Happy birthday, Justin Schramm. Yesterday, Minnesotans decisively voted to turn down the opportunity to ban the possibility that someday soon, you and my friend Richard Carlbom can get married the way you both so desire.
The sun is shining here today, but though it might feel related to yesterday's vote, the beautiful November light has nothing to do with the joy I feel for you and Richard. As the good book says, it shineth on everybody this morning.
And sure, I'd light to think it's shining because the other amendment--the one that seemed even more popular than being mean to the cute boys, the one Bluestem poured its heart into write post after post about hope of it crashing and burning--went down after one of the most startling political mood swings of recent time.
And the DFL regaining the state senate and the house after two years of Tea Party and ALEC malarkey? Lovely, but not the source of this glorious light.
Not, not even because of my friend Vicki Jensen winning that senate seat down in Owatonna, Faribault and Waseca, that Emo Senator Mike Parry left to run for congress.
No, what the sun means is that it's another day, and that this place we call home is still here for everyone. It's worth fighting for, for everyone, so that all people--and the planet itself can persist.
But that's not as easy as platitudes suggest. This isn't Barney.
What it will be is another long slog and civic engagement as well as political battles. We voted not to take any one tool--the vote--from an significant swath of our fellow citizens--but there's more to do. A lot of it will involve taking to heart the culture of respect and conversation, rather than fear, that the marriage and voter restriction battles offered.
Happy birthday, Justin. Congrats Vicki. Everyone: when the sun is shining, enjoy the sun.
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