The "WE DO" demonstration was today in both Greenville and Asheville... and we had a pretty good-sized group for the upstate. Over a hundred folks; I am SO proud of us!
And only one lone heckler, who instructed us to read Romans Chapter 1. (I guess the rain was a mixed blessing.) There were five Greenville Occupiers in attendance.
We started at the Warehouse Theater and marched over to Greenville County Square. Six couples attempted to get marriage licenses as we quietly witnessed outside; some prayed. When the couples emerged, we applauded and cheered.
At least one couple was already married in their home state, but are not regarded as legally married here in South Carolina, where they currently reside.
It was invigorating! Hope you like my photos (at left and below) of the demonstration; the last two were taken inside the Warehouse Theater. (As always, you can click to enlarge.)
Gay, lesbian couples denied marriage licenses in Greenville
Written by Ron Barnett
Greenville News staff writerMore than 100 supporters turned out on a drizzly morning to support half a dozen gay and lesbian couples who attempted — and were denied — to apply for marriage licenses at Greenville County Square.
Ongoing YouTube account of the Southern Campaign here.
The event was aimed at drawing attention to South Carolina’s marriage laws, which allow only heterosexual couples to marry.
“In May of 2011 we were able to go to Washington, D.C., and get married,” Ra’Shawn Barlow-Flournoy told marriage license clerk Elizabeth Robinson. “And we just wish that we could be able to come back home to South Carolina and be able to have the same rights as everyone else.”
The event was organized by the Campaign for Southern Equality and was the fourth of nine stops at courthouses in six states. The group was headed to Asheville after leaving Greenville.
The Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, executive director of the organization, urged the group which gathered at the Warehouse Theatre on Augusta Street afterward to continue to work to change people’s minds in a nation that allows gay marriage in some states and not in others.
“It’s immoral and it’s illogical and it’s unsustainable, and it’s got to change,” she told the cheering group.
Please check them out on Twitter and elsewhere on the net, and lend your support. The South needs you!
~*~
Friday, January 11, 2013
Campaign for Southern Equality
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Asheville Comic Expo
... was small, but mighty. Yesterday at the Asheville Civic Center, North Carolina.
Apparently, delightful Fanaticon (photos here and here) is no more, and thus, the Asheville Comic Expo was launched. Photos below, and as always, you can click to enlarge.
Special shout-out for Kitsch and Crossbones (first photo), from whom I bought the cutest skull-pin ever... also, a special hello to Cassie Hart Kelly (second photo), my favorite artist at the Con.
Enjoy!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Wall Street Mocks Protesters By Drinking Champagne
I think this pretty much sums it up, doesn't it? Thanks to Bint for the video.
Also: Occupy Asheville has kicked off.
And: My radio podcast from WFIS today.
Hope your weekend is good!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Warrant: Mother Blames Ghost For Hatchet Killings
Image at left from Purple Moon Galleries.
I suppose it was only a matter of time before someone blamed a ghost for an actual crime... but hatchet murders?
That's some scary ghost.
Warrant: Mother Blames Ghost For Hatchet KillingsASHEVILLE, N.C. -- A 33-year-old mother accused of killing her two young daughters with a hatchet and then trying to kill herself told investigators that a ghost killed her children, according to a warrant.
A day ago, they were blaming the medication.
The murder warrant against Naiyana Patel also said that she has said she does not want to live and she did not want surgery for her head injuries.
On Saturday, Patel's husband, Lalji Patel, returned home from work to find his daughters, 7-year-old Jiya and 4-year-old Piya, dead and their mother seriously injured.
Police said Naiyana Patel struck herself in the head repeatedly with the hatchet after she killed the girls.
Relatives said Naiyana was being treated for depression after a pregnancy she did not carry to full term, and, at some point she switched medication because the initial prescription did not seem to help.
Investigators removed the medication from the home during the investigation. Relatives said the children's funeral is planned Thursday.
After undergoing surgery, Naiyana was listed in serious but stable condition at Mission Hospital.
Police said she was transferred from the intensive care unit to a regular room. They're waiting to find out when she will be released from the hospital before deciding how to proceed.
Lt. Wallace Welch said it depends on how forthcoming Patel is with information. Welch said there is a possibility she could go straight from the hospital to the jail.
A memorial service for the family only is set for Thursday at the Groce Funeral Home from noon until 2 p.m.
A community event will be set for Thursday at 6 p.m. in the ball field behind Oakley Elementary School, the school Jiya attended.
Welch said the public event will celebrate the lives of Jiya and her sister, Piya.
Pretty shocking stuff for a peaceful town like Asheville.
My novenas are with the children and other survivors.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Casey Anthony trial, Part I
I haven't been addicted to a good murder trial since Phil Spector's... and I blame my daughter for calling me on the phone to warn me I was missing Casey Anthony's crocodile tears (at left) and I'd surely regret it. So I turned it on and... yeah, you know what happened. I've been tuned in ever since opening arguments.
Typically, Casey is blaming daddy for her messed-up mind, and the defense is asserting that her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, drowned and the entire family covered it up. It's a stretch, but that's the story, and they are sticking to it.
All the Ann Rule books (particularly Small Sacrifices) that kept me entertained (for decades!) have prepared me for watching this sordid trial of mother-love gone berserk. For instance, I immediately noticed that Casey sobbed when opening arguments referred to her own bad treatment at the hands of her father. And yet she remains stoic and unemotional when witnesses say things like, "... and then a skull rolled out of the garbage bag"... excuse me, say what?! This is your baby, and you sit there like a stone when they talk about her skull rolling out of a bag? (Jesus H. Christ, that looks so bad.) But that very intense brand of narcissism is fairly typical in murderers, and was present in both Diane Downs and Debora Green. (For Casey's sake, I hope nobody on the jury has been reading Ann Rule.)
Anybody else watching? Opinions? What did you think of dad on the witness stand today?
~*~
Although thoroughly unemployed, I've been chugging along... reorganizing drawers, catching up on tarot readings for friends and fans, re-commencing hiking and yoga (I now need Yoga for Cynics more than ever!), repairing old jewelry and vintage clothing... and watching Casey Anthony sob over her sorry-ass life. I'm also reading Robert Stone's fabulous memoir PRIME GREEN, and it IS nice to have some time to read for a change.
Speaking of reading, if you have some free time, here you go:
The "Alternative" Female Actress, And Why Hollywood Has So Few Of Them (Jezebel)
Focus on the Family Head: "We've Probably Lost" on Gay Marriage (Mother Jones)
Stop the Execution of Roy Davis! (Amnesty International Alert)
Great American Patriots (Glenn Greenwald/Salon)
Required reading for movie fans: The Dying of the Light (by Roger Ebert), which addresses the fact that films are growing ever-darker due to the accompanying rise of 3-D. (Thanks to Erik Loomis at Alterdestiny for the link.) I recently noticed that THOR was somewhat dark (of course Mr Daisy forced me to go see THOR), even though we skipped on the 3D and went to the regular showing. We even talked about it afterwards; the film seemed darker than usual.
Ebert worries that the darkness is rapidly becoming the norm.
~*~
BTW, the wonderful Asheville-based blog ASHVEGAS linked my Fanaticon photos, and thank you!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Fanaticon!
At left: Superheroes welcome us to the con.
1) A very nice ewok welcomed us too, although her friend seemed rather hostile and just pointed weapons at everybody.
2) Ashtoberfest table, the Asheville Zombie Walk.
3) T-shirt reads, "You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be eaten."
4) From 2nd floor of the Asheville Art Museum (at Pack Square).
5) and 6) Attractive con attendees.
7) The Joker.
8) More attractive con attendees.
9) Folks perusing the thousands of comics on display.
10) A very polite and sensitive reminder.
11) Kids making stuff.
12) Face painting.
13) DEAD AIR's choice for Queen of the Con. :)
14) Poster featuring heroine of Olde Towne Comix.
15) Bobby Nash, a favorite comics-writer of Mr Daisy's. HI BOBBY!
16) Who you gonna call?
17) Answer to question in #16.
18) Folks in costumes outside the con.
19) T-shirt reads, "Zombie. Eat flesh." (modeled on SUBWAY logo: Eat Fresh)
20) Another shot from 2nd floor of museum.
21) Look at her eyes! Some kind of contact lenses made em look like cat's eyes, really cool.
22) Woman in #21, with mask on and accompanied by monster partner. Awesome costumes!
23) I didn't see which table this was, my apologies! Another great costume.
24) and 25) Of course, since this was Rapture weekend, some folks outside the con decided to offer their opinions.
According to the fellow holding the "Oh crap" sign, 6 people in Asheville were Raptured. But only 6. Hardly anybody noticed, he said. I told him I was going back to Greenville, which would probably be vacant. He told us we should probably just stay in Asheville, in that case.
But when we got back, everything looked the same to me. I guess this place isn't the buckle of the Bible Belt after all, huh? ;)
~*~
