Wow!  Things are changing fast.  The NY Times reports today that the Republican party is reconsidering it's views of gay lifestyles.  Seems that their negative view of gays is seen as dragging them down! 

Earlier this week the Times reported the following statistics about acceptance of gays:

*  31 percent of respondents over the age of 40 said they supported gay marriage. 
*   57 percent under age 40 said they supported it - a 26-point difference.
*  Among the older respondents, 35 percent said they opposed any legal recognition of same-sex couples, be it marriage or civil unions.
*  Among the younger crowd, just 19 percent held that view.

Those of us who are close to this issue know that it's just a matter of time before there is full acceptance of gay lifestyles.  In the meantime, we need to keep forging ahead.  If the republicans choose to join us, the more the merrier!

New Yorkers and Californians can't believe that Iowa is more progressive than they are!  At least a significant number of residents of these states think this!

Why has it taken so long in these states?  Probably the large number of people who try and live independently in these places.  There is tolerance, you have to have this when so many people live so close together.  But, the tolerance doesn't have political undertones, it's more pure than this.  Wonder what the voting #'s are in these states vs. Iowa.  I haven't read anything about this.  Has anyone?

Happiness

 

Every day

You are mired

In other people’s misery

Stories of anguish move you

You tear up

Angry voices challenge you

You tremble a little in fear

Lives have been shattered

Hearts have been broken

You try your best

To offer some repair

 

Do you deserve to be happy?

Of course I do, you say

But do you really live your life

Seeking as much happiness

As you can find?

 

When you live your life

Feeling happy

You have to live with the fear

Of losing that happiness

Maybe it’s better

Not to be happy

 

Happiness is so abstract

Describing happy feelings to others

Might make you appear shallow

Describing pain

Makes you appear

Deeper and more interesting

 

So why be happy?

 

Because you’ll taste the tears of the sad stories

Because you’ll hear brains churning as sagas are told

Because you’ll feel the softness of the angry voices

Because you’ll smell the dead fires still burning

Because you’ll see directly into people’s hearts

 

You can never be too happy

Always be as happy as you can be

Never settle for being

Just a little bit happy

Won’t you just be with me

And be happy?

 

©2008Betsy Connolly

It's starting to unravel quickly!  First MA, then CT; now Iowa.  Vermont and Rhode Island are coming along quickly, Maine too.  Here's the full article from the NY Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/04/us/04iowa.html?ref=us

My parents live in Florida.  This year my mother voted to back gay marriage and my father voted against.  I was pretty angry with him but it's tough to change a 75 year old. 

I am having a short story published in a Alyson Books anthology!  It's a lesbian love story anthology.  First true published work (other than my calendar - www.workingnights.com).  I am really happy about it!  Maybe it will help me get an agent for my book! 

Sweden has become the fifth European country to allow same-sex marriage. Sweden's Parliament adopted a new law yesterday that gives same-sex couples the same marriage rights as heterosexuals, effective May 1. The Netherlands, Norway, Belgium and Spain all allow same-sex marriages.

Despite the loss in CA, things are moving forward on the east coast.  Vermont and now NY are moving ahead reassessing gay marriage and gay rights protection.  Here's an article about NY in today NY Times.  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/nyregion/01marriage.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

The thing about the state by state marriage effort is that every state is different so how can anyone feel comfortable knowing whether their marriage is considered real and valid where they are?  It's like a puzzle but when you put it together you realize that all the pieces don't fit quite right.  The picture looks like it matches but the puzzle pieces are just not cut right.