Human Rights, Love, and Curiosity Day!

I sit here on what for all practical purposes is a great day for gay rights, and hopefully human rights overall.  The Supreme Court has struck down DOMA, and effectively let stand a California Court ruling against the constitutionality of Proposition 8.   I had written about listening to the Supreme Court and their questions in March on both cases and I was right on how Proposition 8 case came down.   Any one that questions either ruling should listen to the thoughtful questions from the justices as I did.

Can only imagine the celebration this weekend in NYC, the parade, the Pier with Cher!  and something to celebrate!



It also is the same week the Supreme Court set Affirmative action back.   They also for all practical purposes obliterated the Voting Rights Act.   Just happens to be based on the belief that the prejudice that was challenging fair elections and enrollments in colleges in the South are mostly gone.    

In the middle of this discussion, in walks Paula Deen.   Yes, I believe she is apologetic.  I also believe she doesn't think she intentionally hurts anyone.  That is the reason these acts are in place, because people who have or were raised to have such prejudice don’t believe there is anything wrong with it or it is just part of their person.   When she says she grew up in age of segregation and in her next breath says she doesn't understand what offends some people we must wonder.   I also, as a southerner born and raised, am tired of hearing that she is from the south so this expected.   If you believe that other parts of this country escape prejudice and this is only a challenge of the South, trust me you are living in the same ignorance as Paula Deen.

We have two cases here, one that shows growing tolerance of this country while at the same time a Supreme Court that sees a different reality around race relations in this country.  It also might be a day to take a step back and wonder for the racial inequalities in this country did the court act with too much haste as society has not caught up yet with the “right” perspective on racial injustice.

Every Country has their pluses and minuses.  This country has a slow methodical, plodding bureaucracy that seems to keep pace with the changing population and desires of its citizens.  Today is a day where that is quite evident when compared to just a short time ago.  Hopefully this country will continue to progress toward a perspective that all of are truly created equal as our founding fathers spoke of at our beginning, being celebrated next week.


This is not a day to just celebrate gay rights, but the rights of all humans to be able to love and have that love recognized by their country.


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