One Step Forward, One Step Back

I am reminded once again that social justice doesn't happen all at once. Sometimes we make progress and sometimes we regress, carry on with our lives reinforcing the hierarchy of who's lives have worth. Like the 2008 election. I was celebrating Obama's election and the signal that sent about racial equity, at the same time as I was mourning the passage of Prop 8, which took away marriage for lgbt folks and sent a clear message: your rights are not as important as my comfort.

And so here we are again. Yesterday two very important cases were decided on - one a victory and one simple bullshit.

The good news - we are one step forward for true marriage equality. "A federal judge in Boston ruled that a ban on gay marriage contained in the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional because it interferes with a state's right to define marriage." This means that the Federal Government should have to recognize the legal marriages in MA, allowing couples access to a whole slew of benefits including social security.  Who says, "so goes California goes the Nation"? Looks to me like MA is leading the way for equality. Moving to Boston is sounding better and better.

Here's a short video that explains what this news means to MA and across the country.





The other news is the jury verdict of the Oscar Grant murder by an Oakland police officer. The all-white jury, in their biggoted wisdom, decided that it was "involuntary manslaughter" not second degree murder. Essentially, again, the jury decided that the freedom of the officer is worth more than the life of Oscar Grant. It is such a tragic outcome to an already tragic event. This is not justice.

Here's another clip from the Rachel Maddow show on this story.