Comments on: Transposition http://www.henkimaa.com/2009/06/23/transposition/ Mel's home on the web Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:30:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jay Dugan-Brause http://www.henkimaa.com/2009/06/23/transposition/#comment-257 Jay Dugan-Brause Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:09:06 +0000 http://www.henkimaa.com/?p=2530#comment-257 That's what will make the difference as in any effort to change the world--people who will challenge as the hurt and those who will join them as their friends and family. It's the only way the circle grows larger and it looks like that it happening in Anchorage. A story that Gene and I must tell some day is how we felt that day the Alaska Supreme Court mooted our appeal on same-sex marriage because we had no legal standing--it was argued that because we had not experienced any specific harm in the law we had no recourse to bring our case against a legal impediment that barred our right to marry. I heard this at court while listening to first arguments for the Carter et al ACLU case. No one was there to give me comfort. We didn't know the ruling was coming out that day. I just wandered back to Gene at Out North and cried with him. It didn't warrant a story. It didn't cause a ripple. That was in 2001 and that was when we knew we had to leave. Be well. That’s what will make the difference as in any effort to change the world–people who will challenge as the hurt and those who will join them as their friends and family. It’s the only way the circle grows larger and it looks like that it happening in Anchorage.

A story that Gene and I must tell some day is how we felt that day the Alaska Supreme Court mooted our appeal on same-sex marriage because we had no legal standing–it was argued that because we had not experienced any specific harm in the law we had no recourse to bring our case against a legal impediment that barred our right to marry.

I heard this at court while listening to first arguments for the Carter et al ACLU case. No one was there to give me comfort. We didn’t know the ruling was coming out that day. I just wandered back to Gene at Out North and cried with him. It didn’t warrant a story. It didn’t cause a ripple.

That was in 2001 and that was when we knew we had to leave. Be well.

]]> By: Marcia Barnes http://www.henkimaa.com/2009/06/23/transposition/#comment-256 Marcia Barnes Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:07:13 +0000 http://www.henkimaa.com/?p=2530#comment-256 Your resilience is remarkable and being able to catch that the "transposition" was causing problems and address it is a testimony to that. I wish I had the stamina and intensity to be part of the active group at the Library again this time--like in 1992. But for me, at present, being involved that way is not possible; so, letters and prayers and phone calls will be what I can contribute. Thanks to you and to all of you working on this and putting yourselves literally in the line of fire-- I remember their faces and eyes. Your resilience is remarkable and being able to catch that the “transposition” was causing problems and address it is a testimony to that. I wish I had the stamina and intensity to be part of the active group at the Library again this time–like in 1992. But for me, at present, being involved that way is not possible; so, letters and prayers and phone calls will be what I can contribute. Thanks to you and to all of you working on this and putting yourselves literally in the line of fire– I remember their faces and eyes.

]]> By: Mel http://www.henkimaa.com/2009/06/23/transposition/#comment-255 Mel Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:28:27 +0000 http://www.henkimaa.com/?p=2530#comment-255 Yep. I have a lot of those same feelings about the homophobia in Montana too (the state in which I was born & raised). And in this current fight, I reckon that my exhaustion & need for R&R over the weekend was as much about feeling like I'm being continually pummeled, as that I just needed more sleep. It's like what I wrote in comments to my friend John's post about last Wednesday's testimony, <a href="http://alaskacommons.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/day-three-red-sea-rising/" rel="nofollow">Day Three, Red Sea Rising</a>: <i>I don’t think I could have taken listening to all that you listened to, not last night, not on top of exhaustion. It’s the same stuff from December 1992 that made me want to curl up into a tiny ball & hide… palpable hatred that doesn’t recognize its own hatefulness, & willful ignorance that can’t bear to seek anything outside the echo chamber.</i> Right now, today, I feel a sense of dread growing in me as the hour of 5:00 PM approaches, when my workday ends & I hop on the bus to the Loussac Library for more testimony. It's not good stuff to hear or see -- all that smug self-congratulation of the souls who don't question, but can only rebroadcast the false answer that have been handed down to them from the bully pulpit. And I mean bully. But it's my part now to stand in the path of that ongoing harm to bear witness. Thank gods for the many friends who standing with me & us to bear witness with me. Yep. I have a lot of those same feelings about the homophobia in Montana too (the state in which I was born & raised). And in this current fight, I reckon that my exhaustion & need for R&R over the weekend was as much about feeling like I’m being continually pummeled, as that I just needed more sleep. It’s like what I wrote in comments to my friend John’s post about last Wednesday’s testimony, Day Three, Red Sea Rising: I don’t think I could have taken listening to all that you listened to, not last night, not on top of exhaustion. It’s the same stuff from December 1992 that made me want to curl up into a tiny ball & hide… palpable hatred that doesn’t recognize its own hatefulness, & willful ignorance that can’t bear to seek anything outside the echo chamber.

Right now, today, I feel a sense of dread growing in me as the hour of 5:00 PM approaches, when my workday ends & I hop on the bus to the Loussac Library for more testimony. It’s not good stuff to hear or see — all that smug self-congratulation of the souls who don’t question, but can only rebroadcast the false answer that have been handed down to them from the bully pulpit. And I mean bully. But it’s my part now to stand in the path of that ongoing harm to bear witness. Thank gods for the many friends who standing with me & us to bear witness with me.

]]> By: Jay Dugan-Brause http://www.henkimaa.com/2009/06/23/transposition/#comment-254 Jay Dugan-Brause Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:04:09 +0000 http://www.henkimaa.com/?p=2530#comment-254 Mel, sorry we're not there with all of you. I think you'll understand why if you go to this blog and see the comments to my a post I sent him a few days ago. "Anchorage as an abusive parent" http://whatdoino-steve.blogspot.com Mel, sorry we’re not there with all of you. I think you’ll understand why if you go to this blog and see the comments to my a post I sent him a few days ago. “Anchorage as an abusive parent”

http://whatdoino-steve.blogspot.com

]]> By: Pam http://www.henkimaa.com/2009/06/23/transposition/#comment-253 Pam Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:29:11 +0000 http://www.henkimaa.com/?p=2530#comment-253 Maybe you've helped me identify one of those "leading indicators" -- like durable goods sales as a sign of recession. Except this one works thusly: when life is the random negativity that intrudes, I'm trending downward. When life and perceived happiness are congruent, I'm trending upward or holding steady. There might be something to this! Good sleep, good eats, good quiet, good friends = good stuff. Let that be life. Maybe you’ve helped me identify one of those “leading indicators” — like durable goods sales as a sign of recession. Except this one works thusly: when life is the random negativity that intrudes, I’m trending downward. When life and perceived happiness are congruent, I’m trending upward or holding steady. There might be something to this!

Good sleep, good eats, good quiet, good friends = good stuff. Let that be life.

]]> By: Mel http://www.henkimaa.com/2009/06/23/transposition/#comment-252 Mel Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:49:20 +0000 http://www.henkimaa.com/?p=2530#comment-252 No kidding, sometimes stuff feel like intrusion on happiness all right... & I've had plenty of that this past year. This time though -- getting enough sleep, doing a bit of vegging out by myself or with friends, making sure my fridge & cupboards are stocked with good healthy food -- that felt more like the good stuff. It's this concerted Christianist attack on equal rights that's the intrusion. No kidding, sometimes stuff feel like intrusion on happiness all right… & I’ve had plenty of that this past year.

This time though — getting enough sleep, doing a bit of vegging out by myself or with friends, making sure my fridge & cupboards are stocked with good healthy food — that felt more like the good stuff. It’s this concerted Christianist attack on equal rights that’s the intrusion.

]]> By: Pam http://www.henkimaa.com/2009/06/23/transposition/#comment-251 Pam Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:37:48 +0000 http://www.henkimaa.com/?p=2530#comment-251 I always thought of "life intrudes" -- and that it was intruding upon "happiness". All of the heartache, all of the random punches taken -- that feels like mysterious life and I hate it when it intrudes upon the other existence I've tried to create, the one called happiness. I really can be simple minded! I always thought of “life intrudes” — and that it was intruding upon “happiness”. All of the heartache, all of the random punches taken — that feels like mysterious life and I hate it when it intrudes upon the other existence I’ve tried to create, the one called happiness. I really can be simple minded!

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