Staying Positive

For some reason, American Prez, Obama "pardoned" two turkeys this year, for  Americans' Thanksgiving. In everything I've read, there was no mention of why he chose to spare the life of two beautiful creatures. Surely he's not a vegetarian, that wouldn't fit the profile of what America expects from it's leaders. For many his being of colour is still difficult to swallow, maybe it would go down better with a dead mammal?

Turkeys' are beautiful. I'm glad I’m moving more and more towards a vegetarian and to some extent vegan diet. 

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The other day, I watched an episode of The Golden Girls, wherein Blanche's brother came to visit with his  and I quote, "special friend". The show was about how the brother and his very gay looking—(his moustache was so late 80s) boyfriend wanted to get married, and Blanche's homophobia. When he told Blanche that the reason he had come to Miami was to tell her their big plans, the real audience  watching the taping, burst out laughing. Cue Blanche's totally baffled expression. Even though the GG was tackling big deal issues, it was still, after all, a comedy show, hence the apt topic.

The final scene had Blanche go into the bedroom the boys had been staying in, to try and wend her way through her feelings of uneasiness. She asked the bf if he loved her brother, he said he did, and then they hugged, and her brother joined them, being careful to do no more than give a manly slap on the back to his bf in the hug circle.

The reason I mention this episode, is because that was in my lifetime, and still in my lifetime I have seen my own country change the laws to recognize queer people as people with rights and dignity who may choose to marry, legally.

Therefore, Obama’s small, and to many, seemingly silly act of “pardoning”—which is the wrong word, but he knows people will react to political martial language, versus heart-centered , and correct language, such as: saving, respecting, etc., two beings is a beginning.

Just recently, here in Toronto, the city banned the sale of shark fins. At first Toronto dug it’s feet in, and refused to join the growing worldwide movement to ban shark fins. Finally, with mounting pressure, my city has done the right thing for sharks.

I believe that our consciousness is changing, slowly, in some cases. Granted, not everyone’s; I’m thinking of the magazines who have refused to have me write articles promoting animal rights and respects in Canada, in order to promote my petition.

I’m sure when that episode of the GG aired back in the late 80s, early 90s, mainstream types thought marriage between people of the same gender was as funny, and impossible as seeing pigs fly. Queer people were seen much like animals still are, with fear, suspicion, and a sense of “why should we give them their rights? They aren’t like us, they don’t have the right to have rights”

In one generation, we have gone from maintaining the status quo to seeing the walls of hate, intolerance and limitations come tumbling down. My generation has attended queer weddings, marched in Pride Parades, and is taking an active part in helping to change consciousness.