Gay Marriage to Alfred: Your Thoughts

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/480798_548907078464675_1556333813_n.jpg

then maybe I'm just cynical. but it feels about as much like solidarity as a livestrong bracelet. i dunno what I want but I hate people on my timeline acting like they're 'doing' something when it's a bloody picture

I'll shut up.

It's nice to have a dream.

I think Alfred put it best in his blog post earlier tonight:

To see by my count fifty-five friends, three quarters of whom are straight, adopt the curious Rothko-like marriage equality Facebook profile photo moved me, but I couldn’t join them: besides my reluctance to attend football games or march in parades, I couldn’t see past the gesture, not when other priorities beckon. But the recognition that we’re in this together is heartening.

Onward.

Allow me, him and others like us our own way around this, and showing the connections as we choose to do. And just because I have an ambivalence bordering on the unsettled in terms of the gesture doesn't mean I have an ambivalence on a point which, as I said myself on here and elsewhere today, I've pretty much been convinced of the correctness of for two frickin' decades -- not that length of time or accident of moment of realization makes me special or means I deserve a medal, I don't, at all, in the slightest. I just choose to mark the moment differently.

yeah I guess I need to walk my IA back somewhat. the gesture, such as it is, isnt meaningless & I bear no-one any actual ill will.

http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr02/2013/3/25/15/enhanced-buzz-6303-1364238675-21.jpg

The gesture is fine but I'm not changing my picture either. This may make me a cantankerous old crank but I just would hate to give the world the impression that I think changing my picture actually means anything.

You guys are going to tell me your profile picture on FB are your most prized and sacrosanct piece of real estate?

VG, I get where you are coming from, but I've read enough similar sentiments to your own today to be a little perturbed by them. Does a show of unity, no matter how feeble or ultimately "useless", really have to be so offensive? I mean, don't worry, people will be back to posting stupid image macros tomorrow.

And my changing my avatar today wasn't just some, "oh hey, this is a thing" idea on my part. A bill to legalize gay marriage recently passed the Illinois Senate and is now sitting in the House waiting for a vote, so I've been spending a lot of time these past few months writing and calling my representatives. Today just sort of feels like a continuation of the momentum that has been building among friends of mine.

I believe you jvc - just feel like a lot of what I see on my Facebook feed is rah-rah preaching to the choir stuff among people who themselves don't really think about political issues except when the next macro comes around. Not to say that I'm some champion in the streets, but I sort of resent the implied bullying participation-mongering, it all feels very high school.

Also no one has been clear to me why it's red; I assume because Communism which I'm down with but I can't imagine (for most of the people in my feed posting it) it's that.

ned (and others): i should point out that i never changed any profile pics for this today either, despite my passion; and i'm not even demanding that people do. i'm only startled by the outpouring of disdain towards those who did.

I'm with AA on this; it's tremendously cynical to be all up in arms because you're tired of seeing all these people making a gesture of support in favor of something that is immediately clearly in support of positive change

dr casino: given that judges exists to interpret law, and given that lawmakers commonly respond to community sentiment where social issues are concerned, i think the line from internet/march/letter-writing/etc solidarity to making this change happen is fairly thick. it's also important worldwide, because america has the potential to lead in this area.

also, if you want some diversity: http://equality-icons.tumblr.com/

one for ilm
http://25.media.tumblr.com/738e3e4daacb14efd37058163206589e/tumblr_mkavzmenvH1s9bwlqo1_1280.jpg

yeah. one effective political strategy is to figure out something dead easy people can do that will make their opinion publically visible - like those goddam yellow ribbon magnets on cars. it can create a bandwagon effect, too. it also helps that the supremes are notoriously aware of which way the political winds are blowing. a strong blast from one direction does aid the cause - at least somewhat.

dr casino: given that judges exists to interpret law, and given that lawmakers commonly respond to community sentiment where social issues are concerned, i think the line from internet/march/letter-writing/etc solidarity to making this change happen is fairly thick. it's also important worldwide, because america has the potential to lead in this area.

― Esteban Buttiérrez (Autumn Almanac), Wednesday, March 27, 2013 1:12 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

seriously? judges are going to be moved to recognize the cultural shift around gay marriage by seeing a bunch of people click a few times to change their profile picture on facebook? What do they normally look to, bumper stickesr?

that's not what i said

if nothing else, it shows that there's a large group of people willing to openly say that they're in favor of gay marriage as a social institution and lol i m old but if i had said such a thing when i was in high school (or college, really) people would've acted like i was nuts. for real, the idea that gay marriage would be argued at the supreme court would be completely incomprehensible to 21 y.o. me and still seems kinda vaguely young lit sci-fi in a hyperventilating "wait do we seriously have a BLACK PRESIDENT" way that the lack of flying cars continues to keep in check. we've come a long way baby.

=

http://i48.tinypic.com/28qykis.jpg

haha okay wait maybe i am on board with that

SCOTUS pornography case rulings have even cited 'community standards' as a prevailing legal concept. They have ruled in favor of Jim Crow, in Plessy v. Ferguson, then later ruled against it, in Brown v. Board of Education, as the politics of race changed. Public opinion is not inconsequential to SCOTUS rulings.

ace

lol crut

http://i46.tinypic.com/281yjp5.jpg

best

I have proceeded to write and rewrite several posts this evening and am rapidly losing precious sleep. That is not worth it at all. If I'm a crab, then I'm a crab, but if my point about wanting to act and reflect on this in a different way than a lot of others have chosen to do is misunderstood that's not my worry.

i'm with dr casino: why is it red?

my question about putting the red hrc symbol up is whether it has to stay up until june and also if i do that will the hrc stop calling me trying to get more $$$ from me

ned, i hope it's not my posts that threw you, and i apologise if it was. we all agree here that only one outcome of the hearing is acceptable; within that, i honestly don't care how support is expressed. if there are people who are wielding their red equals signs with hostility (which is what i think you were referring to) then i absolutely see your point re that.

i thought the color scheme was pretty obvious, bringing to mind love and by extension marriage

hi

hey matt.

i love red and pink

gay

marriage

to

alfred

:

your

thoughts

many xps to donna rouge:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xxpd3Ye0zA

so whom am I marrying?

everyone, I guess

polyanamorylicious

(a rejected Black Album track)

alfred what kind of health benefits package does your employer offer for spouses

There isn't a playwright in the world who could make me believe this would happen between two adult people. Goodbye, Alfred.

alfred what kind of health benefits package does your employer offer for spouses

Let's civil unionize and reap the benefits. My hair looks a lot like yours these days.