Let Freedom Ring.

In the world of words, out there today, Charles Blow urges Americans to feed themselves on what we've learned from the past ...

Anger provides too low a return on investment. It consumes a tremendous amount of energy, but yields little progress. Instead, we should each take this opportunity to listen to the “I Have a Dream” speech once more, paying particular attention to how the echoes of yesterday’s struggles reverberate in our present struggles, and to recommit ourselves to the nobility of righteous pursuits.

... and the voiceless Roger Ebert brings it home, remembering how much louder the bells in the public square are ringing today, than when his mother worked for a lesbian couple back in the 70s :

My mother loved this job. She already knew half the people who came in, and made friends with the rest. She made observations about Dee and Dollie: "They live in the same building." Then: "Dee and Dollie invited me over for dinner. They're roommates." Eventually a telephone call: "Honey, you'll never guess this! Dee and Dollie just announced their engagement!"

Me: "What does that mean?"

My mother: "I don't know. I don't see how they can get married. But they gave each other the nicest rings."
...
My mother confided that Dee and Dollie had asked her to be one of their maids of honor.

"My land! I was never so surprised in my life!"

"What did you say?"

"I told them of course I would. They've both been so nice to me."

"What kind of a marriage is it going to be?"

"It can't be a church wedding, that's for sure. One of their friends is some kind of a minister, and he's going to perform the ceremony in somebody's back yard. I've been helping them with their wedding plans, because they don't seem to know the first thing about planning a wedding."
...
Now the idea of gay marriage is much before us. They've been made legal in some states. They are fiercely opposed, most often on religious grounds. Politicians find it prudent to play to both sides of the street by saying they "have no opposition to civil ceremonies." I'm disappointed in Obama for taking that approach. He supports the civil rights but opposes gay marriage while citing his church's teachings. At least you can't accuse him of catering to his base.

I would have preferred that he'd added that a religious marriage is a matter for each church, but that the state should make no distinction in the matter of a civil ceremony.

Make it a great Saturday !