last-minute offer

I forgot all about mentioning this, but I have an extra ticket for tomorrow's DC United match; anyone like to go? I'm going to be in Woodbridge playing Advanced Squad Leader in the morning, but I may not spend the whole day there, and I could always arrange to meet someone at the stadium.

oh, and I meant to ask

john_arundel, did you by any chance hide one of the badgers on my desk (the Steiff one)? Or do I need to interrogate cats as to why it's been missing since the beginning of the week?

didn't take long

Pope Benedict XVI has responded firmly to the first challenge of his papacy by condemning a Spanish government bill allowing marriage between homosexuals.

The bill, passed by parliament's Socialist-dominated lower house, also allows gay couples to adopt.

A senior Vatican official described the bill - which is likely to become law within a few months - as iniquitous.

He said Roman Catholic officials should be prepared to lose their jobs rather than co-operate with the law.

full article on BBC

Hardly surprising, but...

this needs more thought to do it justice, but...

Apologies for the no-cut nature of this post, but it's important (to me, at least) to say this all.

The events of the last few weeks have made me both sad and angry.

Not in my own life; I'm very happy myself. I have a great girlfriend, a wonderful family, some of the best friends a guy could hope for, very dear cats, a good job I often enjoy and that I feel is useful, a home, money in the bank, food on the table, more than enough material possessions.

But I just finished reading my friend Mary Russell's book Children of God recently. (I should write a review of it for this journal, but in the meantime don't wait for me to do that--go buy a copy and read it!). And I read a review of a new biography of John Brown that talked about the divisions within the abolitionist community in pre-ACW America. And I thought about what the needs of this generation, of this era are for social justice. Who is being persecuted unjustly, treated unfairly, castigated and scapegoated for the "crime" of being who they are and wanting to live their life as freely and happily as anyone else?

And I read this, and this, and this.

And I thought.

Because I have many friends, former partners, and family who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered, and because it seems that this group is once again being singled out by many as "deserving" of fewer rights, less respect, poorer treatment than other humans, their situation is of particular importance to me. They, and others who are mistreated and discriminated against for being a different race, or religion, or social class, or merely for being in the way of the rich and powerful, all need the help of those of us who have help we can give.

Too often lately, I've found myself receiving appeals--from causes I support asking for my help--and thinking, "Eh, someone else will help them out; I don't really have the time and attention for this now." But if I don't have the time now, when will I? And if I don't help, who will?

Work being what it is, I don't really have the option of doing much public activism. But I can write and support with funds and speak out in my own way. And I can do more volunteer work; it's been too long since I did any.

So, please:

Educate yourself, though the means you find most useful, in the issues of equal rights for all persons regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

Let your elected representatives know what your feelings are on these issues, and how strongly you feel, as often as possible.

Contribute, if you can, to some of the groups dedicated to working for human rights, both on these issues (groups like the Human Rights Campaign, PFLAG, Equality Virginia or Equality Maryland) and in the cause of human rights in general (like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, or B'Tselem).

Learn regularly, reflect carefully, act justly. Can we ask less of this of ourselves and our fellow citizens?