For years I kept journals -- in composition, spiral bound, and French graph paper books. This blog is an attempt to get back to writing and documenting the world around me using photos, newspaper headlines, and other articles.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Supreme Court Rulings

Today the Supreme Court ruled on the Defense of Marriage Act.  I sat in the training room and tried to pay attention to the material presented.  But I felt nervous and I wanted to keep checking the internet to see if the decision had been announced.  At our first break -- nothing.  When we dispersed for lunch, I didn't bother looking on the computer.  I got right in my car and turned on public radio and heard the end of the discussion on the Diane Rehm show.  Relief at the verdict.  The ruling was a victory for the couples who will be direct beneficiaries, but also for those of us who believe that legislating discrimination is a really bad practice.

The President put out a statement right afterwards.  I love the last paragraph:

I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act.  This was discrimination enshrined in law.  It treated loving, committed gay and lesbian couples as a separate and lesser class of people.  The Supreme Court has righted that wrong, and our country is better off for it.  We are a people who declared that we are all created equal – and the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. 
This ruling is a victory for couples who have long fought for equal treatment under the law; for children whose parents’ marriages will now be recognized, rightly, as legitimate; for families that, at long last, will get the respect and protection they deserve; and for friends and supporters who have wanted nothing more than to see their loved ones treated fairly and have worked hard to persuade their nation to change for the better. 
So we welcome today’s decision, and I’ve directed the Attorney General to work with other members of my Cabinet to review all relevant federal statutes to ensure this decision, including its implications for Federal benefits and obligations, is implemented swiftly and smoothly.
On an issue as sensitive as this, knowing that Americans hold a wide range of views based on deeply held beliefs, maintaining our nation’s commitment to religious freedom is also vital.  How religious institutions define and consecrate marriage has always been up to those institutions.  Nothing about this decision – which applies only to civil marriages – changes that.  
The laws of our land are catching up to the fundamental truth that millions of Americans hold in our hearts:  when all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free.  

I'm not educated enough on the specifics of the SCOTUS ruling on sections of the Voting Rights Act yesterday.  In my gut, I don't think it was the right decision.  Judging by the number of states who are going ahead with redistricting and punitive voter ID laws, I'm nervous about it.  I don't understand the desire that some have to bar Americans from voting, or making the process so difficult that they give up trying.  I guess the elections in the years to come will tell the story -- have we, as a nation, evolved to where the protections are no longer necessary?  Or, as I fear, is this an opening for those who are motivated by fear and contempt of others not like them, to their fellow citizens from the political process?  Time will tell.

I haven't blogged in a while.  Lots has been happening.  I have tons of pictures.  Soon I will get back into a rhythm of posting.  I need to figure out how to get my pictures off my phone and on to my computer.  But for now, here are a couple of Selim's last day of second grade this past Friday.



Sunday, June 9, 2013

"Best afternoon ever"

We were sitting outside at a blue picnic table, waiting for our burgers to arrive, when Selim said, "This has been the best afternoon ever.  Well, maybe the fourth or fifth best ever.  I'm not sure.  But it was great."



We got to Wallis Sands at 5:00 so that we wouldn't have to pay the entrance fee.  That was great in theory.  However, to discourage people like us who are trying to avoid paying, they are locking the gates to the parking lot at 6:00.  We had an hour.  And Selim made use of the 43 minutes he had in the water.

He ran right in, belly flopped, and came up sputtering.  Good thing he had on his goggles.



Then he came back for the board and rode in waves.  According to the local news, the ocean temperature is 60 degrees.  Without that wet suit, he wouldn't have lasted more than two minutes.  But with it, he was toasty and had such a good time.







I had fun documenting.







Part of what made the time so great, was that we were all there together, as a family.  Nedim's friend from Australia, who is here for a few weeks came along as well.






I hated getting him out of the water at 5:43, but we needed to be outside the gates by 6:00.  And, he has had a runny nose for the past few weeks, so limiting his time wasn't such a bad plan.  It took both Nedim and I holding him and tugging on the wet suit to get that thing off.  I don't know how I will manage when it is just Selim and I together.

From the beach, we went to a new (?) burger place on Route 1.  I had a veggie burger with avocado and salsa and a side order of sweet potato fries.  The guys got regular cheese burgers.  It was a great end to a really good day.




Earlier, I planted 80% of the garden.  I put in 24 tomato and cucumber seedlings.  I should have started the seeds earlier.  The seedlings are very small.  I hope that some of them, at least, will be successful bearing plants.  I left one row of black plastic un-planted.  I will pick up two zucchini and may be another, more mature, tomato plant or three.



I'm going to trust that some of my cucumber plants will survive.  I'm going to try having them grow up, around a cage and see if that helps the cucumbers ripen.  I saw that trick when I was walking in Washington, D.C. two summers ago.  Growing up on a trellis-type thing, the plants took up less space and the fruit got better sun.  We shall see.



The peas have reached their fence.



And the strawberries are ripening.



And I have enjoyed salad made of lettuce thinnings for a few days now.  I love having a garden!