Here's yesterday's entry on Fr. Geoff's blog ... our courageous Roman Catholic priest friend who has become a hero to so many for his refusal to support his church's position on Proposition 8:======
I had the pleasure today of attending the Women's Empowerment Conference in Long Beach, California. I found myself munching on some food, looked up and saw Madeleine Albright at the table next to me.
I stood next to an environmental vehicle display and found myself shaking hands with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is opposed to a constitutional ban on same sex marriage.
I talked with Bobby Shriver, heard about his wonderful work with Red, a product line that helps AIDS patients. He was also very supportive of NO on Prop. 8.
I had the honor of sitting next to Maria Shriver, our State's First Lady and hearing of her personal support for NO on Proposition 8. I met with the Benedictine Nun, Sr. Joan Chittister and heard of her support for NO on Proposition 8.
I met with the famous feminist, Gloria Steinem and heard of her support of NO on Proposition 8. I was interviewed by the Washington Post.com and then, appeared on the Peter B. Collins Radio show with Rev. Susan Russell of All Saints Episcopal Church to discuss NO on Proposition 8.
Had any ONE of these things happened today, I would have considered today exceptional. However, all of these things happened in one day and it seemed totally unreal. The fact that so many remarkable and extraordinary individuals are supportive of Equality, Fairness, and Human Rights is both uplifting and hope inspiring.
Had any ONE of these things happened today, I would have considered today exceptional. However, all of these things happened in one day and it seemed totally unreal. The fact that so many remarkable and extraordinary individuals are supportive of Equality, Fairness, and Human Rights is both uplifting and hope inspiring.
As Melissa Etheridge said at a concert last night which raised nearly 4 million dollars for NO on Prop. 8, one day in the future people will look back at this time and find it hard to believe that some groups attempted to deny same sex couples the right to marry.
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And how honored am I to be among so "great a cloud of witnesses" -- including Fr. Geoff -- as we work together to strive for peace and justice and respect the dignity of every human being!
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1 comment:
I'm glad Fr. Geoff had a great day. But it was not an exceptional day in his sense of the word. It is not an exception day to attend a conference whose premise you agree with and meet people who (surprise) think just like you. What is exceptional about that?
If Pope Benedict had attended the conference and said he was proposing a change to the Roman Catholic Church's theology of marriage, THAT would be exceptional. And that exceptional event did not occur.
The opponents and proponents of Prop.8 are talking past each other. The opponents have one set of legal and theological definitions of marriage. The proponents have another. I am afraid that "talking past each other" will continue whether Prop. 8 passes or not. That is a conversation that's greatly needed. How can it be started and sustained? What outcomes could be drawn from it?
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