Is There Life After the Decision?

Hey everyone,

The “Day of Decision” has come and gone in California but our resolve to gain full equality and equal representation and protection under the law for all people has not faltered.

The California Supreme Court “Justices” (though its sad they seem to know so little about it) compromised their own credibility thoroughly by coming up with a decision guaranteed to cause controversy and much litigation expense for the already bankrupt State for a long time to come. I personally can’t see how they can live with themselves or sleep at night after turning 180 degrees around and sabotaging so completely their amazing ruling of last year where they clearly showed us that they see same-sex marriage as an equal rights issue – one of a majority attempting to deny the rights of a minority. So now they make this once great State even more of a joke to the rest of the Nation and the World – it isn’t like the powers that be have not already robbed our schools of most of the Lottery money that was supposed to revive our ailing schools and totally bankrupt the place in the process, right?

I am not here to argue partisan politics or policies but I do stand for equality – something that transcends politics and religion (or should). I for one have promised myself that I will not go back to sleep now that the damage has been done and I urge all who read this to do the same and find out how to become involved. The Equality Inland Empire Steering Committee (EQIE), of which I am a part, organized a Day of Decision Rally in Rancho Cucamonga, CA – the is where this batch of photos are from. In my estimation at one point we had somewhere around 6-700 people out on all 4 corners of Day Creek and Foothill Blvd (the old route 66). We in the EQIE will continue to work on equality issues even beyond the day when marriage is a guaranteed right for all.

What can you do to help? Well, for starters there are several on-line organizations that need all the help they can get. I have some links in the “living my faith…” section of the right sidebar that are appropriate. Soulforce.org and their new Nonviolence for Equality site and/or signing the Dallas Principles are good places to start. Courage Campaign, Equality California (EQCA), NCLR, California Faith for Equality, The HRC and so many other activist organizations have activist resources and training programs too. If you are in the Inland Empire area of Southern California come and join us on the EQIE – we meet every first Thursday of the month, 7 PM at the Redlands United Church of Christ in Redlands CA. (Google it for the address and the map or contact me for more info).

The only way we are ever going to carve out our place in society as equals is by getting up, getting out and being a part of the action. Come out here with me and make a stand. You don’t need to identify with any faith or deny your own faith to come out and stand with us. Abraham Lincoln said:

"Stand with anybody that stands right, stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong."

And Edmund Burke said: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good [people] do nothing."

Don’t do nothing!


Hugs and Blessings,
Eva-Genevieve! Scarborough
EvaGenevieve@yahoo.com
Human
Christian
Transgendered
Advocate for Human/Civil-Rights and Faith without Prejudice
http://livingtransgender.blogspot.com/

P.S.: 3 Articles in Local Papers about the rally:

http://www.pe.com/localnews/politics/stories/PE_News_Local_S_samesexreax27.39cad91.html

http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_12455458

http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_12455933

Tisk, Tisk... What to do on a Saturday Afternoon

Greetings everyone,

The other day I was talking about the word love, and putting it into action. Though this isn’t exactly an example of what I was speaking of then I must say I have this insatiable love for travel and for good food so when I come across something really delicious I rave about it to my friends.

Last weekend My GF, her sister and I found ourselves up in Big Bear for an afternoon outing and hunger came right along with us. We spotted a restaurant we had never sampled and decided to give it a try. Appropriately, for myself at least, this restaurant had several German items on the menu and I believe they love the tang of vinegar as much as I do. Now, mind you, I am no expert on national foods or what is traditionally the proper ways to have them served, but my love for the bite and tang of vinegar certainly got fed to my great satisfaction. The service was very personable too and that made it a meal for the books. So to put my love for food into verb form I have to rave about it and urge you all to go up there and give it a try sometime.

I have a craving for foods that are loaded with vinegar and so I practically live on salads and stuff in tangy marinades so little did I know that an innocent looking resort cabin styled place would be such a treat. Thanks Dan and Colleen for the very friendly service and the best meal I have had in a long time – one I will remember often.

I had Sauerbraten (pot roast marinated long in vinegar before cooking – tender and yummy!) served with wonderful potato pancakes and the traditional sides of red cabbage and sauerkraut, apple sauce and a dollop of sour cream – I was in an epicurean’s corner of heaven. Sharing bites of the other’s foods I found more great flavors; the soups especially – French Onion & Beef Vegetable – were rich and delicious (rich enough to be meals in themselves) and the German Potato salad was just like what my mom used to make when I was young. There is that tang again – I hated it when I was small but I love it now! Another amazing thing about this meal was the price – very reasonable at about 15 bucks each.

The new owners have been running this place for about 6 months now and are striving to get their new place off the ground in style. They have made a great start! I would like to suggest that any of you that are out here in So. California make it a point to stop in at the Log Cabin Restaurant 39976 Big Bear Blvd., Big Bear Lake, CA 92315. Tell them Eva sent you.

Hugs,
Eva-Genevieve!

P.S.: I am thinking about organizing a luncheon outing to go up there sometime this summer perhaps – so keep an eye on my blog for details. – EG!

http://livingtrsansgender.blogspot.com/

(Stock photo courtesy of Bigbearlake.net)

Come Out for this if you can

Greetings my friends,

Today, May 22nd, the California Supreme Court announced they will have a decision for Prop 8 and 18,000 same-sex married couples. They will release their decision at 10 am on Tuesday, the 26th.

In the Evening after the decision is announced we will meet at corner of Day Creek and Foothill Blvd in Rancho Cucamonga @ 7 pm to celebrate the decision or keep fighting for marriage equality in California.

Bring signs and candles and all your friends. If you bring candles bring only battery powered ones. Remember this is a peaceful demonstration - if any opposition is there please avoid confrontations with them and do not be goaded by others into reacting violently.

Please come out for this - we need all the support we can muster out there no matter what the decision is.

(If you are somewhere else in California, go to http://www.dayofdecision.com/ to find a rally near you).

Hugs and Blessings,
Eva-Genevieve! Scarborough

EvaGenevieve@yahoo.com

Human

Christian

Transgendered

Advocate for Human and Civil-Rights and Faith without Prejudice

http://livingtransgender.blogspot.com/

Looking for a room to rent?

My landlord asked me to post this for her. This is a really safe place to live - I oughta know because I live here. Please respond directly to the phone number below. Thanks.

Hugs,

Eva-Genevieve!

Room For Rent, Available Right Now!

GLBT Friendly Home.

$500.00 per month.

Call Renee at (626) 824-7837

- One (1) occupant. Long term renter preferred!

- Great for a full time working person.

- Master bedroom size: 162 Sq. Ft. and includes a double width closet 16.8 Sq. Ft.

- Secured entry to home.

- Shared Housing in common areas.

- Cable Television Channels in living room.

- Wi-Fi available!

- Washer and dryer are available. No parking fees.

- 3 Major bus routes, nearby: 2 miles to mall, library, restaurants. Several markets.

- Home has pets already.

- Barb-B-Q in spacious back yard.

- Some limited storage.

- Smoke and Drug Free environment!

- More specifics available when viewing the room (by appointment) .

Call Renee for directions at: (626) 824-7837.

Location: San Gabriel Valley (a suburb of Los Angeles)

Love: The Lost Art of Doing Something

In one of my online groups someone was talking about how love was translated as "charity" in the King James Version of the Bible and mentioned how that concept seemed appropriate and should have applied to gays being allowed to stay in the military if they are out. This was my response this morning even before I had my tea...

I met a man the other evening at a PFLAG meeting - a straight hetero male - who was a commander of a lot of the Gay men and women that came into his branch of the service - I can't remember which - anyway, he sought them out for his unit. He said that they were the best and most dedicated and focused people in that service. Because of that he now is a big ally to the GLBT community in Riverside. The Military and our workplaces gain so much by accepting gays and transgender and others into their ranks, but they are short-sighted and slow to change their ways and adopting charitable policies would help them with that.

Sometimes the old 1600's English is a more honest language - at least it was rich and colorful. I agree that charity is a beneficial translation for love in many places, but it is not the only concept contained in the word love. Take all the concepts together and it becomes very powerful. But the word love taken at face value today in the English language does not show that power. Love is a very contextual concept and what one does with it varies greatly depending on circumstance.

In the original Greek of Scripture there are 3 words that directly translated into english simply as "love" in most common translations of the Bible: Eros - erotic/sexual love, Phileo - brotherly love (for example the word Philharmonic means the love of harmony and so orchestras are often called philharmonic orchestras), and Agape - is the all inclusive, unconditional love God has for all of his created ones - God is Agape. English simply crams all these meanings into one little word and that trivializing of it very much changes the tone of much in scripture and often corrupts communication between people who happen to not understand all that the word actually means.

I am glad that Paul went into such detail about what love meant when it is put into action - when it becomes a verb. (It is kind, patient, giving, hoping all things, enduring all things without giving up...) Love is something one does as much or more than what one feels but that aspect is seldom taught. Love without that concept becomes something fleeting and vaporlike, fickle or at least non-committal and often just beyond reach; it has become something we trifle with or chase like a drug addict chases "the sack" and that is very sad. Some go so far as to use the concept so as to exclude folk - fundamentalists of many faiths have done so for generations saying "we love everybody, but those people are different and are not allowed to experience it".

Love is a passionate and steamy kind of thing (given the right circumstances) , but it is also the thing that attracts us and binds us together as a people and draws us into friendships that endure adversity, and it truly demands that we reach out to comfort and strengthen others, especially those that are different than us or very troubled and it includes those that are traditionally counted as society's cast-offs - it builds bridges not walls!

I saw love in action in another TG group I am in as one gal was so depressed and alone that she tried to suicide - people went out of their way to find her neighbors and relatives and call them and her local Police to go intervene. She is OK now because love was put into action.

If one believes this way and adopts it as a lifestyle it changes them and the world around them. People like Mother Theresa, Ghandi, M.L. King, Abraham Lincoln lived by this code and it shows clearly in what they did and what they have done endures to this day! Therefore those that understand love can and do make a difference in our world - it drives them out into the world to do so.

Hugs and Blessings,
Eva-Genevieve! Scarborough

EQIE Unity Forum is a Big Success

Greetings,

Here is a video that the Equality Inland Empire (EQCA) put together with source material only from our area for the Unity Forum we held last week. The Forum was a great success for our first event. Expect to see and hear a lot more from us in the months ahead!

Hugs and Blessings,

Eva-Genevieve! Scarborough

Remembering Bobbie Watts

In Recent days several people close to me have passed on, and news of Bobbie came suddenly as I was pondering and preparing what to say last weekend at a memorial for one of those other friends. In every case this passage from the Book of John keeps coming to my mind.

“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” John 12:24

Don’t worry; I am not going to preach because I know many of you don’t believe like I do, but the passage does point out a great principal in the circle of life. Though we deeply regret and are saddened by Bobbie’s passing every one of us carries the seed she planted in each of our hearts. If we keep her alive in our hearts she will lead us to something greater than we are today.

I am shocked and dismayed by her sudden death but I am a far better person for having known her these few short months. Every one of us that knew her has been made just a bit better also – she encouraged us and berated us and she told us the truth straight up and she was an advocate that would stand behind each and every one of us girls if we needed it and she would not take crap from anyone. She loved her fun and her parties and she had a very serious side too. She worked hard in many ways to help all of us that identify as CD’s, TG’s or TS’s gain a surer place in our world.

I knew her only briefly – in fact only twice did we meet in person – but I count her as a wonderful friend and a sister kindly and willingly sharing the roadway of life with me as I grow into the person I know I am on the inside. It was only two months ago that Bobbie, Lyndsy, Bree and myself were out kicking up our heels in Pasadena having a wonderful time just being ourselves boldly, and now she is gone away from us…

This Wednesday (5-13-09) I attended her Interment Service at Riverside National Cemetery, Bobbie was sent on her way with full Marine honors - the crack of the rifles in salute was a very poignant moment. Myself and 5 others that are in her “Meetup” group online also attended and we found that Bobbie in her other side of life as Robert C. Watts also gained many friends as she served our Country as a Marine Gunny. She was greatly loved by those she worked with in the Marines and as a civilian in the Security business – many of her co-workers attended and had many kind words to share about her. Thank you Dee, Elizabeth, Dianne, Tanya and David for coming out to stand with me and say one last goodbye to our good friend Bobbie!

So, for a time we will grieve and mourn, but we must carry on and we can bring her along with us as we do.

Good by Bobbie my friend… just for a little while. Journey on in joy my sister. I know we will meet again!

Love,
Eva-Genevieve! Scarborough
(P.S. As they become available I will post some more photos with this text – eg!)

Marriage Redefined

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marriage

"...(2): the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage ..."

Unity Forum in the Inland Empire

Hi everyone,

I am still out of town and so I am still neglecting my blog temporarily but I will be back soon. Meanwhile, for any of you that are going to be in So Calif on May 15th The EQIE - Equality Inland Empire Steering Committee - is hosting a Unity Forum at the University of Redlands and it is well worth a visit. This is the first event sponsored by our coalition of GLBT and allied groups here in the Inland Empire and we expect over 500 people. Admission is free.

Hugs and blessings,

Eva-Genevieve!