Tuesday, October 13, 2009

"C" for Capitol

Center couple: Earl Ball and Tim Hare, flanked by friends

Our sign says:

"33 Years in Love
yet
Legal Strangers in USA -
FED UP!"

The White-Haired
Harbinger of Gratitude

Tim Hare
Copyright HARE 2009
All Rights Reserved

"Shining the Rainbow Light of Gratitude
from the historic West Ward neighborhood
of Easton, Pennsylvania"

I’m grateful for the unique qualities of life I find in abundance in the West Ward,
where I live each Today.

In this Blog, I shine the light of Gratitude on some specific reasons,
per letter of the alphabet, why the West Ward is an ideal place
for me and my husband Earl to live, love, and thrive.

"C" for Capitol

I'm grateful our home in the West Ward is conveniently close to our country's and commonwealth's capitols, where legislation is created, and yet, too often, where injustice happily and very profitably dwells.

Ben Franklin once said: "Where Liberty dwells, there is my country!"
Patrick Henry once said: "Give me Liberty or give me Death!"

Marching on the capitol demanding liberty, so that America could become "my country" for all, is often the only way it is finally achieved.

America had originally been the land of full liberty - but only for those born white, male, rich, heterosexual (or pretending to be), and for those who found a way to not age without dying young, or for those who found a way to get sick, or slip on a banana peel, without going bankrupt.

But for the rest of us Americans, we've must fight our own government for legislative guarantees of our shared birthright of Liberty.

Since the time when we moved to our home in the West Ward twenty-five years ago, it feels like we've had too-many occasions to march on our capitols.

The most recent day dawned last Sunday, October 11th, when we joined the National Equality March on Washington, D.C.

Another recent event, when we left the West Ward to put the pedal to the metal, was July 8, 2009.

That fine day, we gratefully accepted the kind invitation of Senator Daylin Leach. We traveled to the capitol rotunda in Harrisburg to share our love story at the press conference launching his historic and unprecedented Marriage Equality legislation in Pennsylvania. We do love to tell our love story, it's so romantic - what happily married couple doesn't?

Coincidentally, that very day was also Heritage Day in Easton - when the Declaration of Independence was bravely and publicly read in Centre Square in 1776.

Earl and I are simply American citizens who are willing to depart our cozy West Ward comfort zone to travel to our nearby capitols to demand justice for ourselves and others.

The way we figure, if not us, who? We often wonder, if not now, when? We also often wonder, at our age (124 people-years between us) do we have the stamina this time?

Over the past nearly five decades, I am grateful to have found the courage of my convictions to also have joined the many to walk that walk.

Perhaps some blood and Spirit of my ancestor, Patrick Henry, runs through my veins? I tried channeling his Spirit while sitting in his pew in Williamsburg, VA, but the frequency seemed to have been jammed, or hijacked by Lady GaGa!

Perhaps patriotism is genetic? Nature vs. nurture? Does it really matter how or why we're patriotic Americans? It just matters that we are, which includes demanding better than we're getting. We want the best, especially when everybody else has it by now.

I'm filled with gratitude to be living in an evolving democracy where I have the inalienable right to storm our nation's and commonwealth's capitols demanding our legislatures to end injustice and inequality.

Over the decades, I've marched to end white-racism; I've marched to end wars; I've marched to end sexism; I march now to end heterosexism.

I've shown up for myself and my country whenever needed, demanding our legislature end their unprovoked, undeclared, and/or declared wars that America wages on other sovereign countries, whether those unprovoked invasions were based on lies or not.

So last Sunday, we pressed our pedal to the metal and our feet to the pavement, storming our capitol for our federal civil rights.

We demanded federal legislation to end, once and for all across the entire USA, the ugly, unAmerican, and harmful, prejudice and discrimination against Americans who are created, just fine, like me and the love of my life, Earl.

It was inspiring to witness many tens of thousands who were willing to travel far, from north, south, east and west, demanding federal equality legislation in a land where we pay our full share of taxes without getting any federal representation. Just like every American created heterosexual (or pretending to be), we want our money's worth!

We met a full array of Rainbow citizens, and our supportive allies, from California, Florida, New York, Ohio, Illinois, and countless other states.

When asked where we're from, we proudly answered, "Easton, Pennsylvania, the West Ward!" We are grateful that we're so near our capitol, compared to their vast and expensive journeys.

Being part of that huge wave of humanity claiming our American birthright was empowering and deeply gratifying.

Here we all were, arriving as the very last group of Americans still denied basic equality.

Here we all marched in the sunshine, human beings who have been greatly despised and discriminated against since the beginning of time.

Here we all shouted, proclaiming "Enough!"

Here we healed. Here we were, recovering from the great harm created by inhumane and unChristlike prejudice so deeply taught and eagerly learned.

The Spiritual illness of prejudice against us is deeply rooted. It is alive and sick in our own parents, our grandparents, their parents, our siblings, our aunts, uncles, cousins, distant kin, our youngest and oldest family members, our own churches and other institutions of faith-choice, our own schools, our next-door neighbors, our federal, state, and local laws.

For centuries, people born like us are denied every basic federal protection and civil right - thousands of them -yet here we boldly and bravely stormed our capitol, demanding equality.

Here we became a huge sea change, roaring for America-wide full equality under the law, our denied birthright guaranteed under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

We were so grateful that, from back home in the West Ward, we could read e-mails from our neighbors who couldn't be there with us. But they sent their joy, their tears of happiness, and their loving support, while they watched the event unfold on TV.

Thanks to my new iPhone, I could experience and share their neighborliness in real-time. Thank you Apple, for being a company that is friendly to us who are created non-heterosexual!

Online back home, I could revisit the wonderful day at the capitol. I could watch some news broadcasts, including a short interview by a Russian TV station (see link below - you might need to cut and paste it into your browser).

I'm very glad the Cold War is over! We'd have been sent off to some island in the Gulf of Mexico -without lawyers - though with free health insurance, finally!

">

Back home in the West Ward, we watched our President Obama's landmark speech to the Human Rights Campaign's annual dinner in Washington, D.C., held the night before the National Equality March. HRC is the largest equality advocacy group in America. I gratefully listened to his hopeful words delivered with his very skillful talking the talk.

I now await his walking the walk. I will believe his words when I see him take action (and not a moment before). Like they say, if you want to see into a man's true character, watch what he does, not what he says.

Earl and I are the kind of men who have character that matches our actions with our words. We tend to say what we mean, and we mean what we say, and we try not to say it mean. But more importantly, we also walk the walk.

Our home in the West Ward is living proof of that character trait. We undertook possibly the worst house in Easton, and spent twenty-five years of back-breaking action, blood, sweat, tears, financial risk, and much more, transforming it to today's treasure.

Many proclaim, from outside the West Ward, what is needed here in our neighborhood. But do they put themselves where their words are? Do most who profit from the West Ward's abundant industries and enterprises, whether legal or illegal, actually live here?

Earl and I are almost finished with transforming our home, but we've barely begun showing up for ourselves federally! As always, the best is yet to be!

If our equality is much more delayed, they'd better consider moving the capitol very far away from the West Ward!

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sal Panto

Tim:
We are very fortunate to have an individual of your talent and commitment in our city, and prticularly in the West Ward.

It may soon be time to update your "Inkscapes of Easton." I have a very few left and give them to deserving visitors to our city.

Best wishes on the rest of the alphabet.

David Caines said...

If not here Where?
I don't know if you intended to do it or not, but I see an open door here and I'll push it open a bit further by asking the city of Easton to openly accept and codify the legality of gay, Bi-sexual, etc..Marriage. I know it's not the nation, and it may lasst only weeks as law...
But why not another nail in the cofin of sexism?
This we can support wholeheartedly.
This we can go to the mayor or city council with. Write it up, we'll help you forward it in any way we can. We support this, blank check...
Always a pleasure to read your stuff.
David and Jeanette.

noel jones said...

A great idea! In this most permissive of historic cities, it would seem natural that we would make the statement first--something Easton could really be proud of, that could even draw national attention to our city. Is it possible to make a city law regarding marriage that is not overridden by state law?

Nikkita said...

As always I enjoy reading your alphabet! Your inspirational and I hope you can inspire everyone to walk the walk

Dennis R. Lieb said...

I saw the event for a few minutes on C-Span the other day and wondered if you guys were there. Should have known you wouldn't miss it.

David's idea isn't bad actually. After all, the Gay community (and artist community) always get stuck with the lion's share of reclaiming derelict towns and then get the bum's rush when things turn around. The least we could do is a gesture of good faith toward recognizung their right to be happy couples.

If nothing else it would be good PR for the city since it seems we are always looking to coax more visitors in...if you excuse my blatant commercial motives. But then I'm also in favor of bringing the stocks back to Center Square as a tourist attraction...maybe a few of the less-than-honorable types holed up in the prison would trade those long term accomodations for an old fashioned public stoning. Quicker punishment if not painless and what Crayola visitor would want to miss that?

And of course there's the potential for the bordello and speak easy tour. Easton is missing the boat on a lot of revenue by not celebrating all of it's past glory and infamy. Our history is what it is...lets really let the tourist/entertainment economy maximize it's potential eh?

I can't take credit for this one though. Maurice Luker, Tom Jones and Noel all had this idea pegged before I did.

DRL

David Caines said...

The issue of mariage in America has historicaly been an odd one, mixed race couples suffered thier peiod of persecution as often did people of differing religious faiths and while this has become more or less commonplace, it wasn't always.
Jeanette and some friends who having heard of the commnet read the blog have asked me to post on this as a topic/post in its own right and barring some strong argument I will be doing so within the next day or two. I'm taking today out to do a little futher research, but to answer Noel's question...yes, basic research indicates that the city can if it wishes to enact such a law/ordinance...do so. And of course there is that common American practice of making any damned law you chose until it's knocked down by constitutional challenge, what some refer to as this "Jim Crow" example.
I won't say that our few conversations with friends has created a steam roller here, but at least among those we know, the idea has universal support.
So barring any unforseen events I will be getting back to this at legnth Thurs/Fri.
Thanks,
David

noel jones said...

To add another interesting element, apparently, in PA, there is such a thing as a "self-uniting" marriage license that was developed for the Quakers who have always had a large presence in this state and do not use pastors. Some non-Quakers have argued that to discriminated against non-Quakers on the basis of an applicant's religion (or lack there of) is a violation of civil rights, and that if the ability to self-unite is extended to Quaker Pennsylvanians, then it must be extended to all...

David Caines said...

While it is my habit to take wedensday off..I will say here that this proposed action has the suport of at least limited elements of the NY, PHilla, and NJ alternatevive comunities...and national is probably not far off...
Thanks,
David

noel jones said...

How do we go about drawing up the ordinance? I am unfamiliar with the process, but want to know how.

Awe-Inspiring Earth: People, Places and Things! said...

Hi All:

Hey, great idea to recognize our wonderful marriage right here where we live, vote, and pay taxes! So far, there's no law against recognizing it!

Yes indeedy, an ordinance recognizing all marriages can be achieved - New Hope passed such an ordinance, also NYC, and many other municipalities who want to send the important message that they welcome all married couples.

It would mean a lot to Earl and I to feel legally married where we spend most of our lives, here in Easton which is where we began our life together in 1976.

Any opposite-gender American couple who also traveled to Toronto to marry on the day we tied the knot would be legally married in Easton - but not us.

Of course, they could have stayed in Easton to marry that day - but not us, thanks to prejudice and discrimination against us.

When we (often) amble hand-in-hand in Manhattan, our favorite getaway island off the west coast of Europe, we usually remark: "We're actually married here!" - especially when our handholding is met with withering glares, which happens sometimes.

West of the Hudson River, however, a simple thing like us holding hands with the one we love is simply too life-threatening.

If we weren't shot on the spot, it would probably get us at least evicted pronto from malls, campuses, schools, offices, movie theaters, post offices, etc., etc., etc.

Can you imagine living in your own town and country with that kind of personal threat, you handholding lovebirds of opposite gender!

Meanwhile, please be our guests! Go for an ordinance!

You can name us as examples of those who would benefit from that kind of hospitality.

FYI, it took my hubby Earl 3 years of diligent collaborating with many others to get a non-discrimination ordinance passed in Easton a few years ago.

His work included getting enough votes for the former mayor to win. The mayoral candidate had promised to not veto such an ordinance if presented by City Council, should he be elected.

When the non-discrimination ordinance passed Council, the new mayor was true to his word and signed it into law.

I watched with admiration as Earl finally accomplished his goal - the passage of the non-discrimination ordinance that now protects from discrimination every minority in Easton.

Previously to Earl's success in getting an ordinance passed, there was NO ordinance in Easton protecting anybody from anything.

Only 13 municipalities, out of thousands in the Commonwealth, had passed such an ordinance. Today there are 18, with Reading being the most recent about a week ago.

So, yes, it certainly can be done - just ask Earl how, he'll be happy to tell you!

Meanwhile, this White-Haired Harbinger of Gratitude has a new reason to be very grateful this week - caring neighbors who want to do the right thing!!

Thank you kindly!

Awe-Inspiring Earth: People, Places and Things! said...

Howdy Mayor!

Thank you for the compliment!

Now that I'm retired back to town, we must have a cuppa soon and catch up on so many ideas for the bright future of Easton. I don't want to get bored and stay in a bathrobe all day, though it's sometimes tempting. :-).

David Caines said...

Tim, we love, honor and respect you both...so I'll ask the question you forwarded (Even if it is my "Day Off"...Earl? How do we kick this thing?
I have been doing research today, but without your input...I may yet make a mess of the whole "Easton supports Gay marriage" post that is rattling around in my brain.
Tim,Glad to have you two on board...our backyard is open for the ceremony if as things should fall...no where else is. I'll even dust off my ordinations should a priest be needed. Hope were invited either way...should be quite the hoe down...
I'm still working on things and reaching out to friends...but your and Earl's input might just get this done.And at this pint to settle things...I welcome all input.
I think more than most, and possibly more than me...you'll get this, even if the law/ordinance lasts only a few hours...you will be free here in the town/city you two so obviously love for that time. If we can give you that....well I at least will walk the streets with a bit more peace.
Thanks,
David

Alan Raisman said...

An idea for Easton...

Durham council passes same-sex marriage resolution
Posted: Aug. 17, 2009

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5814026/

noel jones said...

Thanks, Alan!

David Caines said...

Hi all,
Well, research can be a beautiful thing.
It looks at this point as though marriage equality may already be a point (though as yet untested) of City law as the result of the wording of the existing non-descrimination law. I won't get into the specifics here as the argument is somewhat entailed, but a "Test Case" will be needed if we're to go forward with this. Otherwise it may be off to the coal mines of creating new law, which is always harder.
Assuming a test case can be found (they will need to be Gay/Trangender et al( either or), preferably citizens of Easton and preferably registered to vote).
A bit more research does need to be done, but this avenue looks the most promising.
Thanks,
David

Alan Raisman said...

Chapter 79 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Easton detail Easton's policy of discrimination and the establishment of the Human Relations Commission. This particular code was adopted by Easton's City Council on July 12, 2006.

The code states that all people should "enjoy the full benefits of citizenship" and that all people "are afforded equal opportunities for employment, housing and the use of public accommodations."

This code was written in order to establish the "protection of the public welfare, prosperity, health and peace of the Easton community." But there is a difference between not discriminating against a group of people and accepting a group of people. It does not state that they support the marriage of two individuals of the same-sex, only that each individual should not be discriminated against.

The following minutes were taken at the Council meeting in Durham when their resoluation passed:

The City attorney "reported a resolution was brought to Council by [a resident] as a citizen matter back in April 2009 and at the last
work session, he stated Council directed him to look at the resolution. He provided a revised
resolution for Council’s consideration and made changes that create a gender neutral resolution.
He reported there is no prohibition or no requirement for Council to pass a resolution. Also, he
stated the resolution does not create a right for same sex couples to get married in Durham or in
North Carolina. It is simply a statement of Council regarding this matter."

I feel that a resolution is easy for us to create. We just need to get a group of residents together to come up with a resolution to present in front of City Council.

Anonymous said...

Thanks all!

Alan is correct, it could be easy, with sufficient motivation, to send an important message of inclusion and acceptance in the City of Easton. What could be most difficult to accomplish is to understand the backlash that could happen when attempting to change the status quo of exclusion and intolerance.

Earl and I, and countless others, would be most appreciative to witness our neighbors trying to do the right thing, regardless of the final outcome.