Laughing and Crying

DOMA overturned! Oppressive women's health care laws denied! Corporate America Putting Its Money Where Its Mouth Is! Voters' Rights Acts...oh...wait a minute. I.D. laws... Immigration reform... *sigh*

It's been a week, hasn't it? We take such great strides, and manage to fall backwards at the same time. How do we do this? 

I am thrilled about DOMA. I am. But it leaves so very much undone. There are still states where marriage equality doesn't exist, even now, under these new federal guidelines. And what about ENDA? What about the rights of transgendered men and women? What about the homelessness and violence and fear that stalk LGBTQ people every day that really make being able to be legally wed, in some states, seem not terribly important?

Wendy Davis is my new heroine. She should be everybody's new heroine. But she's not. Why was what she did necessary in the first place? And how fast is Rick Perry going to reconvene a special session to undo her remarkable feat? 

As for our "post-racial society," I'd really like to see it. Because funny enough, we continue to look, sound, and legislate like a society that is pretty damn racial. On one hand, company after company has dropped their association with Paula Deen (and particular kudos to Food Network, for continuing to do the social justice thing the right way ~ subtly, quietly, as if it is simply a fact and the norm). On the other hand, that Voters Rights Act that got decimated? That i.d. law that got overturned? Those aren't about the white folks.

ARGH! I don't mean to be a downer. I don't intend to rain on anyone's parade. Again, some really exciting, really thrilling things happened this week. It just concerns me that we don't always see what's left over, what gets slipped in under the cover of the party. Or worse, what we ignore because the party is more important. 

It's all important. The good, and yes, the bad.

It's been quite a week.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.