Mr. Sunshine

In a stunning break with recent trends, a little lite fare!

Well, faux lite.

I had occasion yesterday to be in a little correspondence with my New Jersey chum, the one whose pessimism makes mine look puny by comparison.  He’s Russia, I’m Lichtenstein.  This is one of many reasons to love him (like a brother!).  As coda following a rant about voter apathy/ naiveté/ complacency on the same-sex marriage topic (that is, before this past Wednesday, when so many were jolted awake), I noted this article—

BEIJING — A noxious cocktail of soot, smog and toxic chemicals is blotting out the sun, fouling the lungs of millions of people and altering weather patterns in large parts of Asia, according to a report released Thursday by the United Nations.

 –and said:  “Could be worse.  Could be raining.”  (Cue Marty Feldman.)

Here’s what me chum writes back:

Oh, it could always be worse. So so so much worse. All of us who grouse about unfairness would do well to remember that at times. You could be in a reeducation camp or in front of a firing squad, and I could be raising my girls as chattel. In that world, Kathryn would be just a few years away from having her genitals permanently mutilated.

Much much worse.

See?  Now didn’t that make you feel better?  Though, actually, really: didn’t it?  Helped me a bit.  He knows whereof he speaks, I’ll just put it that way.  If you haven’t read his stuff, just go, and come back in like a few hours.  If at all.

Traipsing around with gobs of other justice-minded people tomorrow’s going to help, too.

Coast-to-coast, in every state: a National Protest Against Prop 8.  10:30 Western, 11:30 Mountain, 12:30 Central, 1:30 Eastern.  At a City Hall near you.  General info here, find your nearest event here.  From their mission statement:

In an effort to make a positive impact in the lives of our community, our allies, and even our opposition, JoinTheImpact.com emerged. Our movement seeks to encourage the LGBTQ community not to look towards the past and place blame, but instead to look forward toward what needs to be done now to achieve one goal: Full equality for ALL. We stand for reaching out across all communities. We do not stand for bigotry, for scapegoating, or using anger as our driving force. Our mission is to encourage our community to engage our opposition in a conversation about full equality and to do this with respect, dignity, and an attitude of outreach and education. 

Big ole demo with respectful, outreachey, spirited, uncompromising justice seekers?  A whole heck of a lot better sounding than a firing squad, let me tell you buster.  I am one lucky clam.  But no, really: I am, and I do know it.