The ironic reality of this nation is that despite what still needs to be done toward the full realization of freedom for its citizens, we regardless, inch by inch move toward a recognition of full human rights as an elemental part of the nation's composition. The above video moves us nationally and me personally toward that goal, not because of any partisan leanings or any jingoistic inclination, but because what we see are testimonials from people whose lives where changed because of political will and spiritual enlightenment. I can say I have felt the power of these testimonials because as a city council man in Oberlin, OH, a city commission brought before council a resolution in support of a Domestic Partner Registry. I was going to vote in support of it anyway because I have come to believe in the indivisibility of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and because I am embarrassed by the State of Ohio's Issue 1 legislation. Yet it was the testimony of one resident, who came forward and outed herself to the public. She spoke of her relationship to a life partner that for its duration went hidden and unrecognized. She spoke of how she moved to Oberlin because it was a place where she believed she could be who she truly was. Yet it was City Council's decision to consider a Domestic Registry that made her believe that it was just a matter of time before she could love as she loved without recrimination and suppression. It is moments like this, the intimate moments, where human speaks to human as a human, where we understand ourselves to be "ecce homo". I was deeply moved by the resident's testimony. I am deeply moved by the experiences of the participants in the above video. We are all human, all too human and the work of perfecting the human consciousness means nothing until we understand that simple truth and make sure it exists from the elemental fabric of our being to the most elaborate structures of the world that we share.
Monday, October 15, 2012
All Politics is Personal or Change is Understanding the Life of An Other
The ironic reality of this nation is that despite what still needs to be done toward the full realization of freedom for its citizens, we regardless, inch by inch move toward a recognition of full human rights as an elemental part of the nation's composition. The above video moves us nationally and me personally toward that goal, not because of any partisan leanings or any jingoistic inclination, but because what we see are testimonials from people whose lives where changed because of political will and spiritual enlightenment. I can say I have felt the power of these testimonials because as a city council man in Oberlin, OH, a city commission brought before council a resolution in support of a Domestic Partner Registry. I was going to vote in support of it anyway because I have come to believe in the indivisibility of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and because I am embarrassed by the State of Ohio's Issue 1 legislation. Yet it was the testimony of one resident, who came forward and outed herself to the public. She spoke of her relationship to a life partner that for its duration went hidden and unrecognized. She spoke of how she moved to Oberlin because it was a place where she believed she could be who she truly was. Yet it was City Council's decision to consider a Domestic Registry that made her believe that it was just a matter of time before she could love as she loved without recrimination and suppression. It is moments like this, the intimate moments, where human speaks to human as a human, where we understand ourselves to be "ecce homo". I was deeply moved by the resident's testimony. I am deeply moved by the experiences of the participants in the above video. We are all human, all too human and the work of perfecting the human consciousness means nothing until we understand that simple truth and make sure it exists from the elemental fabric of our being to the most elaborate structures of the world that we share.
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What a powerful experience, Charles.
ReplyDeleteThese "issues" have faces, lives, experiences, hopes and dreams. I was taught such an important lesson that these issues aren't abstractions, they are people.
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