Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
--- Max Ehrmann, 1927-
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Friday, December 5, 2008
Evangelicals are annoying whether they believe in God or not
From the Box Turtle Bulletin:
"But these particular atheists, like some others that I have encountered, are not interested in allowing disagreement. These evangelical atheists view the existance of anyone else’s religion as an attack on their own religious beliefs. It is not enough that each person determine whether to believe and that each religious viewpoint be respected, or at least allowed. No, rather than coexistance with religious faith, they want to attack religious faiths and those who practice them."
"But these particular atheists, like some others that I have encountered, are not interested in allowing disagreement. These evangelical atheists view the existance of anyone else’s religion as an attack on their own religious beliefs. It is not enough that each person determine whether to believe and that each religious viewpoint be respected, or at least allowed. No, rather than coexistance with religious faith, they want to attack religious faiths and those who practice them."
Friday, November 14, 2008
FYI #1
There is no "next" civil rights movement. The civil rights movement began when this country was founded and failed to live up to its creed that all men (now humans) are created equal: by only recognizing one group (white, property-owning men) as having inherent rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Every group that has struggled to accomplish that self-evident truth since the Declaration of Independence was penned is a part of the Civil Rights Movement - for 227 years we have picked up the torch at various parts of the relay race that is this movement, but no group, not one, holds title to the "Civil Rights Movement" (tm).
So my GLBT brothers and sisters - stop describing this struggle as the next civil rights movement, please. Not one of us is free while another is in chains, we fight for freedom of every person, not just for the rights of our own community.
Here endeth the information.
Every group that has struggled to accomplish that self-evident truth since the Declaration of Independence was penned is a part of the Civil Rights Movement - for 227 years we have picked up the torch at various parts of the relay race that is this movement, but no group, not one, holds title to the "Civil Rights Movement" (tm).
So my GLBT brothers and sisters - stop describing this struggle as the next civil rights movement, please. Not one of us is free while another is in chains, we fight for freedom of every person, not just for the rights of our own community.
Here endeth the information.
What to Know Before Saturday, November 15
From Pam's House Blend:
First and foremost, we are NOT a community of divisiveness-all races and religions are welcome. Mormons are NOT our enemy. Ignorance towards the Q community is the enemy-ideas, not people. It is always the role of the informed to educate. It is always our role to persistently develop relationships and dialogue with those who are ignorant to our cause.
Note: Q represents all who do not include themselves in the constructs of a hetero-normative patriarch, i.e. lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, intersex, ally, pansexual, polyamorous, and on.
Tomorrow tens and tens of thousands of us will reach the city hall steps in solidarity and we will re-launch the movement of the Q community as the world looks on. Let's do this right!
For many of you this may be your first march, rally, protest. For some pockets of America you will wish that you lived in Los Angeles or San Francisco, but please be strong, you are needed-from Alabama to Alaska, your voices, your hearts, and your truth need to be the brightest in the nation. Give your whole hearts to this. Trust your gut. I've trusted my gut in eight marches in eight days. When police tried to get us to keep moving, I sat down, and others followed. If you sit, or if you move, trust that others will follow. I recently had an empowering experience with film producer JD Disalvatore as we marched down Beverly blvd. and chose to sit down in the middle of the when we came to restaurant that supported prop 8 but acted as if they were friends of the community. We sat, and others followed despite the leaders of the marched urging us on. We only moved when we felt that arrest was a threat. These are the statements that ALSO need to be made. This is civil disobedience. Through our courage and conviction we will be heard.
More below the fold.
I had the pleasure of speaking to some of the greatest activists in our generation and this is some of their wisdom for making the best out of your rally:
* "Respect authority, but question it." -- Haven Herrin-Soulforce Q National Director.
You do not always have to immediately do as the authorities, be it police of community leaders, say to do if you are personally convicted to make a statement.
To all those leading a demonstration, here is some advice from one of the major players in civil disobedience for the past two generations, ACT UP's Ann Northrop:
"Think about the point of your demonstration. Who are you talking to? What are you trying to say? What are all your goals? Generally, the answer is that you're trying both to give the demonstrators a sense that they can work together safely and attain power, and you're trying to convince the public of the rightness of your opinion. We could all sit around forever debating how best to do any of that. I'd like to think that, instead of wasting our time on that debate, we can let those who want to get arrested, get arrested, those who want to demonstrate peacefully do that, and those who want to work in other ways do that. Let's stop criticizing each other and just get on with it."
* Police: They do NOT want to arrest anyone. Remember this. They are required by law to give a warning. For me, I will be civilly disobedient until there is a human to human confirmation, from police officer to me, that if I don't do as they say I may be arrested.
* Media: if there are media at your rally, find the rally organizers to make initial comments. If you are asked to make statements by the media, make sure to focus on your individual experience. Stay clear of fact-giving, as this could turn against us, and feel free to decline any questions. This will prove to be most impactful and consistent with our overall statement of love and equality.
* Nonviolence: The success of our movement depends on the idea that we must present our concerns in the same ways as Gandhi and MLK. We should never appear ill-composed, we should never aim to strike fear into the hearts of those we feel wronged us. We should always come at these situations with nonviolence of action, thought, and speech. We are on the side of goodness, let's reflect that. Because the ultimate goal is to cause enough stir to be invited back to the negotiation table.
* Finally, we must remember that the long term success of these marches is dependent on our resilience and persistence. We MUST be out there weekly in order to keep the flame alive. Continue organizing even past the 15th, even past the overturn of prop 8 and even past your own state's formal recognition of same-sex marriages.
Thank you so much to all of you for getting out there. Thank you to Soulforce Q's National Director Haven Herrin and legendary activist Ann Northrop for your incredible wisdom. Be safe everyone and remember we are all in this together.
In solidarity,
Brandon Rolph Kneefel
First and foremost, we are NOT a community of divisiveness-all races and religions are welcome. Mormons are NOT our enemy. Ignorance towards the Q community is the enemy-ideas, not people. It is always the role of the informed to educate. It is always our role to persistently develop relationships and dialogue with those who are ignorant to our cause.
Note: Q represents all who do not include themselves in the constructs of a hetero-normative patriarch, i.e. lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, intersex, ally, pansexual, polyamorous, and on.
Tomorrow tens and tens of thousands of us will reach the city hall steps in solidarity and we will re-launch the movement of the Q community as the world looks on. Let's do this right!
For many of you this may be your first march, rally, protest. For some pockets of America you will wish that you lived in Los Angeles or San Francisco, but please be strong, you are needed-from Alabama to Alaska, your voices, your hearts, and your truth need to be the brightest in the nation. Give your whole hearts to this. Trust your gut. I've trusted my gut in eight marches in eight days. When police tried to get us to keep moving, I sat down, and others followed. If you sit, or if you move, trust that others will follow. I recently had an empowering experience with film producer JD Disalvatore as we marched down Beverly blvd. and chose to sit down in the middle of the when we came to restaurant that supported prop 8 but acted as if they were friends of the community. We sat, and others followed despite the leaders of the marched urging us on. We only moved when we felt that arrest was a threat. These are the statements that ALSO need to be made. This is civil disobedience. Through our courage and conviction we will be heard.
More below the fold.
I had the pleasure of speaking to some of the greatest activists in our generation and this is some of their wisdom for making the best out of your rally:
* "Respect authority, but question it." -- Haven Herrin-Soulforce Q National Director.
You do not always have to immediately do as the authorities, be it police of community leaders, say to do if you are personally convicted to make a statement.
To all those leading a demonstration, here is some advice from one of the major players in civil disobedience for the past two generations, ACT UP's Ann Northrop:
"Think about the point of your demonstration. Who are you talking to? What are you trying to say? What are all your goals? Generally, the answer is that you're trying both to give the demonstrators a sense that they can work together safely and attain power, and you're trying to convince the public of the rightness of your opinion. We could all sit around forever debating how best to do any of that. I'd like to think that, instead of wasting our time on that debate, we can let those who want to get arrested, get arrested, those who want to demonstrate peacefully do that, and those who want to work in other ways do that. Let's stop criticizing each other and just get on with it."
* Police: They do NOT want to arrest anyone. Remember this. They are required by law to give a warning. For me, I will be civilly disobedient until there is a human to human confirmation, from police officer to me, that if I don't do as they say I may be arrested.
* Media: if there are media at your rally, find the rally organizers to make initial comments. If you are asked to make statements by the media, make sure to focus on your individual experience. Stay clear of fact-giving, as this could turn against us, and feel free to decline any questions. This will prove to be most impactful and consistent with our overall statement of love and equality.
* Nonviolence: The success of our movement depends on the idea that we must present our concerns in the same ways as Gandhi and MLK. We should never appear ill-composed, we should never aim to strike fear into the hearts of those we feel wronged us. We should always come at these situations with nonviolence of action, thought, and speech. We are on the side of goodness, let's reflect that. Because the ultimate goal is to cause enough stir to be invited back to the negotiation table.
* Finally, we must remember that the long term success of these marches is dependent on our resilience and persistence. We MUST be out there weekly in order to keep the flame alive. Continue organizing even past the 15th, even past the overturn of prop 8 and even past your own state's formal recognition of same-sex marriages.
Thank you so much to all of you for getting out there. Thank you to Soulforce Q's National Director Haven Herrin and legendary activist Ann Northrop for your incredible wisdom. Be safe everyone and remember we are all in this together.
In solidarity,
Brandon Rolph Kneefel
Monday, November 10, 2008
Can I vent a little here?
I am sorry to be cranky about all of this Protesting the Passage of Prop 8 - but seriously, could you all have gotten this worked up BEFORE the damn thing passed (and I know many of you did so I am not talking to you)?
Yeah, I am a little tired of the Monday morning quarterbacking on the campaign front, but since I was just co-chair (along with the irrepressible Merrie Schaller) of my county’s local campaign and worked against Prop 8 since the day after I married my spouse (June 21st) I am pissed that it took the passage of damn thing to get people up off their asses and do something in large numbers. I watched people plan weddings and honeymoons and were gone from working on the campaign. Cath and I spent our honeymoon working on the campaign, so others would be able to marry after November 4th - others made a much different choice. We will have a big wedding later on and a fabulous honeymoon, but AFTER we have marriage equality for everyone.
My county had 70% turnout of voters and 71% of those that voted voted No on 8. Now 8 years ago, this county defeated Prop 22 with 59% of vote. We knew that if we did NO local campaign that number would repeat itself, but we also knew that we had to offset in the inland county in votes.
The state campaign focused too much on undecided voters and failed to energize its base. We did both and we were successful. If every county (on the coast) had done what we did - boost turnout among our base with the help of local groups like the unions and local Dems and reach undecided voters, we would have won statewide.
I spent so much time on this campaign (and not nearly enough time too) that I am exhausted, sitting on a couch in my living room with a cold during my first vacation in nine months and just annoyed. I am glad that people are getting involved and nationwide at that, but I don't know when I am going to be able to jump back in again.
Sigh. Maybe it is my turn to take a break, and let someone else carry this burden a little ways.
Hey! Did you see that our president is black? How good is that on top of all the other good things about him (not that he is perfect, but he is really good)?
Yeah, I am a little tired of the Monday morning quarterbacking on the campaign front, but since I was just co-chair (along with the irrepressible Merrie Schaller) of my county’s local campaign and worked against Prop 8 since the day after I married my spouse (June 21st) I am pissed that it took the passage of damn thing to get people up off their asses and do something in large numbers. I watched people plan weddings and honeymoons and were gone from working on the campaign. Cath and I spent our honeymoon working on the campaign, so others would be able to marry after November 4th - others made a much different choice. We will have a big wedding later on and a fabulous honeymoon, but AFTER we have marriage equality for everyone.
My county had 70% turnout of voters and 71% of those that voted voted No on 8. Now 8 years ago, this county defeated Prop 22 with 59% of vote. We knew that if we did NO local campaign that number would repeat itself, but we also knew that we had to offset in the inland county in votes.
The state campaign focused too much on undecided voters and failed to energize its base. We did both and we were successful. If every county (on the coast) had done what we did - boost turnout among our base with the help of local groups like the unions and local Dems and reach undecided voters, we would have won statewide.
I spent so much time on this campaign (and not nearly enough time too) that I am exhausted, sitting on a couch in my living room with a cold during my first vacation in nine months and just annoyed. I am glad that people are getting involved and nationwide at that, but I don't know when I am going to be able to jump back in again.
Sigh. Maybe it is my turn to take a break, and let someone else carry this burden a little ways.
Hey! Did you see that our president is black? How good is that on top of all the other good things about him (not that he is perfect, but he is really good)?
Friday, October 24, 2008
Death and Anniversaries
One of my co-workers took her own life.
We were told this morning and then we all had to figure out how to get through the day knowing that she wasn't coming back on Monday.
It makes me very sad and frustrated. It is such a terrible loss to her family and friends. I would not count myself one of her friends, but I was certainly a fan and not just because she loved my baking skills.
It is especially poignant given that yesterday marked the 10-year anniversary of my own suicide attempt.
10 years ago, on October 23rd, 1998, I tried to commit suicide. I don't know if I really wanted to die, I know that I just wanted the pain to stop.
Since then, I have worked every day to be a different person then the person in the ER that day. I think I have done a pretty good job at accomplishing that goal too.
Ten years ago, I was working in theatre, but still half-closeted. I was severely depressed and could not imagine a way out. I was struggling in practically every area of my life.
Today, I am a lawyer. I have a great job that I love going to every day. I am married, and most days, when I am not worrying over losing a fundamental civil right, I am happy.
Sometimes, I can't believe this is my life. A life I created through blood, sweat and often miserable toil, but I have it.
We were told this morning and then we all had to figure out how to get through the day knowing that she wasn't coming back on Monday.
It makes me very sad and frustrated. It is such a terrible loss to her family and friends. I would not count myself one of her friends, but I was certainly a fan and not just because she loved my baking skills.
It is especially poignant given that yesterday marked the 10-year anniversary of my own suicide attempt.
10 years ago, on October 23rd, 1998, I tried to commit suicide. I don't know if I really wanted to die, I know that I just wanted the pain to stop.
Since then, I have worked every day to be a different person then the person in the ER that day. I think I have done a pretty good job at accomplishing that goal too.
Ten years ago, I was working in theatre, but still half-closeted. I was severely depressed and could not imagine a way out. I was struggling in practically every area of my life.
Today, I am a lawyer. I have a great job that I love going to every day. I am married, and most days, when I am not worrying over losing a fundamental civil right, I am happy.
Sometimes, I can't believe this is my life. A life I created through blood, sweat and often miserable toil, but I have it.
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