Tricycle Daily Dharma August 4, 2012
Swimming in the Infinite
There is no point in being Buddhist! One does it for the sheer joy of swimming in the infinite!
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- Robert Thurman, "Swimming in the Infinite"
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.
There is no point in being Buddhist! One does it for the sheer joy of swimming in the infinite!
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The department has issued a new policy governing the issuances of "Notice to Appear" documents, which is the step that starts removal proceedings, which can lead to deportation. The new policy will put the policies of U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services — which considers green card applications — in alignment with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement policies for "low priority" enforcement cases, according to the department — which means that USCIS won't likely issue the notices unless other negative factors, like a criminal record, are found. A spokesman did not respond to an immediate request for a copy of the policy.Well-known LGBT immigration advocate Lavi Soloway is thrilled. Via press release:
After a two-year campaign urging the Obama administration to stop the deportations of spouses of gay and lesbian Americans, we welcome the announcement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that it will formally recognize same-sex marriages as part of its year-old ‘prosecutorial discretion’ deportation policy. By articulating the first federal policy to recognize marriages of gay and lesbian couples, the administration signals to deportations officers, Immigration Judges, and Immigration & Customs Enforcement prosecutors that our marriages must be considered when determining whether a case is deemed low priority for deportation.Until DOMA is repealed Homeland Security will continue to deny green cards to the spouses of LGBT Americans.
The
bodhisattva aspiration is an everyday matter—everyday both in the sense
of needing to be renewed as each day passes, and in the sense of
applying to simple tasks, to ordinary actions motivated by a longing to
reduce the difficulty and increase the happiness of those with whom we
share our lives.
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Pelosi — along with Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Mike Honda, the lead sponsors of two bills aimed at addressing LGBT inequalities in the immigration system, and 81 other Democrats — called on Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to "issue a written field guidance or a memorandum to explicitly state the policy of your August 18, 2011 announcement which would direct DHS personnel to consider LGBT family ties as a positive factor for the exercise of prosecutorial discretion."
The House members — including out gay Reps. Barney Frank, Jared Polis and David Cicilline — go on to say that "[a] written policy is the best way to ensure that the decision by President Obama and DHS to recognize LGBT family ties for immigration purposes will be implemented so that families will remain together."
Calling the letter "a true show of congressional force," Immigration Equality spokesman Steve Ralls told BuzzFeed, "It is a simple action, but also one that will have a real impact on real people and families. We hope Secretary Napolitano will heed the advice of those who signed the letter, and take this important step toward protecting some of the most vulnerable individuals within the immigration system from deportation."
Our
training begins with learning first to listen to ourselves until we
know our deepest aspirations, shortcomings, sufferings, and joys. Next,
we must learn to listen deeply to our partner and family. Right speech
prompts us to ask our loved ones: 'What could I do to make you happier?'
and then to listen to the reply without judging or reacting. Right
speech prompts us to say, 'Thank you for being here for me. Your
presence enriches my life. Please tell me how I can love you better.'
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The announcement by franchise general manager Anthony Picolia came as a surprise to Pride Fest organizers in light of the ongoing public relations debacle over the negative remarks by Chick-Fil-A’s President last month regarding same-sex marriage. Picolia, in an email to LGBTQ Nation on Tuesday, confirmed that his franchise will sponsor the festival, writing:The event takes place next Saturday.
“In both my personal and professional life, I have had and continue to have positive relationships with family, friends, customers and employees in the LGBT community. It would make me sad if someone felt that they were not openly welcomed into my life or restaurant based on their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender,” In a statement issue by Pride organizers, Picolia added that his Chick-fil-A franchise “has gay employees and serves gay customers with honor, dignity and respect.”
It
is hard to let go of things, harder to let go of ideas, and even harder
to let go of spiritual pretensions. Over time, as we familiarize
ourselves with the many subtle twists and turns of letting go, we begin
to be more savvy about how ego steps in to appropriate the entire
process. In the millions of mini-decisions we make day by day and moment
by moment, we are challenged each time either to let go or to
re-solidify.
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The deadline extension, which lawyers familiar with the cases say could cause up to a one-week delay in when in the fall the Supreme Court justices would consider when to take the cases, won't likely have any long-term effect on how and when the cases might be considered by the justices. The new deadline, however, means that House Speaker John Boehner's lawyers could take the chance to take aim at the Obama administration, which stopped defending DOMA in early 2011, following the conclusion of the Republican National Convention on Aug. 30 and before the start of the Democratic National Convention the next week.