and I'm late to the party, as I often am.  I am not a newspaper.  Read the entire article and note the lovely stories about Jason's Aunt Teri and Uncle Mark.  Actually, I was a bit teary as I read the story of Jason's courageous decision to come out, for it makes me sad that anyone still has to be brave in being honest about who they are.  Jay is the first in a major league sport to state publicly that he is gay, but he is, by no means, the only gay player.

Although the great majority of responses have been supportive, there's Chris Broussard, a writer for ESPN, who believes a sermon about sin is the appropriate commentary on the cable channel to Jason's coming out.  Crikey!  What's going on?  From his name and accent, I suspect Broussard is from Louisiana, and, if so, I'm embarrassed by the remarks from a fellow Louisianian.

   

Here's Broussard's non-apology apology:

"Today on OTL, as part of a larger, wide-ranging discussion on today's news, I offered my personal opinion as it relates to Christianity, a point of view that I have expressed publicly before. I realize that some people disagree with my opinion and I accept and respect that. As has been the case in the past, my beliefs have not and will not impact my ability to report on the NBA. I believe Jason Collins displayed bravery with his announcement today and I have no objection to him or anyone else playing in the NBA."

Broussard has no objection? Who cares?

CLOSE QUANTANAMO

There are a hundred and sixty-six prisoners at Guantánamo Bay. Military officials told reporters earlier this week that thirty-one—almost one in five—were engaged in a hunger strike. By Friday, the number was thirty-seven, or closer to one in four. Eighty-six—more than one in two—have been cleared for release, meaning that the government doesn’t think that it has a case against them or even that they pose a threat, but it is keeping them locked up anyway, and has no imminent plans to let them go. Only six of the prisoners—just about one in twenty-eight—are facing trial. That means that there are six times as many prisoners on hunger strikes as there are those who have actual charges lodged against them.

Read the entire piece.  The prisoners on hunger strike are being force-fed through nasal tubes.  That such a prison as Guantánamo exists at all is a shameful blight on the reputation of the United States.  President Obama must do everything in his power to close the prison by executive order or whatever means possible and not continue to depend on Congress.  The prisoners who have been cleared and have no hope for release fall into despair and want to die, and who can blame them?  At the press conference yesterday, Obama said, "It's not sustainable - I mean, the notion that we're going to continue to keep over 100 individuals in a no-man's land in perpetuity,"  Exactly.  So do something, Mr President.

ALAS...

LIVING THE SIMPLE LIFE

TWO DOGGIE FUNNIES

 

If the puppy could talk, she/he'd tell him a thing or two.

 

I love this one.

CAB DRIVER IN HEAVEN

A cab driver reaches the pearly gates.  St. Peter looks him up in his Big Book and tells him to pick up a gold staff and a silk robe and proceed into Heaven.

Next in line is a preacher.  St. Peter looks him up in his Big Book, furrows his brow and says, "OK, we'll let you in, but take that cloth robe and wooden staff."

The preacher is shocked and replies, "But I am a man of the cloth.  You gave that cab driver a gold staff and a silk robe.  Surely I rate higher than a abbie!"

St. Peter responds matter-of-factly, "This is Heaven, and up here, we are interested in results.  When you preached, people slept.  When the cabbie drove his taxi, people prayed."


Cheers,

Paul (A.)

MAY WE HOPE FOR GOOD NEWS FOR THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND?

The Diocese of Manchester has instructed the official panel appointing its new bishop to select someone who can establish “positive relationships” with gay Anglicans and non-worshippers.

The panel, which met on Friday, was told that the successor to the Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch, who retired earlier this year, should build on “significant engagement” with “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities” in Manchester.

The move comes amid growing tensions within the Church over its attitude to gay worshippers and clergy.

Such a public endorsement of working with gay Anglicans by a major diocese will cheer liberals but be seen by traditionalists as a further erosion of their views.
....

As a result of the change Dr Jeffrey John, the openly gay Dean of St Albans, has been widely tipped for consideration as Bishop of Durham, a move which would catapult him into the third most senior post in the Church of England, and one held until recently by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby.
....

 

Among those who could be considered for the role [in Manchester] is the Bishop of Buckingham, Dr Alan Wilson, one of the most prominent Church figures to speak publicly in favour of gay marriage.

A junior bishop in the Diocese of Oxford for 10 years, he would have the experience and profile to take over a diocese the size of Manchester.

I worry that "educated" guesses by the media, especially the Telegraph, are signals to those who oppose gay bishops and gay-friendly bishops to complain loudly and weaken the chances of the appointments.  I'd be pleased if Jeffrey John went to Durham and Alan Wilson to Manchester.  I know Jeffrey only by reputation, but I have met Alan, and I think both men would make fine diocesan bishops.  Two such appointments would be good news for the Church of England.  We'll see.

ENGLISH TEA AT ST JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

 

Above is a scan of the menu for the English Tea at St John's Episcopal Church in Thibodaux. My friend Gwen and I both thought the tiny sandwiches, cakes, and scones were the best ever.  Members of the congregation prepare the dainties and serve at the tea.  The food is arranged in a circle around the plate in the order as shown on the menu, so the guests know exactly what they are eating.  I had never heard of Irish tea brack, but I soon found out that it's quite tasty.  At the table next to us were five youngsters from ages approximately 6 to 8.  So sweet.

Yesterday was the 25th anniversary of  the English Tea at St John's.  Along with tea, paintings by local artists line the walls of the parish hall.  Yesterday's featured artist was Dawn Koetting.

After 29 years as a veterinarian, Dawn Koetting is pursuing a childhood passion for painting and presenting to others a vision of the world we often pass by too quickly.

Dawn was the vet who stood by Tom when our Rusty, the Wonder Dog, had to be put down due to advanced lymphoma some years ago.  Tom will never forget her gentleness and compassion at that very sad moment.

Gwen and I enjoyed a lovely afternoon.  At the tea, I always meet people I haven't seen in years, and we catch up on recent news of families.  Sometimes the names don't come easily, and I remember them only after the conversation is over, so I generally try to bluff my way through.

GAYLE - GONE SEVEN YEARS TODAY

My sister Gayle

I love Gayle, and I still miss her, and I expect I always will. The picture shows her getting ready for a party, and Gayle loved parties. She's wearing a tuxedo, which was the style for women some years ago.  Gayle and Frank, her husband, came to visit us, and apparently we were to attend a party.  When she unpacked her tux, I said, "Gayle, come see."  I went to my closet and took out a nearly identical tuxedo.  Too funny.  If I remember correctly, we did not wear our tuxedos to the same party.

Gayle was the person closest to me whom I've lost.  I love my mother, but we were not really close, although we were together quite a lot.  She was a good mother and, in many ways, a strong woman, as good as she could be under the adverse conditions of our family life as we were growing up, but she was emotionally distant.  My youngest sister died too young.  I love her, too, but for many years she was estranged from our family, so when she died, I grieved, especially that we were out of touch for so many years, but I didn't miss her constant presence.  I finally forgave my father before he died, but to say we were in any way close would be a lie.  We were on speaking terms, and that's the good news.  There you have our family life.

Though Gayle lived in Kansas City, we were in touch nearly every day, either by phone or by email.  I'd guess we would be communicating on Facebook if she was alive today.  I think of her often and wish so much that we could talk.  Gayle's husband, Frank, and her children, Donna, Gretchen, and Eric miss her presence, too.

Rather than resting in peace, I hope Gayle is partying in the great beyond.  I wrote the poem below on the anniversary of her death five years ago.  

Why Couldn't You Stay?

You walked away; you left us
Bereft, bereaved.
How could you go?
It wasn't your doing,
I know, I know.
Yet, how could you go?

Two years passed and gone,
Slipped away.
After you left, I'd think
I'll call her; I'll email.
Oh no! None of that!
You won't answer.

Now I know you're gone.
No thoughts of visits to come,
Seeing your face, hearing your voice,
The sound of your laughter.
Sadness lingers, emptiness remains.
Why couldn't you stay?

June Butler - 04-27-08

The photo above was taken in the Tower of London when Gayle and I traveled together a good many years ago.  The picture makes me sad, but it's the perfect metaphor for me for her death.  She was full of life, and she would have wanted more time, as we all would have wanted more time with her, but go she did.  God bless us every one.

LITTLE RICHARD - "KEEP A-KNOCKIN'"

I promised, so here's Little Richard.  At first, with the all the bad news from the sequestration, I thought the video might be inappropriate, but, strangely enough, the lyrics seem appropriate.

UPDATE: I laughed at one of the comments at YouTube: "any music made after the 60's is worthless." I don't agree, but I do believe after the 1950s and early 1960s it's been downhill for rock 'n roll, with a few exceptions.  Of course, I may be prejudiced, having come of age during the 1950s.
 

DEMOCRATS LOSE SEQUESTRATION GAME OF CHICKEN

The Democrats have lost on sequestration.

That’s the simple reality of Friday’s vote to ease the pain for the Federal Aviation Administration. By assenting to it, Democrats have agreed to sequestration for the foreseeable future.
....

In effect, what Democrats said Friday was that in any case where the political pain caused by sequestration becomes unbearable, they will agree to cancel that particular piece of the bill while leaving the rest of the law untouched. The result is that sequestration is no longer particularly politically threatening, but it’s even more unbalanced: Cuts to programs used by the politically powerful will be addressed, but cuts to programs that affects the politically powerless will persist. It’s worth saying this clearly: The pain of sequestration will be concentrated on those who lack political power.  (My emphasis)

There you have it.   If you're not a member of Congress, or if you're not wealthy or influential, forget about relief from consequences of the sequester.  If you're poor, or unemployed, or on Medicaid or Medicare, too bad for you.  Funding for scientific and medical research will be cut.  Good-bye to grants for art, music, and writing. 

So, Democrats, what's the plan?   Why did the sequester seem like a good idea?  Will you pull a magic rabbit out of a hat to fix the sorry mess the sequester has created?

Cuts in housing vouchers to 140,000 low-income families
Elimination of 70,000 Head Start slots
Cuts to Vista, which will hurt the program that performs antipoverty work in many states
An 11 percent cut in unemployment benefits for millions of jobless workers
Cuts of about $25 million from a program to provide free school breakfasts.
Cancer clinics across the country have begun turning away thousands of Medicare patients

What about cutting your salaries by 10%, members of Congress and Mr President?  I read somewhere that Obama had voluntarily taken a 5% cut in his salary, so he'd only need to volunteer another 5%. 

What are the chances that the cries of those who suffer severe consequences as a result of the sequester cuts will be heard?  Slim to none, I'd say.  Republicans like nothing better than cuts to programs that help "the least of these", and Democrats no longer seem to care.