http://gma.yahoo.com/obama-announces-his-support-for-same-sex-marriage.html

President Obama is the first U.S. President to openly support gay marriage.

On the 2008 campaign trail I heard Democratic nominee Barack Obama say that he was unsure about taking this stand, though he believed in civil unions. Now running for re-election in 2012, the President has joined Vice President Joe Biden in his support of same-sex marriage.

U.S. States that grant gay marriage (from wikipedia):

“Such licenses are granted by six states: Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont, plus Washington, D.C. and Oregon’s Coquille and Washington state’s Suquamish Indian tribes. The states of Washington and Maryland have passed laws in 2012 to begin granting same-sex marriage licenses, but each may be delayed or derailed by November 2012 voter referenda. Same-sex marriages could be legally performed in California between June 16, 2008, and November 4, 2008, after which voters passed Proposition 8 prohibiting same-sex marriages. California also recognizes any same-sex marriage from around the world that took place before that end date.”

Gay marriage is a civil rights issue, allowing loving & committed same-sex couples to legally marry, if they choose to. I also see this as an equal protection issue, as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution…”nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

Nathaniel Philbrick wrote a gripping account in 2000 of what happened to the Nantucket whaleship Essex on November 20, 1820 out in the Pacific Ocean, more than 1500 nautical miles from the Galapagos Islands.

Essex sketch by cabin boy Thomas Nickerson, from wikipedia

The Essex was whaling for sperm whales (for oil), when an 85 foot male attacked the whaling ship by striking it head-on twice, which caused the Essex to sink in 10 minutes. The Captain and 20 crew members survived on 3 smaller whale boats, and after that harrowing experience, chose to head back south/east towards South America, instead of going west to the Marquesas or Society (Tahitian) Isles. They made this decision based on stories of alleged cannibalism on these islands.

Remember that this is 1820, before radar and telephones, so these men were adrift for months.

After a month at sea on the whaleboats they all reach uninhabited Henderson Island, where they were able to revive themselves with birds/eggs/plants/fresh water, and regroup. After a week on Henderson, 3 sailors chose to stay, 17 to get back on the whale boats to sail for South America.

The story at this point gets grimmer, as the reader knows by then that starvation, dehydration, hallucinations, other medical conditions (diarrhea, boils, etc.) will set in for these survivors at sea. Unfortunately several crew men start to die one by one, and are eaten by the remaining men. So the very thing they tried to avoid (cannibalism) confronts them on the high seas.

On February 6, 1821 on Captain George Pollard Jr.’s whaleboat the four men on board choose to draw lots and execute the one who draws the shortest lot. Thus one of the men shoots & kills the unfortunate first cousin of the Captain, whom he had promised his Aunt to look after. By the time they are rescued in that boat, only 2 men survive, the Captain and a sailor.

In the other boat led by First Mate Owen Chase, only 2 others survive. The 3rd boat is lost at sea with 4 men aboard (but skeletons in a whaleboat matching these men are later found on Dulcie island near Henderson, so they didn’t get very far in the Pacific Ocean).

After the two boats reach South America after almost 3 months at sea, a rescue whaling ship is sent to Henderson Island and finds the 3 sailors on that island, barely alive in April, 1821. All 8 survivors of the Essex eventually return to Nantucket, Massachusetts to forge new lives, most still as whalers.

The ethical dilemma in this book is whether it had been necessary to shoot one of the sailors (for food). Not being there in such a stressful survival situation, it would be difficult to judge that now, almost 200 years later. But my husband wondered why the sailors didn’t use the gun to shoot the sharks or porpoises that swam by, or had used the corpses as bait for sharks, instead of eating them outright.

Read the book for yourself, as it is a fantastic historical recap of the Whaling Industry in the 1800’s and also a riveting survival story, which influenced Herman Melville to write Moby Dick in 1851.

Phillbrick writes this as a summary and in support (page 236):

“Captain Pollard and his crew were simply attempting to make a living when disaster struck in the form of an 85 foot whale. After that, they did the best they could. Mistakes were inevitably made. While Captain Pollard’s instincts were sound, he did not have the strength of character to impose his will on his two younger officers. Instead of heading to Tahiti and safety, they set out on an impossible voyage, wandering the watery desert of the Pacific until most of them were dead.”

Further the author calls this “a tragedy that happens to be one of the greatest true stories ever told.”

Every time I travel outside of the U.S.A. I reflect upon what we as a country have become in 234 years, and what an amazing land of immigrants we are, from so many, many different countries, all now speaking the common language of English. We have indeed become a melting pot of peoples, a diverse community blending together, especially with intermarriage. Others (like fellow blogger View from Baja Arizona) have said it before me, that diversity is one of America’s greatest strengths.

One of my nieces (Japanese/Australian) is married to a Moroccan & her sister has partnered with a Kiwi guy from New Zealand; one of my son’s friends has a father from Abu Dhabi and a Mexican-American mother; another young woman I met recently claims four heritages from Brazil, Egypt, India, and Italy. Wow, the new global generation of young, racially mixed people, all Americans.

We are also a nation tolerant of different religions, since the search for such religious freedom was one of the reasons the original Pilgrims left Plymouth, England. (Incidentally I have visited both Plymouth, England and Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, Massachusetts. So I have seen where the Pilgrims came from and where they first landed in 1620).

Yet we are also still a fairly young, evolving nation and still trying to assist in the resolution of global issues of terrorism and peace, yet handling our own domestic, economic woes and political conflicts (over abortion, gay marriage, the war on drugs, border issues & immigration, etc.).

Whatever your political affiliations or religious beliefs are today, be proud of America & celebrate our freedoms and the 4th of July.

fireworks in D.C.

Eat some apple pie, and enjoy the fireworks tonight in the Old Pueblo and elsewhere.

How can any one of us forget how frightened we were of the Great White Shark after that film? These sharks can grow up to 20 feet and weigh 5,000 pounds. I once visited Martha’s Vineyard (the island off the Massachusetts coast where this movie was filmed) and I was too afraid to get in the water.

And I still hesitantly snorkel in the ocean, glancing over my shoulders (just in case). Although this movie spawned a lot of fear against the great white shark and other sharks, they don’t usually attack humans.

This terrifying film starts at 7:30 p.m. tonight, and the suggested donation is $3, which includes all you can eat popcorn as well. What a deal. And the donations you give help to run this movie series.

Cinema La Placita is located at 110 S. Church in downtown, SW corner of Broadway and Church.

movie poster

KJLL 1330 AM radio talk show host John C. Scott spoke first calling McCain a “bright star” to look up to, as “an Arizonan to be proud of.” Then Cindy McCain thanked the supporters (about 150 people) for their help, saying her husband always “puts his country first.” Senator McCain then introduced freshman Senator Brown, thanking him for his military and public service, and saying that Brown’s upset election was “heard around the world.”

Senator Brown spoke eloquently about how he had always admired Senator McCain for many, many years, and that he had called Senator McCain to offer help in his re-election here in Arizona (not the other way around). He asked the supporters present to be the “truth squad” for Senator McCain, since he was a man of “integrity and character and believed in America.”

Finally Senator McCain spoke again about the situation in Washington, D.C. with health care reform, the $12 trillion national debt, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and how he had supported the Surge in Iraq because “he rather lose a campaign than lose a war.” He said he was confident that he could still be an effective voice in D.C. and that he “loved a good fight” (meaning his upcoming primary challenge).

U.S. Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts

Having been a legislative aide on the Capitol Hill personal staff of U.S. Senator Dan Inouye (D-HI), I knew what these Meet and Greet events would be like. Hundreds of loyal Republicans and others were in the crowd, including former state GOP Chair Mike Hellon.

Prior to this event, Senator McCain, his wife, and Senator Brown had watched the U of A vs. USC basketball game at McKale Center, then attended a private reception at the Arizona Inn, 2200 E. Elm Street. (The Arizona Wildcats won 86-84, in double overtime.) One of Senator Brown’s daughters plays basketball for Boston College.

Senator McCain has been in office since January, 1987 and he is facing a Republican primary challenge from former CD 5 Congressman J.D. Hayworth (served 1995 to 2007) http://www.jdforsenate.com/. There are Democratic challengers as well– former Bell Gardens, CA Mayor Rudy Garcia, http://arizonaonthemove.com/ or first term Tucson Councilmember Rodney Glassman, http://www.rodneyglassman.com/ (who will face off in the August 24 Arizona Primary). Glassman’s committee is still in the exploratory stage.

Note: Both Massachusetts U.S. Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown are graduates of Boston College Law School, which I also happen to be an alumna of. Kerry was the 2004 Democratic nominee for U.S. President.