Love, Tears and a Whole Bunch of Freedom

 

 

Lots of things have happened in the last few weeks that make this liberal witch’s heart both proud and broken. On the proud side, SCOTUS effectively legalized same-sex marriage in all fifty states. Love won. Another proud moment: a Socialist/Independent is running for President as a Democrat and everyone knows about the Socialist part and he’s speaking to overflow crowds everywhere he goes. And about the whole Socialist aspect of his politics? Evidently the country has had enough of the hate filled conservative party, and might not be too certain of some in the Democratic Party either. We all harassed Liz, hoping that she’d jump in, but she’s busy taking care of the country as a Senator so at this point, her populist influence will continue to enhance the conversation. And then we have Hillary. Fabulous woman. So far, it’s been a joy to watch her toy with the media. This election will be a lesson on the power of women. Hillary is standing in her own power, and it’s a sight to behold. Bush has no idea what being a decider is. Hillary, not to minimize her success as an attorney, First Lady, Senator, and Secretary of State, is a Mom, and now a Grandma. Best step out of her way.

My heart broke as we all learned of a mass murder at Mother Emanuel Church, an act of domestic terrorism on family, because that’s what we are..family. But then both a more nuanced conversation began happening as well as a more direct one surrounding race in this country. President Obama, while delivering his eulogy of Reverand Clementa Pinckney and the other blessed souls who gave their lives that day, suggested that the killer didn’t know God was using him for a purpose far higher than he intended. That boy just didn’t understand that, with all the hate spilling out of him. The families forgave him, something he also didn’t anticipate. I still cry at that one, spiritual teachers, all. And while state legislators were trying to decide when to have the discussion to set the time for the potential meeting to discuss the possibility of showing some respect for all those lives destroyed by racism, segregation, and slavery by taking down the confederate flag, a beautiful woman named Bree Newsome climbed the flagpole at the state capitol and took down that damn flag. She was immediately, and happily it seemed, arrested as she climbed down, all the while reciting scripture as she did. She stood up for what was right, and I applaud her.

It’s darkest before the dawn, it’s said. Black churches are burning. Protest rallies in support of flying the confederate flag will take place this weekend. Voter suppression efforts are continuing as the Supreme Court tells one state no. How that will affect other states’ efforts to control the outcome of future elections seems irrelevant at this point given that some of these same states are signalling they’re not interested in issuing same-sex marriage licenses. They’re only interested in outcomes that serve their own position.

On the freedom side of things, today is the first day when cannabis is legal in Oregon. Even with the bumpy road our state legislature has chosen to travel on the issue, irritating voters in the process (we’ll remember come the next election, folks), we can grow it, consume it, share it, and that feels pretty great. It doesn’t really affect me as an OMMP patient, but my husband is thrilled. The sun is shining on my girls, my bees are visiting them, and life is a whole lot more interesting in the garden.

Instead of trying to tear everything down, how about focusing on things that make everything better? What the voices of hate don’t understand, like the killer of the nine blessed souls at Mother Emanuel, is that the rest of us aren’t going away. We’re building in intensity and we’ll overcome everything you try to do. And we won’t stop until love replaces your hate. We’re on a roll. We’re climbing that flag pole and bringing down the hate filled ideology that’s kept this country from being all that our constitution defines it as. Liberty and justice for all means something. It’s not just for some, it’s for all. We need to let go of the division. We need to embrace unity. Our potential together is so much greater than apart.

We could start by legalizing cannabis federally. Trust me, you don’t feel like arguing with someone you’ve just shared a pipe with. Lots of smiling, good conversation, laughing…pretty soon, you discover you actually like each other…no telling where we might go from there..

~Blessed be our One Family