Oakland. Celebrates. Pride.

On Sunday, September 8, 2018, the city of Oakland celebrated the annual LGBT Pride event small town style.

I've attended this pride event off and on over the years and I have never been disappointed in the vibrancy of the city's attendees, the activities, and intimacy of the pride street venue. Although Oakland's population is over 400,000 people, it seems to embrace and enjoy the added population on the yearly September festival. Normally pride events are held in the month of June. It's so refreshing to have one at the end of summer to ease the arrival of the fall season.

At this year's event, a number of event stages were filled with lots of music, dance, and rallies. Some stages included the Latin and women themed stages. Clearly the diversity of this city and population warranted the stages to be packed with joyful and inspired brothers and sisters of pride.

Every year, I've always taken in at least one pride event for many different reasons. One would be to celebrate our "coming out" in public in a more dignified way. Another would be to recognize that we are allowed to celebrate who we are and who we choose to love. It's a constant reminder that once we leave the pride grounds, we deal with reality of knowing we are still a minority even in 2018. We are not fully recognized; granted we are more visible and are able to "come out" a little more easily, but the nation is yet to fully embrace us, and fully accept us.

Yes, we have same sex marriages, yes, equal rights, civil unions, but clearly these are slow gains towards acceptance that we still need to keep striving. Clearly, pride events are needed to celebrate our community and the gains we've made. I'm very hopeful that each year after coming out of the closet, each of us who battles discrimination on a daily basis, we hope we can say we've finally arrived.

Happy. Pride. LGBT!

Source: Oakland Pride

First. They. Came.

Donald Trump, the leading republican presidential candidate seems to have your attention; what and how he says things is another story.

SOURCE: New York Magazine

His most recent proposal without any specifics entails the following statement; "Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on".

There has been other comments or rhetoric that Trump has amp up as more noise, and in most cases generally humorous and ridiculous.

Lately however, I've been sitting on the sidelines quietly disagreeing with this individual. Initially, it didn't bother me because I imagined it was mere entertainment not real politics where our livelihood would be at stake. Now, I've come to realize this is no longer a joke.

I needed to learn more about this individual. I've paid more attention to most all of the news outlets, many liberal or mainstream. At times, I give it some balance by watching other moderate and conservative news stations.

Politics can be a strange process; usually at the end of a candidate's campaign everything makes sense. We move on to the fact that what was decided is set and we adjust, adapt, and move on.

But there is a danger here. We as a society can become very passive and hope things will shake out to our own "safe" expectation. Think twice.

Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) was a prominent Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps.

Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for the quotation:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.


CREDIT: US Holocaust Memorial Museum

"there was no one left to speak for me" A haunting phrase that clearly resonates with today's current "politician", Donald J. Trump. In my life so far, I've seen remnants of the effects of dangerous rhetoric against Jews, Japanese-Americans, Asians, women, undocumented immigrants, and gays and lesbians. Do I need to go on?

As we close 2015, we should pay close attention to the new election year; reach out to be aware of your choice of candidate that will ensure equality for all. That's an American ideal. Make sure your registered to vote; and vote please. https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote

Make your vote and voice count. If not, who will speak for you?