A personal blog by a graying (mostly Anglo with light African-American roots) gay left leaning liberal progressive married college-educated Buddhist Baha'i BBC/NPR-listening Professor Emeritus now following the Dharma in Minas Gerais, Brasil.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma August 10, 2013
Regarding Doubt
We
feel that if we have doubts, it means that we are denying the teachings
and that we should really have unquestioning faith. Now in certain
religions, unquestioning faith is considered a desirable quality. But in
the Buddha-dharma, this is not necessarily so. Referring to the dharma,
the Buddha said, 'ehi passiko,' which means 'come and see,' or 'come
and investigate,' not 'come and believe.'
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- Ani Tenzin Palmo, “Necessary Doubt”
Via JMG: Feds Announce Social Security Benefits For Spouses In Same-Sex Marriages
Via press release from the office of Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security.
posted by Joe
I am pleased to announce that Social Security is now processing some retirement spouse claims for same-sex couples and paying benefits where they are due. The recent Supreme Court decision on Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, made just over a month ago, helps to ensure that all Americans are treated fairly and equally, with the dignity and respect they deserve. We continue to work closely with the Department of Justice. In the coming weeks and months, we will develop and implement additional policy and processing instructions. We appreciate the public’s patience as we work through the legal issues to ensure that our policy is legally sound and clear. I encourage individuals who believe they may be eligible for Social Security benefits to apply now, to protect against the loss of any potential benefits. We will process claims as soon as additional instructions become finalized.IMPORTANT UPDATE: Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed:
The Social Security Administration is limiting payment of claims for same-sex married couples currently to those couples who were married in a state the allows same-sex couples to marry and are “domiciled,” or live, in a state that recognizes same-sex couples’ marriages.
The decision means claims from same-sex couples married where such couples can legally marry but who live in a state that does not recognize such marriages are having their applications put on hold for the time being.
As of Friday, a new section for “Windsor Same-Sex Marriage Claims” — named after the Supreme Court case of United States v. Windsor, which resulted in a part of the Defense of Marriage Act being struck down — was added to the Social Security Administration’s Program Operations Manual System (POMS), which the agency describes as the primary source of information used by Social Security employees to process claims for Social Security benefits.
The claims processing instructions “allow for payment of claims” when the claimant “was married in a state that permits same-sex marriage” and “is domiciled at the time of application, or while the claim is pending a final determination, in a state that recognizes same-sex marriage.”
Labels: DOMA, feds, LGBT rights, Social Security
Friday, August 9, 2013
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma August 9, 2013
Continuous Mind
If
we believe that mind is continuous, our love for others becomes
continuous. If we recognize this continuity, we do not trust temporary,
tangible circumstances or take them too seriously.
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- Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, "Continuous Mind"
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Via JMG: LZ Granderson On Russia
"In talking about the
1936 Olympics, I do not equate what is happening in Russia to what
happened to Jewish people during World War II. I just want to remind you
that the Holocaust did not happen overnight. It was subtle. Surgical. In silence. These new anti-gay laws
are disturbingly similar to the anti-Semitic Nuremberg laws Hitler
passed before the 1936 Olympics. And with the Pew Institute finding 84%
of Russians believe society should reject gay people, perhaps some
saying they object to gays for fear of arrest, the world should question
how far Russia intends to go. We should question how
far Russia, our lukewarm ally, intends to go and what our participation
in the 2014 Olympic Games will look like generations from now." - Openly gay sports journalist LZ Granderson, writing for CNN. Hit the link and read the full essay.
Via JMG: Civil Rights Pioneer Bayard Rustin And Astronaut Sally Ride To Be Posthumously Awarded Presidential Medal Of Freedom
Civil rights pioneer (and gay man) Bayard Rustin, who organized the 1963 March On Washington, and astronaut Sally Ride, who (at her request) was outed after her death of cancer last year, will be among the recipients of this year's Presidential Medal Of Freedom awards, the highest honor given to any civilian. Via press release from the White House:
This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Executive Order signed by President John F. Kennedy establishing the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as well as the first ceremony bestowing the honor on an inaugural class of 31 recipients. Since that time, more than 500 exceptional individuals from all corners of society have been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Obama said, “The Presidential Medal of Freedom goes to men and women who have dedicated their own lives to enriching ours. This year's honorees have been blessed with extraordinary talent, but what sets them apart is their gift for sharing that talent with the world. It will be my honor to present them with a token of our nation's gratitude."The Human Rights Campaign reacts:
Bayard Rustin’s contributions to the American civil rights movement remain paramount to its successes to this day,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “His role in the fight for civil rights of African-Americans is all the more admirable because he made it as a gay man, experiencing prejudice not just because of his race, but because of his sexual orientation as well.” Rustin was active in the struggle for civil rights for sixty years, from organizing early freedom rides in the 1940s, to serving as key advisor to Dr. King, to helping found the A. Philip Randolph Institute.The 50th anniversary of the March On Washington is August 28th.
But his advocacy was far from limited to the rights of African Americans. He worked to end apartheid in South Africa, fought for the freedom of Soviet Jews, worked to protect the property of Japanese Americans interned during World War II, and helped highlight the plight of Vietnamese “boat people.” And in the 1980s, he also spoke up for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, testifying in support of anti-discrimination legislation in New York. “Bayard Rustin dedicated his life to advocating for fairness and equality and overcame prejudice to help move our nation forward,” added Griffin.
RELATED: Some of this year's other recipients will surely upset the wingnuts. They are: Ernie Banks, Ben Bradlee, Bill Clinton, Daniel Inouye, Daniel Kahneman, Richard Lugar, Loretta Lynn, Mario Molina, Arturo Sandoval, Dean Smith, Gloria Steinem, C.T. Vivian, Patricia Wald, Oprah Winfrey.
Labels: Bayard Rustin, civil rights, LGBT History, LGBT rights, Medal Of Freedom, Sally Ride, space program, White House
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma August 8, 2013
On Gender
There’s
a strong streak of anti-essentialism in feminism, just as there is in
Buddhism. It is the understanding that something like gender is not
fixed or absolute, that not all women or men have some masculine or
feminine essence that defines us. To put it in Buddhist terms, gender
has no 'self-nature.'
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- Nancy Baker, "Of Samurai and Sisterhood"
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
JMG HomoQuotable - Stephen Fry
"I am gay. I am a Jew. My mother lost over a dozen of her family to Hitler's anti-Semitism. Every time in Russia (and it is constantly) a gay teenager is forced into suicide, a lesbian 'correctively' raped, gay men and women beaten to death by neo-Nazi thugs while the Russian police stand idly by, the world is diminished and I for one, weep anew at seeing history repeat itself. 'All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing,' so wrote Edmund Burke. Are you, the men and women of the IOC going to be those 'good' who allow evil to triumph? The Summer Olympics of 2012 were one of the most glorious moments of my life and the life of my country. For there to be a Russian Winter Olympics would stain the movement forever and wipe away any of that glory. The Five Rings would finally be forever smeared, besmirched and ruined in the eyes of the civilised world." - Stephen Fry, in an open letter to the IOC and British Prime Minister David Cameron.
You really should read the full essay.
Labels: Britain, David Cameron, HomoQuotable, IOC, LGBT rights, Russia, Sochi Olympics, sports, Stephen Fry
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma August 7, 2013
Genuine Discernment
The
fundamental aim of Buddhist practice is not belief; it’s enlightenment,
the awakening that takes place when illusion has been overcome. It may
sound simple, but it’s probably the most difficult thing of all to
achieve. It isn’t some kind of magical reward that someone can give you
or that a strong belief will enable you to acquire. The true path to
awakening is genuine discernment; it’s the very opposite of belief.
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- Trinlay Tulku Rinpoche, “The Seeds of Life”
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma August 6, 2013
Don't Make Your Suffering Worse
In
a classic sutra, the Buddha had said that if someone shoots you in the
foot, don’t pick up the bow and shoot yourself in the foot again. Don’t
make your suffering worse by arguing with what’s so. That’s a second
arrow. Accept pain. Don’t criticize yourself, or others, for feeling
pain: that is a second arrow. Don’t regret what cannot be changed, or
try to predict what cannot be known.
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- Katy Butler, "A Life Too Long"
Monday, August 5, 2013
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma August 5, 2013
Every Single Moment
In
truth, every single moment of our lives presents us with a choice:
either awaken to the reality of the present moment, or stay sleepy and
push aspects of that reality away.
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- Will Johnson, “Full Body, Empty Mind”
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma August 4, 2013
The Real Enemy
When
your mind is trained in self-discipline, even if you are surrounded by
hostile forces, your peace of mind will hardly be disturbed. On the
other hand, your mental peace and calm can easily be disrupted by your
own negative thoughts and emotions. The real enemy is within, not
outside.
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- The Dalai Lama, "The Enemy Within"
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Tricycle Daily Dharma
Tricycle Daily Dharma August 3, 2013
Gaining Insight from Obstacles
Using
meditation or therapy to try to shut down parts of our experience is
ultimately counterproductive. We do not have to be afraid of entering
unfamiliar territory once we have learned how to hold experience within
the gentleness of our own minds. Learning to transform obstacles into
objects of meditation provides a much needed bridge between the
stillness of the concentrated mind and the movement of real life.
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- Mark Epstein, "Stopping the Wind"
Friday, August 2, 2013
Via JMG: Sec. Of State John Kerry: Visas Are Now Available For Same-Sex Couples
Secretary of State John Kerry today announced the immediate availability of visas for same-sex couples. Via Metro Weekly:
"If you are the spouse of a U.S. citizen, your visa application will be treated equally. If you are the spouse of a non-citizen, your visa application will be treated equally. And if you are in a country that doesn’t recognize your same-sex marriage, then your visa application will still be treated equally at every single one of our 222 visa processing centers around the world," Kerry said during an appearance at the U.S. embassy in London.The new policy will also apply to the children of the foreign spouse in a same-sex marriage.
The announcement is the latest repercussion following the Supreme Court's June decision striking down Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, defining marriage as between a man and a woman. "Now, as long as a marriage has been performed in a jurisdiction that recognizes it so that it is legal, then that marriage is valid under U.S. immigration laws, and every married couple will be treated exactly the same, and that is what we believe is appropriate," Kerry added.
Labels: DOMA, John Kerry, LGBT rights, State Department
Via GayPolitics Report: LGBT Olympians may not "propagandize," Russian sports minister warns
LGBT athletes can participate in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, but they risk arrest if they advocate for LGBT equality while in Russia, says Vitaly L. Mutko, the Russian minister of sports. Mutko's comments this week contradict a statement issued earlier by the International Olympic Committee, which said it had received assurances from Russia that its new anti-LGBT laws would not be used against athletes and spectators at the games. Human rights groups want Olympic officials to speak more forcefully against the laws and urge their repeal, though a coalition of LGBT sports groups said this week they oppose a formal boycott of the games. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (8/1), USA Today (8/1), Washington Blade (Washington, D.C.) (8/2)
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
Tricycle Daily Dharma August 2, 2013
Expansive Peace
Whether
we’re seeking inner peace or global peace or a combination of the two,
the way to experience it is to build on the foundation of unconditional
openness to all that arises. Peace isn’t an experience free of
challenges, free of rough and smooth—it’s an experience that’s expansive
enough to include all that arises without feeling threatened.
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- Pema Chödrön, "Unlimited Friendliness"
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:
August 1, 2013
The Meditative Mind in Daily Life
It
is essential that you cultivate the twin elements of concentration and
inquiry in your meditation. Concentration will bring stability,
stillness, and spaciousness; inquiry will bring alertness, vividness,
brightness, and clarity. Combined, they will help you to develop
creative awareness, an ability to bring a meditative mind to all aspects
of your daily life.
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- Martine Batchelor, "A Refuge into Being"
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