19 posts from January 2008

Sean and Stefan say...

The McFreeds are off with Stefan's brother Andy, his wife Amy, and their daughter Sarah to visit the Magic Kingdom (that's Disney World folks!) in Florida this week!  We will return with more opinions and stories next week!

Sean shouts...

GO PATRIOTS!!!

Sean says sadly...

It was only 5 days ago that I announced that I would be voting for John Edwards in the Democratic Presidential Primary. Sadly, John Edwards announced his withdrawl from the race today, January 30, 2008.  He returned to where it all started, New Orleans, in order to honor his commitment to a new war on poverty.  All the comments I have heard both from friends and commentators alike is that he was a principled, decent guy who had great ideas. I guess respect of the mind is a great way to be remembered as you leave. What I find sad is that a man who was a leader on issues in this campaign was beaten by celebrity and oration rather than true facts and strong solutions. A bitter comment, of course; but a bitter reality of how our system works. Americans ask for change but in the end we vote for who is familiar and who is the better show horse even if that horse can't run. With that here is a clip of John Edwards saying thank you to his supporters as he departs the race, not the political scene we hope.  

Sean says...

Stefan and I were talking this evening and the conversation came around to the crazy antics of my mother, Jacque, at various times of her life. Fellow neighbor Duck told a hysterical story in his blog about a case of mistaken identity that he and his partner Trent experienced while out on the town. Well! Stefan reminded me about how Jacque has her own tale!

I will never forget taking Mom in January 2003 to see The Hours with Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, and Julianne Moore. In the middle of a dramatic scene between Moore and Claire Danes, Mom started pointing at the screen anxiously and miserably failed at whispering "It's Suzanne Duckworth!" After calming her down and pointing out that she was not whispering but talking in an outdoor voice, I informed her it was NOT my sister Holly's girlhood friend Suzanne but Danes. To this day I don't think she beleives me despite the evidence to the contrary and the telling of this tale many times at parties.

So to Suzanne wherever you are, here is to you! Jacque remembers!  

Sean says...

John Edwards is my choice for the 2008 Democratic Party Presidential Nomination.

Change is not something you represent, it is something you do. This election season we Americans have the opportunity again to make a change in who is president of our nation. The challenge to select a candidate in 2008 is to choose one for who they are rather than who they are not. The other candidates physically represent change, but are they a change from the norm? Is what they are saying a strong vision? Are they offering valuable solutions to America's problems that are innovative or even correct? 

Edwards has always swayed me since 2004 with his talk of the Two Americas. Under President George W. Bush, our nation has focused on national security issues because of the reaction to the horrible disaster on September 11, 2001. However, the struggle of every American to realize their American dream economically immediately took a back seat.  It took the tragedy of New Orleans to expose us to the tragedy of our own economic strata. And it has taken the collapse of our housing market nationwide to realize that Americans are thinking more about consumption than future.  It is Edwards who saw this in 2004 and he continues to build on it as the nation and the world is ravaged by economic change.  He is the true inheritor of Robert F. Kennedy's mantle. 

Bobby Kennedy said once, "Some men see things as they are and say 'Why?' I dream things that never were and say, 'Why not?'" I beleive John Edwards emulates this visionary statement George Bernard Shaw penned and Bobby Kennedy strived to make us follow. Bobby was struck down before his moment was realized, but its John's time now. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are the exciting candidates of the media and are unfortunately catching the curiosity of the camera.  But John is still there fighting. It is his belief in his own message, himself, and the nature of the discriminating voter that John Edwards will build his coalition and take the prize. 

Why does John deserve to be OUR president?

1) An economic plan that makes sense and is integrated with real numbers and real goals that meshes agriculture, energy, health care, and trade into a sensible idea that includes all Americans.

2) A renewed call for a war on poverty to improve ours and our neighbors lives and opportunities for our children's future. (If you watch any clip this is the one to help you decide if he is good enough.)

3) A strong commitment to ending the war in Iraq.

But how does he help families like Stefan and mine? Edwards is for civil unions but understands that our issues are more than just some sort of legal partnership, dare I say legally recognized marriage. It is about job discrimination and financial security that our gay and lesbian community require to also survive not unlike the greater community does. But what about his "journey" and comfortability with gay and lesbians in general that many have asked questions about? How does he differ from the other candidates?  He differs because he is questioning his own faith and soul about the issue of marriage in general. How many presidents really have said that?  And with the fact that he surrounds himself with people like his wife Elizabeth and others who support our causes, I beleive he is getting closer in his decision. But in the overall stance on our issues, my own faith tells me that he will be the one to lead our nation into changing more than the others. Humility of self is more important in my president.

We all have to make a choice. Some might feel that Edwards should just give it up based on recent results. But we still have many states to go through and many tests to meet over the next month. Great oration without substance does not a great president make. Edwards has the oration and substance to inspire us and lead us to greatness. It is recognizing that leadership over the directing of who matters in this race by the media that will lead to change. I hope you will change with me and vote John Edwards for President.    

...my campaign for Edwards now begins by trying to convince Stefan who is still undecided.

 

 

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  What's your strongest memory or impression of King's contributions?

Sean and Stefan say...

Rather than talk about MLK Jr.'s many specific accomplishments, we want to talk about what MLK Jr. stood for in terms of eliminating prejudice. With that, here is a story that Stefan's own mother relayed to us. It proves that when exposed, prejudice can be killed by a sharp wit and a quick mind.

In the early 1970s, Carolyn was attending a bowling league event, when one of the women from another team approached her and said, "Carolyn, you never told me you were Jewish! I thought all Jews had horns."  Carolyn looked at her, waited a beat, smiled, and quietly said, "Oh, I had those removed years ago.  That's why I wear my hair long now to cover the scars."  Through humor and sarcasm, Carolyn exposed this neighbor's prejudice and killed it in the light of day. The woman blushed and never commented about it again.

This comment reminds us of our own situation.  Many a time people have asked one of us about something and we have turned it back with a quick comment that only embarrasses the questioner with their own silliness.  One thing that is always asked is "Is he gay?" which is usually met with "I didn't see his name mentioned in the last newsletter, but I'll keep checking for you."  In the end, those people either became better friends or at least respected us more because they realize that when you get down to it, we are all just individuals who live life in a multitude of ways. 

MLK Jr. stood not only for the fight against racism against African-Americans, but dedicated his life to eradicating all prejudice - gender, anti-Semitism, homophobia, xenophobia, and against all races (including white/caucasian).  Because, regardless of background, we are all guilty of prejudice, and we must fight it together to live in peace in the nation and on this Earth. That is what we celebrate today.

 

Carolyn as she looked in the early 1970s.  This shot was taken on a canal ride in Amsterdam.  Note the Marlo Thomas "That Girl" flip 'do - it certainly hid her "scars" well!

Sean cheers loudly (as Stefan continues his geneology in the other room not caring about football)...

THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS DID IT!!!!!!! 

They won the NFL AFC Championship Game today 21 - 12 versus the San Diego Chargers (sorry Papa Ed) to advance to their fourth Super Bowl in seven years! Quarterback Tom Brady could have been better (Tom what's with the 3 interceptions!), but the defense rocked expecially the usual suspect linebackers.  So now on to Arizona and Super Bowl XLII!!!!

Of course they are taking on the New York Giants who defeated the Green Bay Packers in overtime 23 - 20. Can anyone say rematch? Yes the Pats are going to play the same team they did to go 16 - 0 to see if they can match the 1972 Miami Dolphins feat of going through the regular season and post-season undefeated. They already have become now the first team to win 18 games in a season!

I know many don't want it to happen, but it must! We'll all find out February 3 in Arizona!  Question is since Stefan and I are going to Florida then do I bring my new rally monkey (that Stefan gave me for my birthday and was critical in the 4th quarter) along with my Patriots jersey so I make sure ALL lucky items are with me for the game when we watch it at Stefan's brother Andy's house???!!!

Congrats to the Pats!!!

(Stefan pops his head in from the other room and asks "Is Will and Grace on?")  

Sean says...

For Xmas, I had all the Super 8 and regular 8mm home movies my parents made from 1971 to about 1982 put on dvd.  So I have been reminiscing about the old times playing with sisters Holly and Mikelle. I thought I would take the time and spotlight each of them for a minute... so here goes the one for Mikelle!

It's so weird that she is my little sister. Holly and I called her the "Yeah Girl" because she would always follow up whichever sibling she was siding with at the time with a loud "YEAH!"  When you have three it always was broken into pairs. One of the most cherished pictures that I will EVER own is the one below with Mikelle dressed in her orange parka with the fake fur hood at our old home in the woods of Northern Virginia (we call it the Yellow House Painted Gray). I know her son Zachary will love it as much as I do. I look at it to smile sometimes through bad times and good.  So here's to you my day glow eskimo!  I love you. (Cue blush from Mikelle and maybe a tear.)  

Sean says...

As I posted before here, Stefan and I are trying to figure out who to support on the Democratic side and so we have been watching the debates when we can. Hence, we watched the Democratic debate in Nevada this week. I could post the whole debate here to be a little more inclusive, but I will be "bad" and do some editing on my own. I thought this was a great debate in terms of telling what the candidates are about. I am reposting about it to link the parts of the debate I felt moved me toward Clinton and Edwards and further away from Obama.  I will say I will support the Democratic nominee regardless, unless an viable independent alternative is made available.  Stefan, I believe, will as well.

This is the part of the debate that I think really swayed my thinking. Unfortunately, you can't forward to the specific parts easily so start the first video at the 3 minute mark and let run. Start the second video from beginning. The points bridge across the end of Part 3 and the beignning of Part 4 of the segments. (Further segments are also available on YouTube.) These parts deal with how these three would run the country.  Perspective and method are big failings of our current commander-in-chief and I think we need to ask these questions about how he or she will approach the position and judge for ourselves, like in an interview, who is the best candidate to hire.

 

 

Stefan and Sean present...

Our friend Dennis (along with other friends who know who they are) convinced us to dress up this past Halloween as the Dick-In-The-Box guys from Saturday Night Live and participate in a karaoke contest at a local gay bar in Baltimore.  His excuse? To show off his new costume as a band member of KISS, the 1970s and 1980s rock band with the crazy make-up. We chronicled this adventure in a November blog here. He did such a great job that this straight married man won 1st place at the gay bar but also at his wife Althea's office Christmas party.

So as part of some "shameless" promotion of Dennis' "act" here are a few live examples of his work capture on video. Luckily Sean's karaoke performance of ABBA's Take A Chance On Me (his first try at it) was not recorded for the ages. So here is he is, Dennis!

 

 

Dennis would like it known he is available for birthday and office parties, bar and bat mitzvahs, and bachelorette bar crawls in the Baltimore/Washington DC Area. Rock on!

Sean says...

Stefan and I watched the Nevada Democratic Presidential Debate the other night and was struck by the real substance that was discussed here. In both our minds Hillary Clinton was the most commanding. Edwards did a great job of contrasting although NBC's/MSNBC's Tim Russert and Brian Williams were unfair with their distribution of questions, mainly leaving him out through the first portion mainly (this was the portion where the two hosts were taking on Clinton and Obama with the race discussion).  What questioning struck me the most was the discussion on what the candidates strengths and weaknesses are and the discussion of whether the president should be a chief operating officer of the government.

Obama said he was a great visionary and coordinator of disparate sides while being weak in his own personal organizational skills, requiring assistance in managing paper and details around his desk. Hillary said she was a passionate champion for many causes and knew how to organize efforts to move things along, but her weakness was her vigilence was sometimes seen as too impatience and inconsiderate of others speed in acting on their commitments in moving forward. Edwards said he was a born fighter. He was someone who fought all his life to get where he is from menial beginnings, but he thought his weakness is that he is too empathetic of those he meets one-on-one and it makes him more angry when he tries and pursues change. I thought this was very honest and very true of each. Each is a leader even though you may have a different opinion. However, Obama has some substance issues, Hillary is seen as too strident, and Edwards is scene as too much of a pitbull lawyer.

On the question of the Chief Operating Officer, Obama began the answering which was precipitated by his own comments to a newspaper board in Reno. Obama felt that the president should be a visionary leader who sets the bar to reach and selects the right people to manage it. The president isn't a micromanager. Clinton disagreed and said teh president is a visionary leader, a goal setter, and the manager of the bureaucracy - because vision goes no where unless you manage the bureaucracy to change and hold it accountable. Edwards followed with Hillary's line of answering.

This in my mind was a HUGE tell of who I am voting for. Hillary began to look presidential to me here and continued with that strength the rest of the debate. She really impressed me more than she ever has. Edwards also has pulled me along. I like how Edwards is a fighter and Hillary is an advocate. I just don't see from looking at Obama's past how he is either. Incredible oration does not a president make - just ask William Jennings Bryan. Plus in survey after survey I seem to be trending Edwards in blind questions about candidate positions. However, Hillary got me with her experience debate and the thought of "Nixon opening China" belief.  So what I am saying is that I think Obama does not have a chance at my vote in the primary period at this point. Maryland votes Feb 12, so I will pick my final choice at that time regardless of who has momentum.

Stefan will I am sure post his own thoughts in a separate blog... I am just he mouthiest of the two of us on politics. (smirk followed by dimple twist to the cheek).

 

Side note: I saw this comment by David Gergen on CNN.com after this debate. I thought this was a great sign that he and others will seek the death of a hated military practice to the gay community.  

A post-script to last night's Democratic debate: Clinton, Edwards and Obama each told Tim Russert they would enforce laws requiring universities to allow military recruiters on campus. As a long-time advocate of restoring ROTC to major universities, I just want to add that a huge stumbling block now is the "don't ask, don't tell" policy of the military, which is seen at many schools as highly discriminatory against gays and lesbians. If that is amended -- as growing numbers in the military think should happen -- we will have a much better chance of persuading schools to honor service in the armed forces in the ways that they should.