ASK Musings

No matter where you go, there you are.

Monthly Archive: September 2007

Wednesday

26

September 2007

0

COMMENTS

Goin’ to the Chapel . . .

Written by , Posted in Random

. . . and watching other people get married!


This was a wedding weekend. A friend I’ve known since I was five and in Brownies (Girl Scouts for the extremely pre-teen set, for those of you not in the know) got married this weekend. It was surreal. I’ve had three of my dear friends get married, but they were all people I’d met in college, so I’ve always known them as “adults”, and marriage wasn’t that odd an idea. But my fried Jen, well, we’ve been through it all. We went skiing together, we went to the beach together. She was visiting me in Tahoe the first time a boy kissed me (he was SOOO cute). When we were in 7th grade we did shots . . . of Sprite. We spent a few New Year’s eves together in college, when we were both home visiting family and didn’t really want to deal with parties. I believe I also helped get her to be able to go to a party when we were 18 where (shock and horror) there weren’t going to be any adults.


And now she’s Mrs. Different Last Name. It’s SO WEIRD. I’m so excited for her. I don’t know the guy much better than I know most people I work with, since they live on the other side of the country, but she’s so happy with him, and he seems so happy with her. It’s just so cool and still SO WEIRD.


The same day I went to Jen’s wedding, I got a message from ANOTHER friend, Reagan, saying she’s engaged. SWEET! I’ve got two friends engaged right now. Well, three.  Kate and Richard are both my friends and engaged to each other.  Reagan and Lon – I don’t know Lon all that well, but he seems like a great guy, and again, Reagan seems SO HAPPY.


Congratulations to you all!!!

Friday

14

September 2007

0

COMMENTS

I don’t have the patience for this

Written by , Posted in Feminism

Film With Same-Sex Parents Splits School District


There is a documentary about many different types of families – step-families and interracial families – designed to educate young children. Evesham Township, New Jersey has stopped showing it, because one of the families shown is a gay couple who adopted children.


I am completely closed minded on at least one thing. If I date someone who doesn’t think that gay people deserve the same rights as straight people, or think being gay is “evil” or a “sin”, the date is over. I can tolerate differing viewpoints on welfare, belief in god, taxation, stem cell research. But not gay rights. I’m an extremist when it comes to treating people equally.  


So this article really bothered me. Not because I don’t think that parents have a right to control what their children are exposed to (people will continue to teach their children racism, bigotry and misogyny outside of school), but because this decision means that they are controlling what OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN are exposed to. Instead of allowing parents to opt out of letting their kids watch the video, the district banned the showing of the video.  


One quote really pissed me off: “Something that controversial should have been discussed,” Ms. Stepnowski said. The children “shouldn’t learn questionable things in school that they’re not ready for and don’t understand.


“That controversial”?! “Questionable”?! Really? How is this STILL controversial? I’ve yet to see an anti-gay argument that isn’t based in religion, so if it’s controversial because of someone’s religious beliefs . . . too bad. Your religion shouldn’t govern how another person’s child is taught.


ARG.


I did, however, enjoy the quote that ends the article:


“People who don’t want the school to show the video say, ‘We can teach our own kids.’ Sure you can. But who’s going to teach you?”


Couldn’t have said it better myself.