Glad to hear I'm not the only one who hates this saying!
Thanks Fr. Matthew for all these great videos!
27 February 2009
Same-sex marriage in RI
Currently Rhode Island is debating same-sex marriage. As you all know, I am a supporter for same-sex marriage in Rhode Island. I've posted my MERI Speech and other comments on the issue over time. I've also spent a great deal of time on this blog - and in the world in general - talking about how wonderfully supportive I find many of the clergy in my diocese and my parish. There is one priest here in RI who I fequently borrow stories from. Scott Gunn+, Priest-in-chagre Christ Church Lincoln and author of Seven Whole Days is on of the clergy who has been tremendously supportive. Today Scott proved again what a great ally he is to LGBTQQ people. Copied below is a letter he posted on his blog that he sent to several RI Senators. For those of you who feel so moved, I strongly encourage you to add your voice to Scott's and so many others in this fight for equality. If you do write, and don't mind sharing, please send me a copy of your letter as I would love to post it here. I'm hoping to write my own letter this afternoon - which I will of course post for your reading.
To:sen-perry@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-blais@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-goodwin@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-jabour@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-levesque@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-lynch@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-maselli@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-mcburney@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-mccaffrey@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-metts@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-weed@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-connors@rilin.state.ri.us
Dear Senators,
I am an Episcopal priest serving at Christ Church in Lincoln. I am writing to urge your support and passage of S-0147, enabling same-sex marriage in Rhode Island.
As a religious leader, I view marriage as a sacred covenant between two people before God, in which their mutual love is manifest. In the Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer, the first purpose of marriage is described as “for their mutual joy.” Two men or two women who share a committed relationship should be able to enjoy the same protections and benefits that I enjoy in my marriage of sixteen years to a wonderful woman.
From the news coverage, it seems that religious objections are foremost among those who resist passage of this bill. Proponents of a same-sex marriage ban cite “biblical marriage” or “freedom of religion” in their statements. Firstly, the Bible is hardly supportive of marriage as it is now understood in this country. In the Old Testament, women were viewed as property to be exchanged among men, and there is no sense of mutuality in marriage. Polygamy is normative in the Old Testament; concubines are acceptable. In the New Testament, St. Paul is skeptical of marriage — suggesting that it is better to be unmarried. Jesus himself says nothing about marriage, other than to insist that divorce is to be avoided when possible, because of the consequences to women in ancient Palestinian culture. In other words, there simply is no biblical justification that applies in this matter.
In terms of religious freedom, the bill specifically prevents any minister or church from being compelled to perform marriage. This is unchanged from the current law, secular and religious. When I meet with couples who seek marriage, I am currently allowed to refuse to marry them for any reason or for no reason. Under S-0147, this will not change. In other words, the bill preserves the same freedom of religious exercise that we now enjoy.
Why do I support same-sex marriage? I believe that in our culture of self-interest, we should support any strengthening and broadening of an institution which will encourage people to make familial commitments. If two men or two women love each other, our whole society benefits from their mutual promise to support one another and, when it is God’s will, to raise children in a loving home.
There are practical reasons to support passage of this bill — healthcare decisions, access to hospitals for visits, property inheritance, and arrangements at the time of death. But these practical matters are less important to me, and I suspect to those who would seek marriage. Most important is the ability for everyone to enjoy the same things that I enjoy — the institution of marrage, in which mutual love and support is expressed and manifest.
I hope you pass this bill. In Massachusetts, once they had access to same-sex marriage, we have not seen walls crumble or people swallowed up by the earth. Rather, we have seen ordinary people able to enjoy ordinary marriage and extraordinary love and support for one another.
My contact information is below. I would be pleased to speak with anyone about my support of this bill as a religious leader.
Peace,
Scott+
For more information please check out Marriage Equality RI.
To:sen-perry@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-blais@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-goodwin@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-jabour@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-levesque@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-lynch@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-maselli@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-mcburney@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-mccaffrey@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-metts@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-weed@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-connors@rilin.state.ri.us
Dear Senators,
I am an Episcopal priest serving at Christ Church in Lincoln. I am writing to urge your support and passage of S-0147, enabling same-sex marriage in Rhode Island.
As a religious leader, I view marriage as a sacred covenant between two people before God, in which their mutual love is manifest. In the Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer, the first purpose of marriage is described as “for their mutual joy.” Two men or two women who share a committed relationship should be able to enjoy the same protections and benefits that I enjoy in my marriage of sixteen years to a wonderful woman.
From the news coverage, it seems that religious objections are foremost among those who resist passage of this bill. Proponents of a same-sex marriage ban cite “biblical marriage” or “freedom of religion” in their statements. Firstly, the Bible is hardly supportive of marriage as it is now understood in this country. In the Old Testament, women were viewed as property to be exchanged among men, and there is no sense of mutuality in marriage. Polygamy is normative in the Old Testament; concubines are acceptable. In the New Testament, St. Paul is skeptical of marriage — suggesting that it is better to be unmarried. Jesus himself says nothing about marriage, other than to insist that divorce is to be avoided when possible, because of the consequences to women in ancient Palestinian culture. In other words, there simply is no biblical justification that applies in this matter.
In terms of religious freedom, the bill specifically prevents any minister or church from being compelled to perform marriage. This is unchanged from the current law, secular and religious. When I meet with couples who seek marriage, I am currently allowed to refuse to marry them for any reason or for no reason. Under S-0147, this will not change. In other words, the bill preserves the same freedom of religious exercise that we now enjoy.
Why do I support same-sex marriage? I believe that in our culture of self-interest, we should support any strengthening and broadening of an institution which will encourage people to make familial commitments. If two men or two women love each other, our whole society benefits from their mutual promise to support one another and, when it is God’s will, to raise children in a loving home.
There are practical reasons to support passage of this bill — healthcare decisions, access to hospitals for visits, property inheritance, and arrangements at the time of death. But these practical matters are less important to me, and I suspect to those who would seek marriage. Most important is the ability for everyone to enjoy the same things that I enjoy — the institution of marrage, in which mutual love and support is expressed and manifest.
I hope you pass this bill. In Massachusetts, once they had access to same-sex marriage, we have not seen walls crumble or people swallowed up by the earth. Rather, we have seen ordinary people able to enjoy ordinary marriage and extraordinary love and support for one another.
My contact information is below. I would be pleased to speak with anyone about my support of this bill as a religious leader.
Peace,
Scott+
For more information please check out Marriage Equality RI.
The Observance of a Holy Lent
School has been crazy the past couple of days and has kept me form may things one being blogging. On Ash Wednesday I spent a lot of time listening to, rereading, and thinking about the invitation to observe a holy Lent. As we begin this Lenten journey, I invite you to take some time and reread this (or read it for a first time) and allow yourself to enter a time of "self-examination repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial."
Dear People of God: This first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set fourth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.
I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer. BCP 264-265
I wish you all a blessed and holy Lent.
Dear People of God: This first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set fourth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.
I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer. BCP 264-265
I wish you all a blessed and holy Lent.
24 February 2009
The Solemn Procession of the Pancake
I am a fan of liturgy. As a liturgogeek I enjoy reading and participating in various forms of liturgy. Rite I, Rite II, even EOW I love it all. I first heard about the Solemn Procession of the Pancake at the Shorve Tuesday Pancake Supper at St. Paul's Church last year. I wish that we would use this wonderful Solemn Procession at St. Paul's. Here it is - copied below - for your own enjoyment. Happy Shorve Tuesday to all!
Info copied from Shrove Tuesday Traditions and Liturgies.
Pancake Procession for Shrove Tuesday
Thanks to Inari Thiel, who manages her files better than I manage mine, I may now post this important liturgical note. The carefully researched material on the pancake restaurant contingency first appeared on the ANGLICAN list. The author, Scott Knitter, a fine Anglican although a Michigander, places the material before the reader assuming a knowledge of the basic Pancake Procession. I am mindful that there are those on this list without that background, hence a few words may not be amiss.
There are those who argue that the Pancake Procession must take place before, and only before, the feast itself. The liturgical argument here is that just as the solemn procession comes before the sacred meal in Eucharist, so it should on Shrove Tuesday. There is also the pragmatic argument that no one is in any shape to process after consuming great quantities of pancakes, butter and syrup. Others argue, just a vehemently, that the procession must take place after, and only after the feast. The arguments here are a bit difficult to follow, and one suspects that it really comes down to a fear that the Pancakes will get cold if carried about in procession rather than plunked right on the table for immediate consumption.
We do not wish to become embroiled in debate over this sensitive issue. Suffice it to say that all known liturgical materials (from the Roman "Sacramentary" to the "Book of How Things 'Sposed To Be" of the Agabeg Occult Church of the Overcoming of the Holy Spirit) agree on the order of the procession, the materials to be carried, and by whom, and the route of the procession.
A thurifer leads the procession. Two bacon strips are draped over the thurible. At the beginning of the procession, the celebrant places the two bacon strips over the thurible saying, "Blessed is He in whose humour you are to be burnt."
Following the thurifer is the forkifer bearing the giant likeness of a fork, and flanked by two lightbearers.
Following the forkifer and lightbearers (logic would dictate that they be called "lucifers") are the various ranks of lay ministers, up to but not including the sub-deacon. The verger follows the forkifer and lucifers, but slightly to the side so as to be on the lookout for pancake establishments (see Knitter's notes below). The two senior acolytes are the last in the procession of lay ministers and carry the pancakes upon a platter.
The celebrant, flanked by the deacon and sub-deacon, carries the pitcher, which should be of sufficient size and decoration as befits the dignity of the occasion.
The procession walks the precincts of the parish.
Gregory Holmes Singleton, R.O.C.
Procession 2
Pancake Procession for Shrove Tuesday
The Shrove Tuesday Pancake Procession is a unique East Lansing tradition that dates back to the late 19th century, when Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University) was growing, causing the settlement of faculty, staff, and students in the new town of Collegeville, adjacent to the north end of the university grounds.
The procession is now based at All Saints Episcopal Church in the historic Bailey neighbourhood seven blocks north of the student union.
Following the Shrove Tuesday Solemn Evensong, the solemn procession forms at the head of the aisle, and the sacred ministers are supplied with their birettas. The celebrant also receives a large platter of steaming-hot buttermilk pancakes; the deacon and subdeacon take up large pitchers of Michigan maple syrup. Acolytes with large forks and spatulas attend the sacred ministers. Following the deacon's versicle and the people's response, the thurifer leads the procession through the nave and narthex and down the steps to the undercroft, where a station is made at the kitchen. The choir accompany the procession with appropriate antiphons, responsories, and plainsong hymns, such as the Corpus Christi introit, Cibavit eos: "He fed them also with the finest wheat flour, and with honey from the rock." Naturally, in the early days of the procession's history, these words were taken quite literally, and the pancakes were made of whole wheat and served with pure Michigan honey. Tastes these days being what they are, adjustments have been made, but the symbolism still obtains.
After the station at the kitchen door, the procession moves back upstairs to the Grove Street entrance and turns left, encircling the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Greater Lansing, next door, as a gesture of hospitality and ecumenism. Traditionally, the UU minister joins the procession dressed in a simple cassock-alb and bearing a large bowl of flower petals gathered by UU parishioners; these are added to the pancake plates as a lovely garnish and a reminder of the oneness of creation with Creator. (A secondary but salutary effect of the procession in the early years was the reconciliation of the neighboring Episcopal and UU churches following the previous year's Trinity Sunday outdoor solemn procession, which had encircled the UU church three times to the increasing outrage of the UU minister and congregation. The Trinity procession route was subsequently changed to encircle the historic Beaumont Tower on the university campus, during which the university carillonneur traditionally performs Anglican hymns in 3/8 or 3/4 meter, ending with three sets of three tolls on the three largest bells).
The procession moves south from the UU church down Grove Street past the rectory, where a station is made and the antiphon Sacerdotes Domini chanted, and then past the first block of fraternity houses, where students have been lining the streets to depths of four and five persons since before noon. By now the pancake plates and syrup pitchers have been replenished by the vergers from supplies driven ahead of the procession by the sextons. The students wear no particular traditional garb when they are served the pancakes, except that shirts and shoes are required in addition to the usual shorts or jeans. Hats are expected to be removed while the pancake platter is in one's block of residence.
The procession then makes a one-block turn to the west and then heads south on Abbott Road, the main street into the university and the location of City Hall and further blocks of fraternities and sororities. The culmination of the procession is the arrival at the West Circle Halls of Residence, a lovely group of three-storey Tudor-style halls, each with a large dining-room. On this night alone out of all the nights of the year, the dining-rooms are closed in observance of the solemn pancake procession. The waiting students are served efficiently as the procession reaches the university test kitchen at Williams Hall, where nutritionists receive samples of the pancakes for chemical analysis and testing and the eventual assignment of a rating for that year's batch. Finally, having given up the pancake-serving utensils, the sacred ministers, vergers, acolytes, and servers proceed to the Alumni Memorial Chapel not on foot, but on the Sigma Chi homecoming float flatbed, its permanently installed Liberty Bell replica ringing all the way, and all enter the chapel for the Solemn Te Deum and Benediction.
Info copied from Shrove Tuesday Traditions and Liturgies.
Pancake Procession for Shrove Tuesday
Thanks to Inari Thiel, who manages her files better than I manage mine, I may now post this important liturgical note. The carefully researched material on the pancake restaurant contingency first appeared on the ANGLICAN list. The author, Scott Knitter, a fine Anglican although a Michigander, places the material before the reader assuming a knowledge of the basic Pancake Procession. I am mindful that there are those on this list without that background, hence a few words may not be amiss.
There are those who argue that the Pancake Procession must take place before, and only before, the feast itself. The liturgical argument here is that just as the solemn procession comes before the sacred meal in Eucharist, so it should on Shrove Tuesday. There is also the pragmatic argument that no one is in any shape to process after consuming great quantities of pancakes, butter and syrup. Others argue, just a vehemently, that the procession must take place after, and only after the feast. The arguments here are a bit difficult to follow, and one suspects that it really comes down to a fear that the Pancakes will get cold if carried about in procession rather than plunked right on the table for immediate consumption.
We do not wish to become embroiled in debate over this sensitive issue. Suffice it to say that all known liturgical materials (from the Roman "Sacramentary" to the "Book of How Things 'Sposed To Be" of the Agabeg Occult Church of the Overcoming of the Holy Spirit) agree on the order of the procession, the materials to be carried, and by whom, and the route of the procession.
A thurifer leads the procession. Two bacon strips are draped over the thurible. At the beginning of the procession, the celebrant places the two bacon strips over the thurible saying, "Blessed is He in whose humour you are to be burnt."
Following the thurifer is the forkifer bearing the giant likeness of a fork, and flanked by two lightbearers.
Following the forkifer and lightbearers (logic would dictate that they be called "lucifers") are the various ranks of lay ministers, up to but not including the sub-deacon. The verger follows the forkifer and lucifers, but slightly to the side so as to be on the lookout for pancake establishments (see Knitter's notes below). The two senior acolytes are the last in the procession of lay ministers and carry the pancakes upon a platter.
The celebrant, flanked by the deacon and sub-deacon, carries the pitcher, which should be of sufficient size and decoration as befits the dignity of the occasion.
The procession walks the precincts of the parish.
Gregory Holmes Singleton, R.O.C.
Procession 2
Pancake Procession for Shrove Tuesday
The Shrove Tuesday Pancake Procession is a unique East Lansing tradition that dates back to the late 19th century, when Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University) was growing, causing the settlement of faculty, staff, and students in the new town of Collegeville, adjacent to the north end of the university grounds.
The procession is now based at All Saints Episcopal Church in the historic Bailey neighbourhood seven blocks north of the student union.
Following the Shrove Tuesday Solemn Evensong, the solemn procession forms at the head of the aisle, and the sacred ministers are supplied with their birettas. The celebrant also receives a large platter of steaming-hot buttermilk pancakes; the deacon and subdeacon take up large pitchers of Michigan maple syrup. Acolytes with large forks and spatulas attend the sacred ministers. Following the deacon's versicle and the people's response, the thurifer leads the procession through the nave and narthex and down the steps to the undercroft, where a station is made at the kitchen. The choir accompany the procession with appropriate antiphons, responsories, and plainsong hymns, such as the Corpus Christi introit, Cibavit eos: "He fed them also with the finest wheat flour, and with honey from the rock." Naturally, in the early days of the procession's history, these words were taken quite literally, and the pancakes were made of whole wheat and served with pure Michigan honey. Tastes these days being what they are, adjustments have been made, but the symbolism still obtains.
After the station at the kitchen door, the procession moves back upstairs to the Grove Street entrance and turns left, encircling the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Greater Lansing, next door, as a gesture of hospitality and ecumenism. Traditionally, the UU minister joins the procession dressed in a simple cassock-alb and bearing a large bowl of flower petals gathered by UU parishioners; these are added to the pancake plates as a lovely garnish and a reminder of the oneness of creation with Creator. (A secondary but salutary effect of the procession in the early years was the reconciliation of the neighboring Episcopal and UU churches following the previous year's Trinity Sunday outdoor solemn procession, which had encircled the UU church three times to the increasing outrage of the UU minister and congregation. The Trinity procession route was subsequently changed to encircle the historic Beaumont Tower on the university campus, during which the university carillonneur traditionally performs Anglican hymns in 3/8 or 3/4 meter, ending with three sets of three tolls on the three largest bells).
The procession moves south from the UU church down Grove Street past the rectory, where a station is made and the antiphon Sacerdotes Domini chanted, and then past the first block of fraternity houses, where students have been lining the streets to depths of four and five persons since before noon. By now the pancake plates and syrup pitchers have been replenished by the vergers from supplies driven ahead of the procession by the sextons. The students wear no particular traditional garb when they are served the pancakes, except that shirts and shoes are required in addition to the usual shorts or jeans. Hats are expected to be removed while the pancake platter is in one's block of residence.
The procession then makes a one-block turn to the west and then heads south on Abbott Road, the main street into the university and the location of City Hall and further blocks of fraternities and sororities. The culmination of the procession is the arrival at the West Circle Halls of Residence, a lovely group of three-storey Tudor-style halls, each with a large dining-room. On this night alone out of all the nights of the year, the dining-rooms are closed in observance of the solemn pancake procession. The waiting students are served efficiently as the procession reaches the university test kitchen at Williams Hall, where nutritionists receive samples of the pancakes for chemical analysis and testing and the eventual assignment of a rating for that year's batch. Finally, having given up the pancake-serving utensils, the sacred ministers, vergers, acolytes, and servers proceed to the Alumni Memorial Chapel not on foot, but on the Sigma Chi homecoming float flatbed, its permanently installed Liberty Bell replica ringing all the way, and all enter the chapel for the Solemn Te Deum and Benediction.
17 February 2009
LGBT Awareness in church
As some of you know, I do a lot of work with Youth Pride Inc. here in RI. I'm part of the OUTSpoken program and we go out and run trainings and promote awareness on LGBT issues. I working on putting together a program to present to Churches in the Diocese of RI. We are looking at a clergy training, and also individual parish trainings. So I ask all of you. If Youth Pride was to come to your church, what would you like to hear? If you are a clergy person what would you like to learn to bring back to your parish? Lay people, what would you like your clergy to know? And whatever other combination you can think of!
15 February 2009
Everyone has secrets
This was posted on a blog for a class I'm in at RIC. Being a trans person, watching this video made me cry. Tonight - as is everyday - my prayer and hope is that one day I won't be forced to feel ashamed of who I am because it isn't ok with others. I give thanks for all of you who have been so supportive, my gratitude could never be expressed in words. Just know that I love you.
Thanks for passing this along C. Thanks for the reminder that we're not alone.
Thanks for passing this along C. Thanks for the reminder that we're not alone.
13 February 2009
My Speech
Here is a copy of the speech I gave at the MERI Rally last night. Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers. I meant a lot!
My name is Dee Tavolaro, I’m 19 years old, a Sophomore at Rhode Island College, and have been involved at Youth Pride Inc. for almost a year. Being at Youth Pride has forced me to examine my beliefs, to challenge them, and to grow. The issue I’ve spent the most time struggling with is marriage.
Like so many other young people, I spend a lot of time thinking about the future: the teaching job I’ll get, the community outreach I’ll do, the church ministry I’ll have. I can’t wait to do all of these things here in Rhode Island. But then I think of the fact that I can’t get married here and how I’d have to move to Massachusetts or Connecticut in order to have equal rights. I think about my friends and the two beautiful girls they’ve adopted, and how this lack of rights sends them a message that their family isn’t good enough: that they don’t count.
The most important part of my life is my work and ministry within my church. My church is a place where I can go and be open and honest about who I am. It is a place where I can be loved and supported one hundred percent. It’s mind boggling how I can have such love and support there, but when I step outside that building I loose those feelings and am treated as something less: as second class.
I’ve heard the argument made that, “gays shouldn’t get married because marriage is a sacrament.” As any good church geek can tell you, and I consider myself part of that group, a sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. I look at my friends and their girls and wonder how anyone can fail to see the grace in that.
I’ve also heard some conservatives argue that we should keep traditional marriage: that we should keep marriage biblical. However, I don’t think they remember what biblical marriage really means. It isn’t one man, one woman, and a suburban home with a white picket fence. It is one man and as many women as he could get his hands on. Now I’m not asking for five or six wives, I just want one! One woman to love, marry and raise a family. Thank you.
My name is Dee Tavolaro, I’m 19 years old, a Sophomore at Rhode Island College, and have been involved at Youth Pride Inc. for almost a year. Being at Youth Pride has forced me to examine my beliefs, to challenge them, and to grow. The issue I’ve spent the most time struggling with is marriage.
Like so many other young people, I spend a lot of time thinking about the future: the teaching job I’ll get, the community outreach I’ll do, the church ministry I’ll have. I can’t wait to do all of these things here in Rhode Island. But then I think of the fact that I can’t get married here and how I’d have to move to Massachusetts or Connecticut in order to have equal rights. I think about my friends and the two beautiful girls they’ve adopted, and how this lack of rights sends them a message that their family isn’t good enough: that they don’t count.
The most important part of my life is my work and ministry within my church. My church is a place where I can go and be open and honest about who I am. It is a place where I can be loved and supported one hundred percent. It’s mind boggling how I can have such love and support there, but when I step outside that building I loose those feelings and am treated as something less: as second class.
I’ve heard the argument made that, “gays shouldn’t get married because marriage is a sacrament.” As any good church geek can tell you, and I consider myself part of that group, a sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. I look at my friends and their girls and wonder how anyone can fail to see the grace in that.
I’ve also heard some conservatives argue that we should keep traditional marriage: that we should keep marriage biblical. However, I don’t think they remember what biblical marriage really means. It isn’t one man, one woman, and a suburban home with a white picket fence. It is one man and as many women as he could get his hands on. Now I’m not asking for five or six wives, I just want one! One woman to love, marry and raise a family. Thank you.
12 February 2009
MERI Rally
Hey everybody!!
If you're free at 5pm tonight you should come to the RI State House for the MERI (Marriage Equality RI) Rally. I'm one of the speakers, so come on out and show your support!!
If you're free at 5pm tonight you should come to the RI State House for the MERI (Marriage Equality RI) Rally. I'm one of the speakers, so come on out and show your support!!
10 February 2009
Freedom To Marry
So for the next few days I'm hoping to get more information and stories up here about Freedom to Marry Week 2009.
Marriage Equality is something that we all should be fighting for. If you're in Mass of CT don't think that your rights are safe. We all saw what happened in California. Fight with me to help get my rights and the rights of all other people. Your rights aren't safe until mine are.
Here is the schedule for the week. All information can be found here.
Sunday, February 8th: YouTube Challenge
Submit a video to our YouTube Challenge for a chance to win cash prizes.
Monday, February 9th: Make Your Voice Heard
Add your face and voice to the conversation. Create a blog post, vlog, comment on our blog, change your status on facebook, or change your picture on social networks.
Tuesday, February 10th: Email for Equality
Sign the marriage resolution and email it to friends. Support your state’s equality organization and sign and circulate their petitions too!
Wednesday, February 11th: Button Up for Equality
Sign up to receive a button to wear or put our html button on your website, blog, or social networking page.
Thursday, February 12th: Face to Face to Equality
Have a face to face conversation by attending or hosting an event. Tell us about any events happening during the week, and we’ll post them.
Friday, February 13th: Txt 4 Equality
Receive a text or tweet about why marriage matters and forward on to friends.
Saturday, February 14th: Get Local With It
Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
Marriage Equality is something that we all should be fighting for. If you're in Mass of CT don't think that your rights are safe. We all saw what happened in California. Fight with me to help get my rights and the rights of all other people. Your rights aren't safe until mine are.
Here is the schedule for the week. All information can be found here.
Sunday, February 8th: YouTube Challenge
Submit a video to our YouTube Challenge for a chance to win cash prizes.
Monday, February 9th: Make Your Voice Heard
Add your face and voice to the conversation. Create a blog post, vlog, comment on our blog, change your status on facebook, or change your picture on social networks.
Tuesday, February 10th: Email for Equality
Sign the marriage resolution and email it to friends. Support your state’s equality organization and sign and circulate their petitions too!
Wednesday, February 11th: Button Up for Equality
Sign up to receive a button to wear or put our html button on your website, blog, or social networking page.
Thursday, February 12th: Face to Face to Equality
Have a face to face conversation by attending or hosting an event. Tell us about any events happening during the week, and we’ll post them.
Friday, February 13th: Txt 4 Equality
Receive a text or tweet about why marriage matters and forward on to friends.
Saturday, February 14th: Get Local With It
Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
06 February 2009
IAT - Implicit Association Test
For my foundations class with Dr. August, we had to take the IAT - Implicit Association Test. It's a test that checks for hidden bias. The tests and its results sparked a lot of conversation in our class. I recommend that you go to the link below and take the test. For my class we only had to take the Race Test, but try the Gender Test out as well. When you're done let me know what you thought.
Take the test here.
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