Thursday, June 4, 2015
Via Yahoo News: Meet the plaintiff at the heart of a Supreme Court case that could legalize same-sex marriage nationwide
“What we're asking for is simply
to be part of that same tradition of marriage where two people commit to
each other and make those promises to love, protect and honor each
other. How are we changing that? How are we harming that? We're just
asking to do the same thing.”
Jim Obergefell is fired up. He’s the lead plaintiff
in a case before the Supreme Court that this month could change gay
rights in America forever. And in an exclusive interview with Yahoo
global news anchor Katie Couric, he explains why.
Via JMG: Katie Couric Interviews Jim Obergefell
Via Yahoo News:
UPDATE: The clip won't embed properly for some reason. Hit the link at watch it at Yahoo.
Reposted from Joe Jervis
“What we're asking for is simply to be part of that same tradition of marriage where two people commit to each other and make those promises to love, protect and honor each other. How are we changing that? How are we harming that? We're just asking to do the same thing.” Jim Obergefell is fired up. He’s the lead plaintiff in a case before the Supreme Court that this month could change gay rights in America forever. And in an exclusive interview with Yahoo global news anchor Katie Couric, he explains why.You might need a tissue for this clip.
“It's scary to think about having the highest court in the land rule that you really are a second-class citizen and you don't deserve the same rights, the same protections, the same responsibilities as other people.” His case, Obergefell v. Hodges, rests on two questions. One is whether the Constitution requires a state where same-sex marriage is not legal to recognize a marriage licensed in a state where it is legal. The other question is whether the Constitution requires states to license marriages between two people of the same sex — in other words, whether same-sex marriage should be legal nationwide.
UPDATE: The clip won't embed properly for some reason. Hit the link at watch it at Yahoo.
JMG CALIFORNIA: "Intolerant Jackass Act" Backers Can Start Collecting Signatures
While the status of a “Sodomite Suppression Act” proposed state ballot initiative remains in limbo, proponents of a rival “Intolerant Jackass Act” initiative were cleared by state Secretary of State Alex Padilla to begin collecting signatures Wednesday. The rival initiative would force the filer of the Sodomite Suppression Act or any similar initiative to attend sensitivity training and donate $5,000 to a pro-gay or pro-lesbian organization. When Huntington Beach attorney Matt McLaughlin filed the Sodomite Suppression Act earlier this year, which would make homosexuality punishable by death, it set off a nationwide backlash for its evident hatred and dubious constitutionality. Attorney General Kamala Harris sought a court injunction rescinding her obligation to prepare a title and summary for the initiative, a necessary step before proponents can begin gathering the 365,880 signatures necessary to get it on the ballot.The Intolerant Jackass Act was filed by activist Charlotte Laws in late March. Last month the California Assembly approved a bill that would raise the referendum filing fee from $200 to $8000. The measure has not yet been heard by the state Senate.
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 04/06/2015
“Estamos destruindo o planeta porque não sabemos lidar com essa forma
de energia que é o dinheiro. Ele é um instrumento de troca que deve
estar a serviço do Espirito. Damos ao dinheiro um grande valor emocional
e acreditamos que ele trará a felicidade que tanto buscamos. Mas essa
visão distorcida tem gerado grande sofrimento para a humanidade.”
“Estamos destruyendo el planeta porque no sabemos lidiar con esta forma de energía que es el dinero. Es un instrumento de intercambio que debe estar al servicio del Espíritu. Le damos al dinero un gran valor emocional y creemos que nos traerá la felicidad que tanto buscamos. Pero esta visión distorsionada ha generado gran sufrimiento para la humanidad.”
“Estamos destruyendo el planeta porque no sabemos lidiar con esta forma de energía que es el dinero. Es un instrumento de intercambio que debe estar al servicio del Espíritu. Le damos al dinero un gran valor emocional y creemos que nos traerá la felicidad que tanto buscamos. Pero esta visión distorsionada ha generado gran sufrimiento para la humanidad.”
“We are destroying the planet in large part because we don’t know how
to deal with money as a form of energy. Money is an exchange tool that
should be at the service of the spirit. We attribute great emotional
value to money and believe that it will bring us the happiness that we
so desperately seek. This distorted vision has generated tremendous
suffering for humanity.”
Today's Daily Dharma: Delusion Is Like a Stepladder.
Delusion Is Like a Stepladder
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The
most important point is to establish yourself in a true sense, without
establishing yourself on delusion. And yet we cannot live or practice
without delusion. Delusion is necessary, but delusion is not something
on which you can establish yourself. It is like a stepladder. Without it
you cannot climb up, but you don?t stay on the stepladder. With this
confidence, you can continue to study our way.
- Shunryu Suzuki, "Brown Rice Is Just Right" |
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Via JMG: Hillary Launches Gay Rights T-Shirt
From the campaign store:
Reposted from Joe Jervis
"In honor of 2011 International Human Rights Day, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared at the United Nations that 'being LGBT does not make you less human….[G]ay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights.' If you couldn’t give that a standing ovation then, let the world know you agree with this shirt."It really was an astounding speech. The shirt is $30.
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 03/06/2015
“Você é capaz de influenciar o mundo. E a melhor maneira de fazer isso é
transformar a si mesmo. Além da conscientização sobre as questões
ambientais e sociais, você deve tratar de ser verdadeiramente feliz,
porque a felicidade vai se expandindo como ondas de luz. Você deve
contribuir com o planeta fazendo a pergunta: Onde está a felicidade?”
“Eres capaz de influenciar el mundo. Y la mejor manera de hacerlo es transformarte a ti mismo. Además de la conciencia de las cuestiones ambientales y sociales, debes tratar de ser verdaderamente feliz, porque la felicidad se va expandiendo como ondas de luz. Debes contribuir con el planeta haciendo la pregunta: ¿Dónde está la felicidad?”
“Eres capaz de influenciar el mundo. Y la mejor manera de hacerlo es transformarte a ti mismo. Además de la conciencia de las cuestiones ambientales y sociales, debes tratar de ser verdaderamente feliz, porque la felicidad se va expandiendo como ondas de luz. Debes contribuir con el planeta haciendo la pregunta: ¿Dónde está la felicidad?”
“You are capable of influencing the world, and the best way to do this
is to transform yourself. In addition to being aware of environmental
and social issues, strive to learn how to be truly happy, because
happiness spreads outward as waves of light. You will make a lasting
contribution to the world by posing the question: Wherein lies
happiness?”
Today's Daily Dharma: Buddhism's Radical Contribution.
Image: Allen Ginsberg in New York City, 1953, taken by William S. Burroughs
Buddhism's Radical Contribution
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The
central philosophy [of Buddhism] is compassion rather than the
Darwinian notion of survival of the fittest. The central notion is
giving your space rather than clinging to your space and making it
secure. It seems to me Buddhism has a tremendous amount of wisdom to
contribute right now to the huge world life political dilemma, i.e.,
what are the limits of compassion? What are the limits in our
relationship to chaos and how do we relate to chaos? Right now,
politically speaking, basic Buddhist notions are really radically
different from the general popular philosophy of life that is taken for
granted among intellectuals, even liberal intellectuals.
- Allen Ginsberg, "Spontaneous Intelligence" |
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Via Occupy Democrats / FB:
Opponents of same-sex marriage like to play the "religious freedom" card, as if anyone is suggesting that churches be FORCED to conduct such marriages. In reality, it is they who are infringing on the religious liberties of others by pushing these outright bans on legal same-sex marriage. If a church wants to bless a legal marriage between two consenting adults -- same-sex or otherwise -- why shouldn't they be allowed? We strongly support the United Church of Christ in their fight for justice for sexual minorities.
Image by Occupy Democrats
JMG Headline Of The Day
Great piece on Politico. An excerpt:
Reposted from Joe Jervis
Negative national headlines on religious freedom continue to fuel a negative image of the entire party. Both in my private conversations with and in public (and private) polling, conservatives are moving ever closer to supporting full equity for LGBT Americans. Gallup’s Values and Beliefs poll released last month showed a more than 20 percentage-point increase since 2001 in Americans (63 percent) who believe “gay and lesbian relations” are “morally acceptable”. You don’t get to a supermajority like that without Republicans. Even Texas conservatives support protecting gay and transgender folks from employment discrimination.Hit the link. It's worth a full read.
Republicans, like the rest of Americans, support nondiscrimination laws because most of us have gay family members, friends and co-workers and want to treat them as we would want to be treated. And having heard from moms and dads who want this great country to treat their gay child just like their straight child has been a powerful narrative. It really is all about family standing up for one another. Most people believe equality under the law can and does work well alongside protecting religious freedom — which must be and is protected, even cherished, in our Constitution.
UN Says Gays Are Victims Of Violent Abuse All Over The World
High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein said actions by some countries to reduce violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity since the last report in 2011 have been overshadowed by continuing human rights violations against these groups, too often perpetrated with impunity.
The report to the U.N. Human Rights Council that was circulated Monday cites the murder of transsexual women in Uruguay and of black lesbian women in South Africa and the killing of a gay man in Chile by neo-Nazis who carved swastikas into his body.
http://floridaagenda.com/news/international/un-says-gays-are-victims-of-violent-abuse-all-over-the-world
Via Sri Prem Baba: Flor do Dia- Flor del Día- Flower of the day 02/06/2015
“Dedique cinco minutos do seu dia para o cultivo do silêncio. Essa é
uma prática muito simples que está ao alcance de todos. Cinco minutos
divididos em cinco períodos de um único minuto. Escolha os períodos e
silencie sempre no mesmo momento. Por exemplo: quando acorda, antes do
almoço, no final do dia de trabalho, antes ou depois de uma aula e antes
de dormir. Nesse instante de recolhimento você se desliga do mundo lá fora
e volta-se para dentro. Seja uma testemunha que observa o que se passa
sem se prender a nada. Não se prenda nem mesmo à necessidade de cumprir
sessenta segundos. Pode mais ou menos tempo, o importante é lembrar do
silêncio.”
“Dedica cinco
minutos de tu día al cultivo del silencio. Ésta es una práctica muy
simple que está al alcance de todos. Cinco minutos divididos en cinco
periodos de un único minuto. Elije los períodos y silencia siempre en el
mismo momento. Por ejemplo: cuando te despiertas, antes del almuerzo,
al final del día de trabajo, antes o después de una clase y antes de
acostarte. En este instante de recogimiento te desconectas del mundo
allá afuera y te vuelves hacia adentro. Sé un testigo que observa lo que
pasa sin prenderse a nada. No te prendas ni siquiera a la necesidad de
cumplir sesenta segundos. Puedes más o menos tiempo, lo importante es
recordar el silencio.”
“Dedicate five minutes of your day to cultivating silence. This is a very simple practice that anyone can do. Five minutes divided into five periods of a single minute. Choose when you are going to be in silence and always do this at the same time. For example, when you wake up, before lunch, at the end of your workday, before or after a class, and before you go to sleep. At this time of withdrawal, you detach from the world outside and return within. Be a witness who observes what is happening without holding on to anything. Do not even hold on to the need to get through sixty seconds – it can be more or less than a minute. The key is to remember silence.”
“Dedicate five minutes of your day to cultivating silence. This is a very simple practice that anyone can do. Five minutes divided into five periods of a single minute. Choose when you are going to be in silence and always do this at the same time. For example, when you wake up, before lunch, at the end of your workday, before or after a class, and before you go to sleep. At this time of withdrawal, you detach from the world outside and return within. Be a witness who observes what is happening without holding on to anything. Do not even hold on to the need to get through sixty seconds – it can be more or less than a minute. The key is to remember silence.”
Today's Daily Dharma: Impossible to Compare.
Impossible to Compare
To what shall I compare
this life of ours?
Even before I can say
it is like a lightning flash
or a dewdrop
it is no more.
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