I didn't know the history of the Italian Unification vis-a-vis Rome and the Vatican. I did have a strong sense of both the secularization of Italy and it's underlying Catholic morality and this video is quite informative about these complex issues.
Even though I'm American-Italian and over 70, I relate to the group of those who have become secularized.
Just a note to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Season’s Greetings, Happy New Year, Winter Solstice ….and to let you know that even though we did not send out cards this year, Leon and I are alive and well (enough). We Thank you for your Cards and Holiday Wishes.
I must have had a few good hours of sleep last night because I was industrious today.
I made a double batch of Jim's Apple Muffins today and Italian Bread.
Just a reminder to all of you that we in the LGBTQ community have had a long history of fighting for our right to be who we are and to express our sexuality and to love who we want to love.
And a further reminder that our rights are not guaranteed forever, because, if those espousing the draconian vision of the 2025 Agenda get their way, we may lose everything we've gained and then some.
The Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights was a massive political rally in Washington, D.C. on October 11, 1987. The movement was reaching its zenith in the 80s and AIDS was a major influence in our becoming more visible, and out, and proud.
Lesbian and Gay Rights because the Bi and Trans folks were not yet being specifically acknowledged and the term Queer was still an insult. No one even contemplated a "plus".
Approximately 750,000
people took part in the march and other events including a civil disobedience action in front of the Supreme Court.
The 1987 March on Washington stands as an important part of LGBTQ history.
I was there with a group from Hartford, CT.
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| Hector*, Me, Richard, Robin, ?, Joe, ? * Hector was my co-worker at the CT Dept of Health AIDS Program. He died of HIV/AIDS |
Remembering the March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights: a song by Ten Percent Review:
The focus of the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights was to demand our civil rights and to protest the government's lack of concern for HIV/AIDS.
The AIDS Quilt was displayed for the first time on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., during the weekend event.
It covered a space larger than a football field and included 1,920 panels.
I'm not absolutely sure if this picture was taken at the 1987 March in Washington, but I think it was. It was a time before digital cameras and iPhones. Can you imagine?
My brother sent me a photo of an original watercolor by an artist friend of his, Jeff Bellantuano, that was inspired by an old photo of me and my 1972 Fiat 128 Sport Coupe when we went camping back in 1973 or 1974. The artist labeled it "Nova Scotia, c. 1974" but I'm thinking it was near the Farmington River in Connecticut. In any case, I'm flattered!
Those of you old enough to have watched both "The Bob Newhart Show" and "Newhart" will remember the finale of "Newhart" when Bob, the Vermont innkeeper, wakes up from a dream back on his old show where he played a psychologist married to Suzanne Pleshette. Bob's timing and delivery of lines is classic. One of the funniest scenes in TV comedy. Bob Newhart is a classic.
The "evangelicalisation" of the Catholic Church in America (due in part because all the liberals have fled) borders on heresy, in my opinion. Their political conservatism is sorely misguided and their religion has been contaminated.
Here is a Catholic priest who speaks honestly about politics. I post this in spite of recent events because DJT will milk his near martyrdom for all it's worth. Just wait for the money beg.
My new favorite YouTube gardening channel. Hummm...
Our little town had a pretty decent fireworks display on the 4th.
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| Where Else Would There Be a Chile Clinic? And What Do They Treat? |
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| Growing Veggies is a Challenge |
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| But I am up to it |
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| First Tomatoes |
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| Desert 4 O’Clocks in the Backyard |
I think I needed a little dose of Pride after all the negativity coming at us for the past seven or eight years and even more so this year. The bible-bangers/republicans/christian nationalists/bigots have doubled down on their hatred and bigotry. As Joe of Joe.My.God news blog put it:
They wish we were invisible.
We’re not.
Let’s dance.
It's not New York, but it is after all, Santa Fe Subdued. Or Santa Fe Sleepy.
But seeing the crowd, the Rainbow Flags up and down the street and Plaza, hearing the music...it was healing and reassuring and a reminder that
Yes We Are Queer and We're STILL Here!
Not a lot of photos because, well the photos just don't convey the festive vibe. And I wasn't really into taking pictures.
Pride isn't quite what it used to be: no longer a march of visibility and defiance and demanding out rights, but more a march of our allies and supporters and social service organizations and commercial enterprises and even churches. Hard to tell who's L,G,B,T,Q or plus or straight.
Even the Government agencies are represented (don't tell the republicans, they will start writing ridiculous bills and trying to pass them in Congress).
Hubs works for Bureau of Land Management Recreation division. His field office had a booth at Santa Fe Pride again this year and Leon was proud to be there in his new uniform. (We are not thrilled with the colors, but I guess it's not up for debate).
Here are a few photos of BLM and Park Service in the parade.
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| Hubs in his BLM uniform and me in mine. |
Anyhow, Happy Pride to all!
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| Rainbow over Cochiti this evening. Who says Gay Power isn’t real? |
Just a brief musical tribute to the Stonewall protest and Gay Lib. Music from an era subsequent to the Gay Lib movement.
(For a more complete and informative post about Stonewall see "I Should Be Laughing")
This defined many of our relationships for many years before marriage equality (and may do so again one day soon):
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| Driftwood left in dead trees drowned by high water levels |
Yesterday morning, as we were heading to Santa Fe, I was driving, and Leon was listening to some YouTube video in which the interviewer was asking people whether “Pride has gone too far.”
I wasn’t listening too closely for whatever reason, and I assumed that it was a gay interviewer, talking to gay people about pride. When I did start listening, it sounded to me like everyone who responded was totally missing the point.
It was like they had never heard of Stonewall and or the gay liberation front and or the centuries of oppression and violence directed toward sexual minorities.
I said I wish I could respond, but not really. I’m getting to really hate these man and/or woman and/or whoever on the street interviews.
But then Leon started reading the comment section. The comments were even more bizarre, confused, misinformed, and hateful.
I was very confused about whether the YouTube video itself was posted by an ally or an enemy. (Checking on this later today I find he - the YouTuber is a 19 year old black kid who seems to get all his misinformation from Newsmax. So that explains it.)
Obviously, most of the commenters were ignorant, hateful people. I’ve seen enough stupid and disrespectful comments on LGBTQ positive websites. So all this was just too much.
I really just wanted to scream “Shut up!” Exasperated, I said to Leon, “There’s just no escape. Isn’t there somewhere we can go to get away from this madness? I fucking can’t stand people anymore.”
I’m convinced that the percentage of ignorant, uneducable imbeciles has increased exponentially since you know who was elected in 2016 and became president in January of 2017. It is definitely approaching a critical mass.
P.S. I was going to post the video of Merry-go-round by Wildman Fisher but it’s just too irritatingly stupid. If you want to listen to it, you can go to this link.
I left this review after we had pizza at a place in Taos, New Mexico:
We felt bad for the young woman who was waiting every table in the outside area (and maybe inside as well) which was quite busy for a Monday. She was doing a great job with no help.
The Greek salad was excellent and a nice combo of greens, olives, feta and other veggies with a very tasty dressing.
As for the pizza. As an Italian-American who has been making pizza for over 40 years I would say this has little resemblance to authentic pizza. Pizza is the base, the crust, the yeast dough that rises and makes big open air bubbles that when baked makes it not only crispy but gives the flavor of a yeast bread. Our pizza was undercooked and had not risen properly. Fermentation was totally lacking. The crust was actually partially raw and unedible. The sauce and the toppings gave it all the flavor. If this was the best pizza in Taos, they don’t know what pizza is.
Over priced, long, long wait. And again horrible crust.
Large Greek salad, 12 inch pizza with sausage and mushrooms, one iced tea, over $40.
The wait for service and finally getting our meal was longer than I would ordinarily tolerate but we were patient because the waitperson seemed to be doing it all by herself. Meanwhile, some patron had left their very expensive truck running, headlights on, with the air conditioner going for their dog, but right next to the outdoor dining area which was extremely annoying for all who were eating (waiting to eat) outside. There were plenty of parking spaces well away from the dining area.
I mention all this because dining out is not the pleasant experience it once was. Unless one goes to a pretentious "fine dining" restaurant the food is so often mediocre at best. The claim to fame for almost every New Mexican restaurant is either the "green chili cheeseburger" or the "huevos rancheros" and all the other menu items are the same in about 90% of New Mexican restaurants: some kind of tortilla or taco with meat, cheese and beans. Usually way over priced for what you get, often factory produced (e.g. anything breaded and fried, fried potatoes, burgers from the one or two "distributors" in the area, factory deserts, and non-alcoholic beverages from $2.50 to $6.00.
So I came across this in YouTube and well,....I'm making homemade bread and pizza tonight.
P.S. It's going to be a challenge to get logs burning in my new oven.
Preface: The forest fires are burning in the southern part of the state. Very devastating for the people of Ruidoso. There are also fires in the west and northwest. If only we could get some of the rain that is making a mess in the east.
We made a trip to Taos so I could see the orthopedic doctor for a reevaluation of my knee issue. Long story short I got a cortisone injection and an opportunity to get a replacement should things get worse over the summer. Continue with physical therapy and lose weight.
Leon took a couple of days off work so we decided that a change of scenery was needed from the monotony of the desert. The area around Taos is greener and has real trees and grass - at least in some places. I think it also has a bit of privilege in some places too, but we avoided that as much as possible.
After the doctor we went for a drive. I would just mention that I was a bit ferclempt considering surgery one minute and appreciating being with my hubby exploring the outback the next.
We drove to Rio Grande del Norte National Monument-Wild Rivers. Did not do a lot of hiking but went to the overlook. At my age and with my knee arthritis I was content with that.
We then drove a very rough off-road several miles to Cabresto Lake - a mountain lake surrounded by trees and greenery. Did a nice short hike along the lake trail. Here’s a few photos.
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| View of the Rio Grande from the overlook |
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| Not Georgia O’Keeffe’s tree |
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| We are normally at about 5500 feet, So being at over 9000 feet took the wind out of me even on a short hike |
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| The cows had the right of way |
