Sunday, July 8, 2012

Mazel tov

The Frank - Ready Wedding

US Representative Barney Frank ( D -Mass. 4th ) wed long time boyfriend Jim Ready yesterday .The civil ceremony preformed by Massachusetts Governor Deval Pratrick in front of 300 friends, family and colleagues  was held at the Marriott in Newton Massachusetts.
Mr. Frank, who is retiring from Congress after this term, where he has served since 1981 met Mr. Ready, a small business owner , in 2005 at a campaign rally. 
Guests at Saturday’s wedding included US Senator John F. Kerry, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California; US Representative John F. Tierney, a Salem Democrat; US Representative Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat; and US Representative Al Green, a Texas Democrat who served with Frank on the House Financial Services Committee.

Both grooms wore black tuxedos from by Joseph Abboud, which Mr. Frank noted is a union shop.
After a wedding trip to Helen, Ga, the newlyweds plan to reside in Boston, and in Ogenquit, Maine.
Full wedding from the Sunday NYT
Yeah, I just made up the Helen, Ga. Part.

In the perfect world that lives inside my head, the above is all there is to the story. If you read some of the comments on this story, which for good reason is everywhere this morning, you realize pretty fast that it is not a perfect world. I have no doubt that all of that would be water off a ducks back to the happy couple. Been there and done that.....
Could there be a more red meat story for the right wing out there ? Come on , this is Taxachusetts uber liberal Barney Frank - and he JUST got gay married. Other than the cave dwellers that inhabit all internet comment rooms, NOT really a peep out there. War is over, the dusty uniforms put in the trunk in the attic for the grandkids to pull out and play dress up with years down the road. Sure, the cases that are steaming towards the Supreme Court could throw all of our advancements out, but I very seriously doubt it. This toothpaste is not going back into that tube.

Time changed - right in front of us. An openly gay sitting member of the US House just legally married his  - now husband, and were toasted by the leader of the Democratic party, the ex Speaker of the House - WITH the blessings of the POTUS.
ka-boom.

For all sorts of odd reasons, I had a long.... long ........ conversation with a TWENTY year old out and proud gay man the other night. ( and this time, I really could say, " yes, I have shoes older than you " ) It was one of the most mind blowing experiences of my life. That a human brain could at 20 years old - know things, accept things, want things/ ideas - demand things from life was almost impossibly eye opening to me. The way this young man views the world AND the way the world views this young man, could NOT be more different than my world view / experiences in what - 1982.
Part of this is my total refusal to believe that anyone under 30 could ever possibly have any worth or be in any way interested in an opinion of anyone young - so I don't seek out our listen to the " youths of today "; and part of it is - just that time has changed.

There is no isolation anymore, someone 20 today has really never known a universe with out the internet - with out a click of a mouse putting you in touch with people just like you . That is some powerful stuff, that I think you can really gloss over , forget about as we live out our lives online. The Closet would have been as foreign to this kid as sprouting wings and flying away.
There is also no bento boxing of his brain - he lives his life totally - what - what is the word/idea I want ? assimilated? Not really - I'm not sure of the term - it is all still a little new to me. And yes, it was a major  " you kids get off my lawn " moment.

Let's just not over think this one - for now, and wish the happy couple many years of wedded bliss!

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