Twofer

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Wow. What a lot of eggs and tofu I've been eating. Tamara has improved the menu with some really good soup and low-fat refried beans, but, as I look at day three, I'm wondering if I'm going to want to eat vegetables after phase one of this diet. Better go eat some snap peas...

I am down a few pounds from Day 1, or so my scale tells me. I am a little dubious about accepting the number I see. My weight seems to fluctuate by at least 3 pounds everyday even with consistent weighing times. I think part of it could be my scale. I don't trust anything less than those upright ones that you see at the doctor's office. Still, I'll take it as a portent of things to come, and just hope my weight isn't up on Day 3.

Tamara says she's been sorely afflicted with the temptation to snatch some of the kids' snacks as she has prepared them at various times during the day. It probably doesn't help that the kids turn up their noses at some of the stuff we are eating as snacks. As Tamara was finishing up a bowl of cottage cheese, Natalie wrinkled her nose and asked, "Did you eat that without anythingon it? Bleh."




In other news, the Massachusetts state senate has voted today against a proposed measure on the next ballot to come before voters. The measure would have added an amendment to the state constitution banning same-sex marriages. You may well imagine that tensions are high at this point between the two sides. Protestors thronged opposite sides of Beacon Street today as legislators inside decided if they should vote.

I have been at astonished at comments that I have heard from various political figures and activists about inconvenience and misrepresentation. The following quotes sum up what I have heard.

"Rather than turn Massachusetts into a political circus for a national debate over something which is largely settled here, my own view is that we ought to resolve this on the merits so that it stays off the ballot, and to do so at the constitutional convention."
- Governor Deval Patrick

Stephen Stat Smith (a state representative) is "taking a really big risk and we really appreciate it. Our neighbors? Not so happy."
- Jennifer Doe, gay-rights activist who married her partner, Jennifer Rosenlund, two years ago here in Massachusetts


Can you hear the excuses in these quotes? Can you feel the duplicity? These comments turn my stomach. Governor Patrick, instead of coming right out and just saying that he fully supports same-sex marriage, pretends to be worried about turning Massachusetts into a "political circus." This is the same guy whose indiscretions concerning a flashy new state car, expensive office furnishings, and time off to console a fatigued wife gave the media plenty of material with which to bedevil the new governor. Even if I could really believe in his sincerity, what possible inconvenience can be more important than doing the right thing?

Ms. (Mrs.?) Doe's comment captures the root of the problem--legislators voting contrary to the wishes of the constituents that put them in office as their representatives. I can only think that the congressmen are hoping to escape the vehemence of the extremely outspoken gay-rights lobby by instead going against the wishes of the unfortunately relatively reticent pro-traditional marriage majority.

Well, it's time for this squeaky wheel to get a little squeakier.

I am extremely disappointed, if not overly surprised, that my faxes, emails, and phone correspondence with my liberal state congressmen have had no influence on their vote to push through this measure to put the same-sex marriage question to a popular vote. I am left now to wonder how I might more effectively communicate my desire for the preservation of marriage and to mobilize those who sympathize with the cause but seem to not be able to put out the effort to be heard by their elected officials.

I'll leave you with a teaser for a future post. What does the following quote have to do with my feelings about homosexuality and same-sex marriage?

from myfoxboston.com:
"I think being gay is like being left-handed," [Jean] Chandler said. "If we decided left-handed people couldn't marry, what kind of society would we be?"