It's nice at times to

It's nice at times to take a few moments and think about nice things. I know that sounds simple and trite, but I think it's all too easy in the world today to dwell on the bad without realizing the good. The good is there. It's always been there. Unfortunately, it's often overshadowed by negative influences in our lives. Lately, I have allowed negative forces to influence my life - my work life, my home life, everything. Many others either don't care anymore, or they are among the very lucky individuals who always seem to opt for the best scenarios, even if everything around them is negative. I am one who gravitates to the negative side. I know exactly why I do it. I've been conditioned that the worst will usually happen. Not only me, but my entire blood family is like that as well.

The good news is, it doesn't have to be that way. A few days ago, a bill was defeated in committee that would have given gay couples some of the basic fundamental rights as married heterosexual couples enjoy (hospital visitation, inheritance, etc.). I was hoping that it would pass, but I told myself that it wouldn't because of past experiences. Sure enough, I was right.

A couple of days after that, Fred Phelps and his gang of bigots from the Westboro Church (yes the same church that runs the web site GodHatesFags.com) came to town. Everyone was up and arms about them coming to spread their message of hate to Connecticut. I honestly didn't care. It wasn't worthy of my time to join the protests against them. They are crazy. Anyone who would picket a funeral has some real issues. They even have the most conservative Christians in the country cringing at the hate that is coming out of their mouths. There's beauty in that I suppose. It's easy to get caught up in all of this. There will always be people in the world like Fred Phelps, Saddam Hussein, and Hitler. They all share the ability to hate and destroy anything of value.

On the other hand, I'm driving home one night and totally get lost in a small piece by Debussy. I found myself swept up in the beauty and innocence of the piece and was reminded for a brief time that we can just as easily embrace those gems of passion and joy instead of the dark values of others. I'm going to try to embrace joy and peace.

Texas Bans State From Recognizing Gay Unions - April 15, 2003. The Texas Senate gave preliminary approval Monday to a proposal to keep Texas from recognizing same-sex marriages or civil unions. The measure passed easily on an unrecorded voice vote, and final approval is expected Tuesday.
Judge says gay man can sue as 'spouse' of deceased partner - April 15, 2003. NEW YORK -- A Long Island judge, in an apparently unprecedented decision, has ruled that a gay man can file a wrongful death lawsuit as the "spouse" of another man who died a year ago after being mowed down by a hit-and-run driver in Manhattan.
My next camera (moderately priced at only $8,000!!!)
'Ex-Gay' Leader Steps Down. So-called "ex-gay" spokesman John Paulk said Monday he is stepping down from his leadership role in the Focus on the Family's campaign to "convert" gay people back to heterosexuality, sometimes referred to as "reparative therapy" – a process that has been denounced by both mainstream psychiatric associations and gay-rights activists.
New ISU course focuses on homosexual politics. The ISU politics and government department is offering a new class about homosexuality and politics for students registering for the fall semester. Jyl Josephson, politics and government associate professor and president of Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays said the new course will inform the ISU students about the gay rights movement.