RIP DIXIE CARTER

Another one of my favorite television actresses, Dixie Carter, just died, as you probably already know. This one was close to my heart. Julia Sugarbaker, the character Ms. Carter played on television, was a lot like my mother. Julia was intelligent, elegant, and fiercely protective of her family and friends. She had a liberal streak and a fiery personality, along with a lot of wit, and good humor. My mother has all those characteristics, along with a kind heart and a beautiful smile.

Before we go any further, you should know that I'm as liberal as they come, socially. I'm an avid supporter of gay marriage, and almost always vote straight Democrat.

I write this because Dixie Carter was a Republican. She played a liberal on tv, but in real life, she was a conservative. It's what actors do. They play characters very different from who they are in real life. What intrigues me about Dixie Carter, and what made me admire her all the more, is the fact that though she was a very conservative Republican, and often spoke of herself as being very old-fashioned, she was constantly examining and questioning her beliefs, and she was willing to try to change the beliefs she knew were silly.

She spoke in an interview on the subject of gay marriage, saying in essence that though she had been taught that marriage was for the purpose of procreation, she got married to her husband, the actor Hal Holbrook, long after either of them could procreate. So in essence, she realized at that point that a gay marriage could certainly exist, and had as much right to be recognized as her marriage did, on the basis of procreation. She also stated that she didn't believe people who claim to be able to cure homosexuals. She thought that maybe gays could stop their behavior, and not have gay sex anymore, but would they then be living a life that was happy and fulfilling? It looks to me as if Ms. Carter was willing to examine her beliefs, and begin to change them if they were not holding water. I admire this willingness to change. I've seen it in real life. I like the way her mind worked, and appreciate the fact that she was able to see this issue in another light. Many conservative Republicans would never even entertain the notion that gays should be married, much less speak openly about their "soul-searching" over the idea.

I posted a little RIP on Facebook the day she died. One of my friends got upset that I called her a "friend to the gays." He felt that because she campaigned for Bush, we could not include her in our "friends." I feel that a Republican who is willing to be vocal in her thoughts and express her doubts about the veracity of long-ingrained ideas her party may hold about gay people has a lot of courage, and is very valuable to help make inroads for all gay people.
Conservatives who are able to see past labels, and examine what is right and what is wrong in the way that she did are going to really help us all gain acceptance and respect. I admire her all the more.

I think Republicans are lucky to have been able to call her one of their own.

I also think, more than anything, the world lost a great actress.

A Great Organization

I know that right now, our minds are on Haiti. I've donated, and I hope that if you can, you have, too.

An organization in the U.S. that is doing good work for people here, and needs your help, is below.

http://www.truecolorsfund.org/

Check it out, and give when you can.

Namaste,
Brian

A Near Miss, and Tim Burton Inspires Me!

I was walking home from lunch two days ago, and not paying much attention to anything, really, kind of lost in thought, and heard a crash immediately behind me and to my right. My friend and I turned around to see what had happened, and noticed that the Pizzeria Uno we just passed had a big hole with a giant spiderweb crack around it in the window. My first thought was a bullet-it looked exactly like a bullet hole. As the employees from Pizzeria Uno ran out to see what happened, we saw what had hit the window--it was the heavy plastic end of a big screwdriver. We had no idea where it came from; maybe it had been lying in the street and been run over, somehow flying up and into the window, or maybe someone had thrown it, but there it was, and it had missed my head, or my friend's head, by a matter of a few inches! It's pretty easy to forget how we walk around everyday, and nothing but luck separates us from an accident that could change everything about our lives in an instant. It makes you remember to be grateful when something like that happens. I'm a lucky person, in general. I haven't won the lottery yet, but I am healthy, strong, and happy. I have a circle of amazing people in my life, and a job that I really love. I think it's important to remind yourself of the good things and people in your life every day. It's too easy to forget them in the middle of everything else. Take a second to remind yourself of something good in your life.

On a separate note, if you're in Manhattan, go check out the Tim Burton exhibit at MOMA. I've always loved his movies, but to walk through this exhibit is to get a real feeling for the power of imagination. It was overwhelming to be privy to all of the art Burton has created, and to see sketches and films he made as a teenager, and to see how certain characters and themes have repeated themselves in his art through the years. Also, it's just really fun. If you go, make sure to sit down and watch the Hansel and Gretel movie--it's really creepy, and funny, and you can see the evolution of an artist's aesthetic through this and the many other films, sketches, sculptures and installations on display. I was blown away, and fired up to create more.