Marriage Should Not Be Legal

 According to Wikipedia, Marriage is a social, religious, spiritual and/or legal union of individuals 

that creates kinship. Marriage is an institution in which interpersonal relationships are 

acknowledged by the state, by religious authority, or both. It is often viewed as a contract. Civil 

marriage is the legal concept of marriage as a governmental institution. The act of marriage 

changes the personal and social status of the individuals who enter into it.

People marry for many reasons;  legal, social, emotional, and economic stability, the formation of a 

family unit, procreation,and the education and nurturing of children; legitimizing sexual relations and 

public declaration of love. Marriage may take many forms. For example, a union between one man 

and one woman is heterosexual marriage. A marriage in which a person takes more than 

one spouse is polygamy.  Some jurisdictions and religious denominations recognize same-sex 

marriage. .

A marriage in modern times is usually performed by a religious minister or a civil officer. The act of 

marriage usually creates legal obligations between the individuals involved and usually their 

extended families.

Why is the freedom to marry so important? For starters, marriage is the most universally recognized social institution in the world. So if the ultimate goal is to achieve full equality for all people in all aspects of society, then achieving equality in this most prominent arena will certainly go far toward realizing this vision. More important, marriage is, at its core, a public recognition of a private commitment that two people in love make to each other, a commitment that transcends gender.

So why should marriage not be legal?  Because the most important connotations of the word Marriage are social and religious in nature and or defined by organized religion, personal religious beliefs, or personal values. The Government has no stake in the word Marriage as a legal term. In fact  Freedom of Religion would dictate that Goverment should not use the word at all.

But goverment does provide certain benefits and obligations to the Civil aspects of Marriage and therefore should have a term to appy to this Union.  The only logical  conclution is to call this Civil Contract to which government provides legal benefits and Legal Obligations is a Civil Union.  The Word Marriage should never be a part of the legal definition.

If A person wishes to have his Religious Institution call the Union marriage after the proper ceremony, or if the private individuals wish to call their Union a marriage then so be it.  So long as they obtain the proper Government licenses for their Civil Union in order to secure the benefit & obligation of the Union, They should be free to call their Union whatever makes them Happy.

Fallen Soldiers Tribute

Ben Quick of SHAMROCK PRODUCTIONS made this Video a year ago. I thought it was Beautiful, moving. and appropriate then and even more so now. He does excellent Video photography and editing .  You can reach him at brquick@gmail.com

Tom Hodge - Winter Sun

Tom Hodge singing "Winter Sun" from his CD "Shadows and Light". Tom is a singer,writer, musician,teacher,and seeker and my kid brother. You can find a link to his work on Youtube as "bucktoothclam". This Video was produced for me by Ben Quick at Shamrock Production. He can be found on Youtube as "fxpirate"

If you have an interest in Ben making a Video for you from pictures or by editing  Video you have already made he can be reached at brquick@gmail.com

Return O' Star by Travis Thoth

So dreadful ghosts of evils past rise in clouded fog.
Mine eyes: they see not as they see.
Mine ears: they hear not as they hear.
Wishful thoughts burden, and deepened sorrows breath.

Lost, a creature from beyond the darkness,
Whispers soft, and breaks away.
Holds, in frail grasp, a star shining a failing pulse.
Of suns and worlds, I nothing had to say.

No being can reach the stars.
No hearts can mend, and no souls can soften the mirror's gaze.
No faded stars can be reborn.
A guilted soul will weep his woeful ways.

Crying and calling unto the heavens,
Of joyful stars forever lost.
Sorrow singing into the darkness.
Return, O' Star, whatever thy cost.

Copyright: 05/11/2009 Travis Thoth

Power of Hate

Thomas Robb is the National Director of the Knights Party, a kinder gentler version of the old Knights of the Klu Klux Klan. They do their recruiting by talking about Love for White people instead of hating Blacks and Jews .

But they do promote a program calling for the "voluntary resettlement" of minorities to their home land. Considering the fact that Whites will be a minority in this country in the not to distant future I was wondering how they felt about all whites returning to Europe and allowing Native Americans to reclaim their Homeland. I can picture all of the tribes that we forced to march to Oklahoma returning to their birthplace in the South. some of them were my relatives. Of course my English,Scotch-Irish, French , and Dutch relatives could be a problem for me.

But if life has taught me anything, it has taught me that People who hate can call anyplace Home if they can build a power base.The election of Barac Obama and the use of Christian Symbolism has help them make a comeback in my Beloved South. They have even developed a Youth Program much like Hitler Youth to build from the ground up. Religion was a big part of Racial Prejudice in the days of "Jim Crow" Hopefully The church won't make the same mistakes again. Hopefully it will embrace the teachings of Jesus and the "Good Samaritan" rather than follow Moses and his Laws of Leviticus. Hopefully we will remember The Command to Love One Another and seek truth.

GAMER'S SALVATION

This poem was written by a friend of mine on Facebook named Travis Thoth. I am but amature 

in the art of Poetry but this piece appealed to me.  I ask his permission to share it with you and he graceiously agreeded. May it bring you the pleasure it brought me.

Poem - "Gamers' Salvation"

Dying a thousand deaths every moment of life,

I chase a dream only to find a nightmare.

I cage myself from the horrors of the world: 

Bound, eternally, to the horrors of my own soul.

O’ fantasy, free me from the tyranny of life.

Make me love me:

Even if I be not the object of my affections.

Hold my thoughts and senses from that which plagues me.

Now, I am Prince, Pauper, and Knight of Sacred Virtue.

Now, I am Sage, Saint, and Keeper of Great Wisdom.

Now, I am Maiden, Minstrel, and all things joyful.

Until the break in worlds, I am my desired me.

Copyrighted: 04/28/2009 Travis Thoth   https://www.facebook.com/Thudor?lst=1464858665%3A1179605328%3A1513621641

Old Men Shouldn't Shop

Early today I went to my favorite Big Box Store "CHINA'S BEST FRIEND". Its not that I don't Love America. We don't have a soup kitchen. so I have to buy my chicken broth and bacon bits as cheap as I can find them. I make my own soup with added water. But I'm leaving my train of thought.

I was really thinking about that "Old Saw" that women use (Shop till You Drop). I was busy looking for wheat Flakes, skim milk, and rubber gloves. My wife doesn't like me to touch her with my bear(bare) hands. 

 Suddenly, as I was shopping, my legs said you are going to drop. My legs are always the first to know.
I rushed to the checkout counter to avoid a 911 call. I frightened away one person in my line by shouting "Sick man coming through." ( I had once used that line on a crowed bus when I was a young foolish over drinker.  I had to throw up on three people to clear the way. By the time I got off the Bus there was enough room for everybody to sit.) But [once again] I have wondered from the path of my story. Old men often do that.

The point is , old me should not shop unless they have a companion. Dropping to the floor in a large store will either get you trampled on or make someone swap mouth juice with you for no good cause. Old men shouldn't shop except in an emergence.

William Hodge