Passing Of Time, Robert Frost, Poetry & Meditation Group, Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 2008, photo © 2008 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
It’s November 4th, 2008 and history is being made in the United States of America. Liz and I voted this morning at our local precinct in Minneapolis; ybonesy is out in New Mexico continuing her good work. I take comfort in the realization that we all contribute to the process in the ways we are able. Some are out canvassing, some write articles for the newspaper or on their blogs, some work at the polls, some pray and hold the space, a kind of quiet peace.
All contributions matter in times like this, from the most subtle to the most vigorous. And I have a great deal of gratitude that we live in a democracy that allows us to have a voice, to vote our conscience, whoever that may be. Yet it occurs to me that the ordinary day-to-day things continue to go on around us. We don’t stop living our lives.
Yesterday, we got a new roof on our house, called the dentist office, cleaned the living room, folded laundry, stocked up on groceries in preparation for a long and busy week. Tomorrow night we’ll attend the next Poetry & Meditation Group with Langston Hughes. Yesterday, ybonesy and I celebrated 2 years of writing together on red Ravine. Tomorrow we’ll know the results of the election and a long, tumultuous, political process will come to an end.
The extraordinary lives by the ordinary. Practice continues. Writing continues. Life continues. Someone will be born; someone will die.
In our last few Poetry & Meditation groups, we continued with the Dead Poets series. Since we can no longer send the poets postcards, Teri addressed cards to the directors of the Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson homes, thanking them for their Great Effort in keeping poetry alive.
We all signed our names in a gesture of gratitude and kindness. Because in moments when we are unsure, or times when we want to give up, these people, places, and books become our mentors. The preservation of literary places is vital to our creative livelihood.
So on this electric Tuesday, I’m celebrating the historic; I’m celebrating the ordinary. November 3rd and 5th are as important as November 4th. Every day counts. If you feel anxiety about the election results, sometimes it helps to go back to basics — writing, journaling, a practice. Both Frost and Dickinson wrote about everyday events in their lives.
In times of uncertainty, I find peace in expressing gratitude for the people who came before us — because they pave the way for the history being made today. A prize-winning American author of children’s literature, Virginia Euwer Wolff (not to be confused with British novelist, Virginia Woolf) shows her love of Emily Dickinson in the Introduction to I’m Nobody! Who are You?, a children’s book about Dickinson’s poetry.
Here’s an excerpt from Virginia Wolff’s tribute to Emily Dickinson:
In my studio I have a quotation from Emily Dickinson: “My business is Circumference.”
Near my desk I keep a photo of Emily Dickinson’s bedroom and writing table. The photograph reminds me that writing — yours, mine, ours — is important in our relationship with the world, even if no one else ever sees it. Even if it was to stay in bundles in our bedrooms, it would still have pungence, spunk, and heart — if only because we had the courage to put it on paper.
In our time, this secret woman who thought of life as “mystic territory” is listed in the Academy of American Poets and crowds of eager tourists visit the large brick house she lived in at 280 Main Street in Amherst, Massachusetts.
Some thoughts on what to call her. I feel that calling her “Miss Dickinson” shows respect for her dignity and her veil of seclusion. But in the privacy of my own Home, looking at the picture of her writing table on my windowsill and reading her “Circumference” statement on my wall, I call her Emily. You’ll decide what seems right for you. I think she would want it that way.
-Virginia Euwer Wolff
What strikes me is that it’s not a photograph of the poet herself that Wolff holds close to her own writing life. Instead, it’s a place, an ordinary object, a moment in time — an image of Dickinson’s bedroom and her writing table — the place Emily rested her hand when she penned her last poem.
–posted on red Ravine, Election Day, Tuesday, November 4th, 2008, historic day, ordinary day, with gratitude to all who have led us here
Just in from a beautiful day, QM. So much energy out there.
I love Virginia Wolff’s quote, especially this part: The photograph reminds me that writing — yours, mine, ours — is important in our relationship with the world, even if no one else ever sees it. Even if it was to stay in bundles in our bedrooms, it would still have pungence, spunk, and heart — if only because we had the courage to put it on paper.
Thanks for doing a post today. It’s a great commemoration of the equality of every moment, the equality of every life.
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QuoinMonkey,
This is a steady-ing post on a day that feels quite unsteady. It’s hard to keep moving with the tasks at hand; I’m terribly distracted. And yet, as writers, structure is what keeps us steady on all days, even ones like this.
What would Emily do on election day? Or Robert? Or Natalie Goldberg? I suspect they would vote, and then go to their writing desks and keep their pens moving.
Oh, a great progression of Frost photos. Thanks for those.
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I too agree with Sinclair (#2) in that even though it’s a historic day, there’s also the ordinary to it like any other days of the week. And writing does give us some structure to our lives and even smooths out distractions!
Thank you so much for sharing this post. It’s very thought-provoking and is definitely something I’m working on for at least 2 years now–that is, just to enjoy the ordinary and the simple. Why complicate life when you could just stop the world by picking up pine cones from trees or blow dandelions out to the wind?
Thank you for enlightening me about Wolff. I’ve never heard of her before, and I love children’s literature. 🙂 I’ll definitely check her out. Oh, and I love the quote too: “My business is Circumference.” That describes me well enough as I’m always fascinated with circles. Maybe that’s why I liked circles even more when you shared your mandalas! There’s just something about circles… Hmm, I may write a poem based on this quote or draw something.
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ybonesy, welcome in from a long day, I’m sure. Enjoy the time with your family tonight. I just turned on the TV to watch the election results. I haven’t seen or heard any media all day until now. Looks like not much is known yet but many of the Eastern polls will be closing soon. I plan to have dinner with Liz and settle in. Will check in once in a while.
Sinclair, yes, hard to keep steady. As soon as I started watching and listening to results, I felt my blood pressure rise. I’m so glad I haven’t watched much over the last month. You’re welcome about the Frost photos. I was amazed at how different he looked at different stages of his life. As do we all. 8)
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a~lotus, thanks for stopping by. It’s hard not to be distracted by everything swirling around us. I noticed the quarter moon today and felt great peace watching it in the blue and warm Fall skies.
BTW, I hadn’t heard of Virginia Euwer Wolff either until I read the Intro to the Emily Dickinson book. I enjoy learning about different types of authors. It enriches my creative life. That circumference quote, Wolff went into more detail in the Intro about what it might mean, too long to add in this quote. But it shows how you can take something Dickinson says to mean many different things. It’s kind of the same with her poetry. Open to interpretation.
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ybonesy, wanted to mention one other thing, I had such an amazing conversation with an African American woman at work today. I don’t know her well at all, but a few weeks ago we ended up talking about how we were both voting for Obama. She approached me today and we checked in on our experiences at the polls. That lead-in opened up this whole conversation about growing up in the South. She grew up in Alabama, me Georgia (and S.C. and Tennessee for a while, too).
Her husband is Latino and we talked quite a while about how on both sides of her family some members were voting for McCain, and others for Obama, and the histories of the Republican and Democratic parties before and after Lincoln’s day. We also talked openly about race in the election (from the angle of both sides of the campaign) and race as a factor when we were growing up. I can’t remember when I’ve had such an honest conversation about these issues.
We both said how thankful we felt to have had the conversations we’ve had the last few weeks. Refreshing. And a positive that has come out of this crazy campaign between McCain and Obama.
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‘Mystic territory’. I like that.
Yes, the ordinary lives side by side with the extraordinary. Tonight, my family gathers to watch with close neighbors. It’s like a superbowl party, except more is at stake, and grandpa isn’t screaming at the television. (It’s the women of the family who will scream tonight, in anger or celebration. The men nod stolidly and make way…)
Even with your household so busy, QM, I still think your life sounds wonderfully fun. I love that there’s people in the world who make room for poetry.
And ybonesy, you did do amazing, brave work, going door to door. Despite my need for distance from it this year, I know that amount of honest effort *must* make a difference.
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Woot-woot!
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amuirin, thanks. Hope you enjoyed the election results with your family. Liz and I stayed up until after Obama’s speech. McCain’s concession speech was really gracious and moving, too.
Overall, I felt more than a little proud of our country last night. After all the bitter battles starting way, way back, and all the unkind words tossed about to each other, the real courage is in coming together again. Humility and grace.
They called Norm Coleman for the Senate, even though he and Al Franken both have 42%. I see a lot of turmoil around that race yet to come. I guess it’s not quite over in Minnesota.
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Hey QM, I agree, Senator McCain’s speech was a class act.
Oregon’s senate race is too soon to call, as well. It changes so much in the night, but based on counties yet to come, it could likely change again. At the moment, incumbent republican Gordon Smith is leading by 10,000 votes.
The only election news I’ve heard that is upsetting is California’s same-sex marriage ban, which is winning at the moment. But tallies aren’t finished on the western seabord.
There could be upsets.
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He won, he won, he won!
Woooooooooo hoooooooooooooo!
Woooooooooo hoooooooooooooo!
I’m still hoping for Al Franken, and 60 senators, and a few other things; but still …
He won, he won, he won!
After 8 miserable years, a President we can be proud of!
Woooooooooo hooo hooooo hoooooo!
Wooo hooo woooo hoooo woooooo hoooo!
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Congratulations, QM, to you and Ybonesy on your two years of writing together.
“The extraordinary lives by the ordinary. Practice continues. Writing continues. Life continues. Someone will be born; someone will die.”
Yep. Ain’t life grand? 🙂
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QM, it’s an amazing moment isn’t it. We had a similar experience to yours today, at the pet store, buying fish filters. The owner is a black man who we have known and talked with for years, about various topics, nothing deep. Fish and basketball, mostly.
I asked him, were you happy with the election results, while he was counting out my change. He looked at me said, yes, yes I was happy. I said I was happy too.
The tears welled up in his eyes and he opened up to us with stories about Martin Luther King, about workplace discrimination, about years of experiencing repressed racism, and especially his joy and deep healing that an African-American man was elected President – and that we were finally One People. We agreed that it was not just that Obama is a black man, but that he is human, honorable, brilliant and real. Because he was focused and clear, and spoke to the issues, we felt he cared about each of us. Elected by a landslide, for his own qualities, a good person who will have a very tough job, to represent One People.
We hugged and shook hands and took our paper bag out the door. It is the sense that doors are opening in ordinary people and places that is so awesome, everyday miracles.
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QM and lil, what amazing stories of the conversations you both had. Thank you for sharing them. I believe something transformative is happening, not only because of this election, but really about this time in our history and our lives.
QM, I’ll have to go back and look at comments, but something I believe you wrote recently about time and whether this is Obama’s time (does that ring a bell?)—it reminded me of what Natalie said about when our own personal moments—what we have to offer at this moment—aligns with what the world is ready to receive.
I believe that is what is happening now. An ordinary thing, an alignment of moments, personal and universal, that creates an extraordinary outcome.
You were right, QM. November 3rd and 5th are as important as November 4th. Here we are, November 5th. It’s a windy day in NM. It’s a day that will make the trees bare. Several times today I have cried unexpectedly. It’s everything, the emotion. The pride. Exhaustion, mental. And then I wipe the tears, clear my throat, and get back to writing that email that was so important for my job.
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It’s like a superbowl party, except more is at stake, and grandpa isn’t screaming at the television. LOL, amuirin! Your grandpa sounds like people in my family. 8)
Robin, thanks for the birthday wish. Yep, life IS grand.
And good to see you, Ben. Long time no see.
amuirin, the narrow victory of Prop 8 in California (as well as outcomes in AZ and FL) is heartbreaking. Even the idea to me is disheartening and blatantly wrong that 97% of a state’s population should and could have a say on what 3% of the population can or can not do.
We fought hard against an attempt to impose a similar amendment in NM four years ago, and we succeeded in fighting it off.
I just want to add that I hope we can still fight that fight for equality and win, if not now then in the near future.
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For me this election was not about an African American man, nor a man who is half black, half white. It was about the man that I thought could bring back dignity & hope to America. I haven’t been this proud to be an American in years! The world is celebrating with us! What a proud moment in time.
On Prop 8 in CA, ybonesy said it all. It is heartbreaking. D
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I love the line about how some people hold the space through their quiet meditation. Your writing is reflective, calm, homey, and just right.
I am absolutely thrilled that Obama is our next president. It still isn’t yet an ordinary day for me, this day after the election. I feel like we’ve all passed through a certain door, and now Hope is shining softly in our direction.
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[…] Meditation Group on Wednesday night. There was homemade banana bread and a lively discussion about the Presidential election framed by Harlem Renaissance poet, Langston […]
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Hello all,
This week has been exhilarating, exhausting, emotional and altogether unique. Laurie and I are delighted to have been part of the process of electing the first African-American president. We put our time, money and energy into this election and are so proud that the country chose the path of inclusion.
And then of course, we realized that the exclusion of our community from a fundamental part of life has been codified into constitutional law in the state of California. Emotionally devastating. Laurie spent all day Wednesday crying. I wrote. Not well, but I wrote.
I am trying to have faith. I don’t want to be small-minded. I want to celebrate with my fellow citizens. But I don’t feel like a citizen right now. It makes my throat tight.
My wife and I will come out of this and resume our commitment to the principles of democratic goverance that are core to our values as individuals and as a family. We will celebrate tonight with a group of singers, most of whom are comfortably and legally married, who are able to take this for granted.
To all of us who worked so hard, I say bless us, every one of us. And let us continue the good work. Our time is ahead of us. In the words of the old song, we shall overcome . . . some day.
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Teresa, I’m so glad you left your comment here this morning. I’ve been trying to get back to this post for a few days, give the rich comments on this thread the time they deserve. When I read your comment this morning, I breathed a sigh of relief — I’ve been feeling the same sad way the last few days. I have had a huge lump in my throat and fluctuate between sadness and anger. I think I shed a few tears, too.
And when I showed up at the Poetry & Meditation Group on Wednesday night, I carried that sadness with me. I wanted to be excited and upbeat, but amid the joy that everyone else seemed to be feeling about Obama’s victory, I felt a heaviness, too — like in the same fell swoop, the rights of a whole other group of people who are heavily discriminated against — gays and lesbians, many in long-term relationships filled with love — were stripped away, just like that. It really can be despairing.
I listened to a piece on MPR this morning called Faith & Values. Different people were dissecting why gay marriage was overturned in the constitutional amendment in California. (BTW, I have two friends who were recently talking about going to California to get married. They have been together for years.) Anyway, one of the experts mentioned that it is largely whites who voted for Prop 8, banning marriage. And that many of the blacks who went to the polls to vote for Obama, also voted against the ban. While many whites who voted for Obama, also voted to continue to discriminate against gays and lesbians. It’s mind boggling.
I, too, am happy that Obama was elected. And I’m grateful for the hard work that people like you and your wife and ybonesy did in New Mexico and other states to raise awareness on the campaign issues around the Presidential election. At the same time, Obama did not speak up for us on this issue. And as a person who worked hard in my 20’s and 30’s for gay rights and equal rights for women, I feel this is a place where a Centrist approach does not work.
All that aside, I do have hope that things will change in the future. And we will be granted equal rights. I only hope it’s in my lifetime. And I appreciate the comments here of supporters and friends, and to amuirin for bringing it to attention in this thread. It’s important to me that we don’t continue to lose ground on this issue.
It’s hard to explain how despairing it can be not to be able to exercise the right of marriage with someone you love and are committed to. Liz and I watched a documentary a few months ago on the history of marriage in this country which also covered the current politics and religious discrimination surrounding gay marriage rights. I don’t know if people remember, but it used to be that only whites could marry in this country. No one else. People thought it was immoral for people other than whites to marry (same arguments that are used today).
Many take the right of marriage for granted. But it’s not a luxury that I have. This is one of those areas where I believe all people should be granted equal rights, regardless of personal opinions on what it means to be gay or lesbian. That’s irrelevant. It’s really about doing the right thing.
Thanks for this comment, Teresa. I’ll come back to address other comments when I get a few minutes later. And, yes, let us continue the good work in whatever ways we can and are able. I do believe someday, things will change.
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QM, I watch the the Ellen Degeneres show with some regularity. As you know, she really fought hard for the no vote on Proposition 8. I thought of you & many of my friends for whom this decision must have had a profound effect on. To me it is a gigantic step backward. I read Teresa’s comment earlier today & cried. I pray that it will be overturned. I would like to say though that Joe Biden was on Ellen’s show prior to the election & said that if he lived in CA he would vote no on Prop 8. I have so much I would like to discuss with those who voted yes. Things will change in the future, but I think this was just a gigantic step backwards in the quest for equal rights. I don’t live in CA, but if a proposition like this would ever be on the ballot in my state, I would vote no. D
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diddy, thank you. I greatly appreciate the support. I haven’t watched Ellen’s show for quite a while but she is one who stands up, that’s for sure. One who is out there. Yes, I do believe things will change in time. Especially with the good people I’m surrounded with. I believe. 8)
Hope your weekend goes well. We woke up to a snowstorm this morning. It was wild after the record breaking warm day we had Monday. This time last year, I was visiting with all of you. Can you believe it’s been a whole year? Thanks again for your support!
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I came to this issue a little late–after marriages were legal in June, then suddenly they were on the ballot. Can someone explain the chain of events in California?
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William, thanks for venturing to comment on red Ravine. I’m afraid I don’t quite understand how this proposition came onto the Ballot in California and in other states. I first came across it in Andrew Sullivan’s (of the Atlantic Monthly) website this summer. Several progressive websites actively sought funding to fight the very well-funded campaign that the Church of Latter Day Saints supported to strike down equality for gays and lesbians.
Obama spoke out early against Prop 8; McCain endorsed it. Here is a letter that Obama wrote early on (LINK). Also, here is an article about the Mormon support of the measure (LINK).
In California, the proposition narrowly won. 70% of African Americans, who represented 10% of the total vote in California, voted in favor of Prop 8. Latinos and Asians were split, and Whites narrowly defeated it. While I don’t think any one group should be blamed for the passage of the proposition, it does point to some of the complex cultural and related religious issues around homosexuality.
Speaking for Latino communities, from what I see, being openly gay is more accepted now than in the past. Still, Latinos are plagued by “machismo.” There is much work to be done in supporting gays and lesbians of color so that we can combat homophobia in all our communities. I know, speaking to my mother about Prop 8, she was saddened that we have not yet reached true equality for all. She is a progressive soul, and part of the way she got there, besides being a true maverick, is that we children brought her along through our actions.
Some very good (and quite disturbing and scary for the way people are pitting themselves against one another) conversation in this thread that Salon recently published (LINK). It’s a hard read, especially if you are negatively affected by the invective; however, it for me hit home the amount of work needed to unite, overcome, and succeed.
This is a complex topic, and I hate to try to be all-encompassing, much less profound, in a comment; nonetheless, I see this as a wake-up call for unity of progressive ideology. We can not let this divide us. As a straight woman of color, I stand beside all humans to achieve equal rights. I’m willing to do what it takes to fight for that right. And I will fight, I will speak out, I will work at it.
I also applaud us for delving into this conversation. It’s a hard one, especially when emotions are raw. I know in my heart, though, that this will have the effect of mobilizing people—to influence, as much as we can, the new administration, to educate our communities, and to fight for equal rights, period.
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Ah, look and you shall find. An excellent article in the Wall Street Journal about events leading to the June passage of legislation allowing gay marriage in CA and the recent, narrow passage of Prop 8. Also much on the huge funding effort by the LDS (LINK).
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I read this article, it was helpful. Thanks.
I was raised in a fundamentalist community. Very far to the right. Though I left it decades ago, I know exactly the mindset that insists on opposing gay marriage. Unfortunately, it has a set of non-negotiable rules that people fighting for gay rights often don’t understand. They’ve maybe heard them, but don’t KNOW them.
I see most of the efforts for equality not addressing what could sway the minds of voters. Just demanding equality isn’t the answer. It doesn’t address the question stopping fundamentalists from supporting gay marriage.
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I’m just getting back to reading red Ravine again this morning. Some thoughtful reflection in this thread. It is a complex issue, and controversial, even among like-minded people.
Wiliam, I’m curious — when you say — I see most of the efforts for equality not addressing what could sway the minds of voters. — what are some things that you think might sway the minds of voters?
BTW, just for informational purposes for anyone else interested in this history of this issue —
Here’s a link for a simple timeline on KCRA out of Sacramento with events leading up to Prop 8, starting in 1994. No other commentary:
Timeline: Same-Sex Marriage In California (LINK)
And here’s a link on The Women On The Web, a simple and general short article on the unconstitutionality. Interesting comment thread there, too.
Lawsuits Start Flowing Over California’s New Gay-Marriage Ban (LINK)
This was in one of the comments in a thread there:
the discriminatory california prop 8 is unconstitutional. here’s why:
U S Constitution: Amendment 14 – Citizenship Rights. Ratified 7/9/1868. 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
I do believe the laws will change in time. And the majority of people will stand up and do the right thing, regardless of their personal beliefs. We all hold prejudices in our hearts, things we were raised with, biases against other people based on beliefs we have. Maybe it’s part of human nature. But, in the end, and over time, the majority make choices that uphold the spirit of the Constitution. I do have hope for the future.
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Back to the rest of the comments in this thread —
Ben, we’re still staying tuned to Franken. last I heard on the Al Franken/Norm Coleman stand-off, only 221 votes separated them. It’s interesting to follow because the margin of votes narrows considerably as they are examined by hand. Some pencil instead of pen, things like that, changed the overall count. It makes you wonder how often that happens all over the country. Anyway, I suspect the “real” winner of that race won’t be determined for sometime yet. Minnesota remains in limbo for a while longer in these elections.
lil, I had a few more conversations with the woman at work since election day (#13). It is hopeful and healing.
ybonesy, I do believe the world was ready to receive the new messages (#14). Whatever people believe individually, everything has lined up for this time to happen.
Robin, thanks so much for the birthday wishes (#12). I do believe in honoring landmarks along the way to recognize hard work and effort. I’m happy to be writing with ybonesy on red Ravine. Two years in one sense seems like a long, long time. And yet, it went by in the flash of eye.
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QM, yes, every day I’m checking the story on Franken. I’ve really come to loathe Coleman, for his 11th hour lawsuits and his aggressive outrage. (I note that he did NOT carry Ramsey county, which is of course dominated by the city he mayored: St. Paul — what does that tell us?)
Regarding prop 8 out here in CA — it isn’t over yet. I think it is entirely likely that prop 8 will be ruled unconstitutional. Because it is discriminatory. And just because “white only” signs were once common in the south, their popularity didn’t make them constitutional.
Yb, yes, your stats re race and prop 8 corroborate what a friend & coworker involved in the campaign told me. It was widely acknowledged that the majority of the African-American community, especially those who are religious, was opposed to gay marriage.
My coworker (who married before the election, and now has his marriage certificate up in his office) told me they feared the black turn-out for Obama would work against them, in support of prop 8.
I want to add that I think, even if it somehow stands, it could easily become our next civil rights issue. The demographics really work against this bit of bigotry, as most young urban people have friends who are openly out, and don’t have the bias of older generations.
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Ben, thanks for the great comment (#29). I do think it will become our next civil rights issue. Most people have an aunt, a cousin, a sister, or brother, a friend, sometimes parents who are gay or lesbian. And what about parents whose kids already know they are different from other kids (I was like this) at a very young age — they need understanding families and parents, people open and willing to talk about these issues. It’s not going away. And I think equal rights will eventually win out over the fear and ignorance.
Norm Coleman has reversed himself so many times over the last year, I’m not sure where he stands anymore on the issues. But I do know they are not aligned with my beliefs or hopes for this state and the country. I listen to the updates on MPR. But if you’re following it everyday, you may know something before I do. Please feel free to stop back in with any news!
I know you’re very invested in what happens on the landscape in Minnesota. I did hear that we had one of, if not the highest voter turnout in the country. But I don’t think it was our highest ever. I can’t remember the statistic now – maybe something like 78%?
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Ah, I was just looking for the actual statistic but haven’t landed on it yet. I did find this chart of MN voter turnout from different years — but it only goes up to 2006. I have a feeling this year is going to shatter some of the Election Day registrations, eligible voters, Primary stats, etc. We’ll see after all the numbers are crunched. It does look like there was one year, maybe 1956, where we had 83%. Wow, I wonder who was running.
Anyway, here are the links:
MINNESOTA ELECTION STATISTICS 1950-2006 (LINK)
CHART OF SAME (LINK)
It would be interesting to see these same stats cross-referenced from every state. And then maybe cross-referenced again with who was running.
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[…] Feels Shot’s Impact is a smaller headline – Little People Numbed. It reminded me of our recent presidential elections in this country, how the whole world was watching — and how it was the little people — everywoman, […]
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Here’s to our enlightened neighbor, Iowa! Perhaps we’ll be making a celebratory trip there some day. 8)
The Iowa case at MPR News Cut with Bob Collins (LINK) — The Iowa Supreme Court has struck down a ban on gay marriage. You can see the full court opinion there. Here’s a blurb:
The framers of the Iowa Constitution knew, as did the drafters of the United States Constitution, that “times can blind us to certain truths and later generations can see that laws once thought necessary and proper in fact serve only to oppress,” and as our constitution “endures, persons in every generation can invoke its principles in their own search for greater freedom” and equality.
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Ben, I had to come back to this post to comment on Franken/Coleman. I can’t believe it but it’s finally over. I meant to drop this in on June 30th, 2009 but am just making it here.
From NPR on June 30th: Al Franken Wins Minn. Senate Seat; Norm Coleman Concedes (LINK)
To quote President Gerald Ford, our long national nightmare is over. Norm Coleman has conceded the Senate race for the Minnesota seat to Al Franken, clearing the way for the Democrat to be seated in the Senate which would give Democrats a filibuster-proof 60 votes.
Hard to believe how long it took but the MN State Supreme Court has spoken. Franken and Coleman have both all over the local news this week. There is speculation that Coleman will run for Governor of MN after Pawlenty leaves. No comment on that one. Onward to Washington.
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Congrats, QM. I thought of you when my friend Patty called on Tues to share the good news. Woo hoo.
I won’t be surprised if you see Coleman running for something, given how long it took for him to concede this race. He clearly wants to hold a political post.
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QM, it’s hard to think Coleman would have any viability, after his hypocrisy on bowing out.
I’m so pscyhed for Al! He’s the 100th senator and he’s the last guy who should crack any jokes in the Senate, too. The conservatives would be all over it, if he did. I have to admit, my expectations are high for him. I hope he’s soon acknowledged for hard work & seriousness. At least for his first term. If he cracks any jokes in his 2nd term, that’s fine by me. 🙂
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Ben, yeah, that’s true about Coleman. He’s been laying low in the press since he dropped it all. But Franken has been in the local news almost every evening. Coverage with him and Amy Klobuchar and the future work on the Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings. Good point about the humor — I imagine he will keep it under wraps for a bit. But I wonder how long he can actually suppress that big a part of himself? He’s been quite serious of late. The second part of the rest of his life.
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I was hoping this would soon come to an end! Go Al! D
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