Thursday, April 18, 2013

THE WAVES ARE BREAKING


We in Australia are governed by such small minds I sometimes all but despair. Thank all that is good that this in so close, if still so far. Those lovely Kiwis show the way.

Pokarekare Ana.





5 comments:

Susan Scheid said...

Sometimes, just sometimes, the good prevails, then. So good to be reminded that it's not impossible. Here, too, we are hoping for a wave to break. Someone we know, Edie Windsor, a person who lights up every room she's in, has a case before the Supreme Court to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Windsor The case was heard last month, and we await the Court's decision. There is a chance.

David said...

Good on the Kiwis. They always were ahead in terms of gay rights, weren't they? It's interesting, because my experience there was that quite a few communities, especially in the Bay of Islands, wanted everything to be like it was in Britain in the 1950s (presumably no gays, no blacks). But they're obviously a minority.

wanderer said...

Susan, the Defense of Marriage Act gets reasonable covering down here, and as well we get shows like John Stewart etc, so I should keep up with it generally, if not specifically. The USA is such a mixture - decriminalising this, banning that, smoking pot ...

The Waves are Breaking is the opening phrase of the Maori love song the gallery burst out with as the legislation passed.

As I'm about to say to David, they're an interesting lot those Kiwis.

wanderer said...

David the Kiwis are fascinating aren't they. You may have heard/seen this; if not it's worth a watch - another wonderful speech on the bill before the house.

And ahead they have been on many things (don't mention the rugby). I haven't been there for decades but way back then was struck by what a time warp I'd landed in, till I checked into my hotel only to find colour TV, well before us.

More importantly, they led the world in women's suffrage (1893 - had to look that up) with Australia and South Australia in particular, two years later. Also, I think female politicians and females in positions of power has been another of their worthy leads.

Those local yokel communities still abound I'm sure. The reaction here was swift. The next day the conservative premier of New South Wales (recently the subject of some ridicule over a rainbow pedestrian crossing and its removal after Mardi Gras) came out in favour of same sex marriage and called for a conscience vote on the matter.

The French are certainly polarised aren't they.

Susan Scheid said...

This is not related in any way to this post, but just to say: it is largely as the result of exchanges with you and David that I pursued seeing The Ring. I have burdened David's posts with comments on the experience so far, but I want you to know how grateful I am to both of you for the inspiration to pursue this. There are serious problems, I think, with Lepage's production, but it is of little consequence, in the end. Over David's way, I've given some "Rube at the Opera" specifics, but the key thing is, The Ring is extraordinary, like nothing else, and the Met's cast and orchestra are giving it their all, and their all is magnificent, indeed.