Showing posts with label Gays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gays. Show all posts

5.21.2010

Happy Birthday to My Sister

Today is my sister, Teri's birthday. She is three years younger than me, but I look so much younger, right Teri? In this photo she is with with dad at our grandparents house, who had us call them "Nanny and Daddy Dick"! Yep, you heard that one right. I mean my grandpa's name was Wesley, but they always called him Dick, and I don't EVEN want to know why! As the older sister, I never wanted to be left out of anything, or share the spotlight with my little sister, as you see here. I too had to be included in a photo as I grab her, and probably pinched her as well. Here we are again, with our grandpa, "Daddy Dick"! What the hell was wrong with that family? This is us in our backyard. This picture means a lot to me because some of you may know that after my parents passed away, Katie and Vinnie bought my parents home. And this is now the backyard that Riley plays in, although it looks just a bit different! In the "old days" it didn't matter if kids were politically incorrect as we stood proud in or Indian headdress! The car in the background was the first car I learned how to drive. Wish I still had it today. My mom and her Aunt Ruby from Texas are posing with me and my sister at the Seal Beach pier. Which ironically is the beach that we take Riley and Morgan too! This is one of my most favorite pictures of all. It was with myself, Teri, and my dad at Pier Point Landing which use to be in Long Beach. It was the coolest little place, you could feed the seals, there were rides to go on, and you were right there at the beach!! My sister Teri has always been close to my three kids. This is her with Brande on Brande's first birthday. To look at my sister and I, we are very different. She is tall, almost 5'11 while I stand proud at 5'4! As a kid when I picked a fight with her, I always ran after I smacked her, because I knew she was capable of kicking my butt! My sister is also gay, and I am very proud of the fact that she doesn't hide from it anymore. She has the most awesome partner right now, Linda. And if you ever wonder why I may have a blog post here or there about the prejudicial attitude that some people hold against gay people, along with some of our judgemental churches as well, this is "part" of the reason why I feel so strongly. That and it is just wrong! Recently my sister stood up for herself. She was a VP for a health care company. I won't bore you with the details, but she stood up and fought for what was due to her. And you know what, a week ago it all ended, and she won. Teri really did have it tough growing up. She had her kidney removed when she was five years old. Then I believe that caused her to gain weight. And as she said to me when I told her how proud I was of her for standing up against this big corporation she said it felt good, because as a kid she never, ever stood up to the bullies. And even though it took a lot of years to stand tall, she did, and she won. So, happy birthday and props to you on this birthday for standing so tall and proud!!

5.27.2009

Supreme Court Upholds No on Prop 8


On Friday, October 24th, 2008, Apple wrote the following. . .
"Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8."
Apple is one of the most successful corporations in our country, and they took positive steps a long time ago to recognize the right to be in love, to be married, to be recognized! Today the Supreme Court upheld the decision to ban gay marriages in California. How can the same court a year ago basically say "gay is okay" and now it was okay for only some but not for all? Thankfully, those married in that small time frame will still have their union be recognized as a legal marriage in our state, while others are denied the same right to be wed. I think everyone is entitled to their opinions, but when it comes to discrimination, hate, prejudice it just makes no sense to me. And don't even begin to tell me that the Bible say its wrong, please. How can we have an all loving God, oops, except if you are gay? I'm sorry, that is not my God.


This sign was in my front yard last year during election time, right there in my garden. I'm not gay nor is my oldest daughter Brande, not that it really matters. Brande headed up the campaign for "NO on Prop 8" here in Long Beach. We just believe in human rights, it's that simple, really. Shouldn't "love" be celebrated, without being over shadowed with clouds of hatred? There is a blog I follow, called, Mommy With a Penis(www.mommywithapenis.blogspot.com). I can't get the link to work, sorry. I'm sure if you are already not happy with what I have to say, that one probably really added to the fire. But what is so very brillant about this blog is here you have two bright successful men, in love, married, who have adopted two loving children and they are awesome parents. I just don't understand "how" you can tell them, and many others in their same situation that it is wrong to fall in love, to wish to get married, to have children, how can that be wrong? I know in my heart that "my" God doesn't believe it's wrong.


I look at the picture above and I'm sadly reminded that this photo wasn't taken that long ago. Has history not been a lesson, have we not learned that people are people regardless of things like color or sexual preference? I know in my heart, and I believe that sooner or later gay marriage will be legal thoughout all of the United States. I'll keep that hope alive for the year 2010,this isn't over yet. And I will not lose the HOPE in my heart for my friends,for my sister and her partner, and for others that are simply "in love". There are better days ahead, there has to be! "I Have a Dream" MLK