📅 May 2004

The recent decision by the Mass. Supreme court ruled that beginning on May 20th same-sex couples will be allowed to marry. A great victory, but... the governor has ordered that only MA state residents shall be allowed to take advantage of this. Apparently there has been a law on the books since 1913 stating that MA may not perform a marriage that will not be recognized in the state of the applicants. Originally it was enacted to prevent mixed couples from marrying in MA in defiance of southern states' anti-miscegenation laws. The catch is that for the last half-century town clerks have been ordered not to ask for applicants' state of habitation. This sudden reversal just in time for gay-marriage is a bit suspect. Also suspect is that the Republican governor has asked each state to take a stance on the issue and report back to him. There may be hope yet though, as some states (including NY-in a statement from our Attorney General) have tentatively claimed that there constitutions do not forbid marriage between members of the same sex. I suppose we can only hope and wait, and urge our state's legislature to take a tolerant stance until full rights are granted.

I am hanging out outside with Bridgette and Paul and a couple others, we're in California. Suddenly Bridgette says, "watch out, it's coming." No one really knows what to think at her random outburst, then the ground begins to shake. A small earthquake. No one is hurt. I don't even wonder that Bridgette seemed to be able to predict it before it came. A little while later we're somewhere not too far from there, we can see the ocean. Again Bridgette says, "it's coming." This time I know what to expect, and my heart starts beating a triple beat. I throw myself on the ground and try to brace myself. The whole world begins to move. The sound is deafening. This one is much different from the other which had lasted ten seconds and only rumbled beneath my feet. As I try to keep still and braced, a great tearing crash seems to erupt from directly underneath me. I am moving now, sliding. I look to where I am headed and see a massive cleft in the world. Like in the cartoons, I am scrabbling wildly to find a handhold. Another crash behind me and the world tilits once more. I am still sliding but in a different direction. When I turn my gaze to my new destination I realize that I am trapped completely and will soon end up spiralling away to the center of the earth. And then I start awake. My heart is truly pounding in my chest. I am totally freaked out and have to intentionally calm myself to find my way to slumber again. And I wonder, can Bridgette really do that?