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Wednesday we partnered with Monica and hosted a house party for Maine Equality at CrossTrax. I emailed out some invites, aiming for 30 people. I felt a bit out of my comfort zone initiating that conversation, but 60 people attended making us feel supported by our community. My comfort zone is expanding.
Like some other New England states, Maine is working on a
Marriage Equality Act. We are getting blue postcards signed to deliver to legislators. I've had a few surprises in people's reactions. Some friends who live on our road are conservative religious republicans, but Bill has a gay son. Isn't that all it takes to put a face on it? Susan asked for some post cards to distribute at church on Sunday. Oh to be a webcam on the wall.
Another friend said she supports exactly the same rights for gay couples as for straight, but it can't be called marriage. The marriage equality initiative is all about defining civil marriage and separating it from religious marriage, but there is no other word for marriage. To use another word is to make them unequal.
Town Meeting on Saturday lasted forever; we went out the back door after 5 hours. The three contentious issues: property revaluation, sharing plowing expenses for Clifford Commons, money to the historical society to repair the roof. The first one affects us most. I've heard horror stories from people who live on other lakes whose taxes have increased ten-fold after some out of state evaluation contractor pumped up the value of waterfront property.
We sat at the last table in the back where we could watch the small town participatory democracy in action and be amazed at how many links to people we have and how many stories we share with them.
In honor of my sister Colleen getting the first dog of her own (this is huge), here is a little info chart about our seven year old Maine Black Dogs (mix of black lab and something else, in this case border collie).
Scout |
Wing |
| Strategic | Tactical |
| Strict Causality | Opportunistic Proximity |
| Alpha Dog | Rules in the water |
| Miss Bossy Miss | Selective hearing |
| Goes through door first | Ok, whatever |
| Nervous | Restless |
| Freaked out by Thunder | Anxious about snow sliding off the roof |
| Hides dead squirrels | Catches squirrels in mid air |
| Disturbed by surround sound | Weirded out by generator vibration |
| Checks in with humans | Waits until humans are not looking |
| Jerry Rice | Ricky Williams |
| Emily | Amy |
| Orzag | Kristof |
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Commands
Sit
Stay
Squirrel!
Go ask Melissa
Wait until Catie Couric stops talking
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