There is some good in the world

...though of course the religious right is trying their best to turn it into something as hateful as they are themselves. I refer to the legalization of gay marriage in California; the New York Times has some really heart-warming wedding photos here, including Star Trek's Sulu (George Takei) in #9. Just seeing the people in these photos -- their love for each other, the relief and quiet vindication -- how can anyone say this is bad? When there is genuine commitment and caring and happiness between two consenting adults, how can this be bad? What happens in the bedroom is just a side issue, mere mechanics. Plenty of heterosexual couples have emotionally or physically unhealthy relationships, do not have sex, have sex in ways the religious right would find objectionable, choose not to procreate, or abuse and neglect the children they do produce, but if it's between a man and a woman, none of this matters, apparently. Religion is for the birds. I'm comfortable raising my kids with some religious schooling only because I feel (usually) that it's giving them a historical and cultural community, and our synagogue does not push the dogmatic view of the Bible -- quite the opposite, in fact. The membership includes quite a few avowed atheists who are presumably there for the same reasons we are, as well as several gay couples with children (including the president). There are some religiously based views I disagree with but for which I can understand the reasons, such as opposition to abortion or even keeping kosher, but not homophobia, where no one else is harmed or affected.

On another topic... Ben called his mother's facility yesterday to check up on her after their discussion. One of the care managers reported that G. had again expressed her desire to go home, so the person said, well, don't you remember we had that long talk yesterday with your son and the doctor and your former therapist, and they explained that you're staying here for the following reasons, blah blah blah... Nope. She had zero recollection of the entire conversation that Ben was so dreading. Ben was surprised and saddened. It seems like just as he's come to terms with some level of memory loss on her part, it gets worse. He's always just a small step behind in his estimation of her capacity -- sort of like being a parent, but in reverse. Just when you get used to one thing your baby does, like crawling (and you plug the outlets just in time), she starts doing something new and you have to adapt all over again.