A man worth listening to

I would love to have the opportunity to shake this man's hand.

Some historical reflection

Did you hear about the Louisiana justice of the peace who refused to sign a marriage license? He refused because he was concerned that the parents, who are of different races, would have a child.

He's not racist, he just doesn't believe in mixing the races "like that".

A few points:
1. If you don't believe in 'mixing races' and go so far as actively preventing it, guess what? You're racist.
2. It is no longer 1950.
3. He's concerned because, in his universe, people don't like interracial children:

Bardwell said he has discussed the topic with blacks and whites, along with witnessing some interracial marriages. He came to the conclusion that most of black society does not readily accept offspring of such relationships, and neither does white society, he said.

"There is a problem with both groups accepting a child from such a marriage," Bardwell said. "I think those children suffer and I won't help put them through it."

So, uh...I've got some bad news, I guess?
4. Seriously, it's not 1950.
5. Nor is it 1967, when we stopped doing stupid shit like that.
6. Says the justice:

"I've been a justice of the peace for 34 years and I don't think I've mistreated anybody," Bardwell said. "I've made some mistakes, but you have too. I didn't tell this couple they couldn't get married. I just told them I wouldn't do it."

Well, my read on it is slightly different, in that I read the situation as you're being a dick who's blatantly breaking the law because you're racist. And saying "no, I won't marry you because I'm a racist dick" is indeed mistreating people.
7. My god, am I actually compiling a list of "things that are wrong with denying people a marriage license based on race"? In 2009? Nearly a year after we elected a black president? What the hell?
8. He also says:

"I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way," Bardwell told the Associated Press on Thursday. "I have piles and piles of black friends. They come to my home, I marry them, they use my bathroom. I treat them just like everyone else."

..."Piles and piles?" He lets black people use his bathroom, therefore he's not racist? What the hell, does he think we'd otherwise assume he's got his own little Jim Crow setup at his house? Or that if he happens to have black visitors (which, somehow, I imagine isn't as frequently as he's trying to express) he makes them go piss in the backyard? The "I'm not racist, I have ________ friends" argument isn't particularly meaningful to begin with, but his phrasing is just baffling.

...

I adore The Onion.

I don't question God. The Lord is my Shepherd and I shall put none above Him. Which is why I know that if it were part of God's plan for me to stop viciously condemning others based solely on their sexual preference, He would have seen fit—in His infinite wisdom and all—to have given me the tiniest bit of human empathy necessary to do so.

It begins again: NL East Champions x3

I know exactly what I want to happen in this post season (hint: it involves another parade in Philly), and I know exactly how I want it to happen (think pinstripes, falling down). However, I do not want to jinx anything, so I'll say no more beyond Go Phillies!

Regardless, when I was back in Philly in September, I was struck by the number of people wearing Phillies shirts or jerseys or caps, or sporting bumper stickers, or so on. Which was, quite frankly, awesome. It's about time that the city be able to truly rally around a sports team without shame or the knowledge that you're rooting for a lost cause. Because literally, for people in my age group from that area, being able to rejoice with other people at a championship is brand new, and I think we're all enjoying it too much to let it go.