“The Sanctity of Life”

As we note George Carlin's passing, it seems appropriate to celebrate his wit and wisdom as evidenced in his poignant "Sanctity of Life" routine.

A good day for women (and society)

I'm struck by the significance of June 18:

1. In 1873, women's rights advocate Susan B. Anthony was fined $100 for voting. (It wouldn't be until 1920 that the Nineteenth Amendment gave women the right to vote in this country.)

2. In 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. (She wasn't arrested for doing that.)

3. In 1983, Sally Ride took a ride and became the first American woman to travel in space.

In a related note, yesterday marked the first time that Maryland has elected a black woman to Congress. Donna Edwards will be sworn in tomorrow.

…and happy summer!

Yes, today is Loving Day, which marks the anniversary of the legalization of interracial marriages, dating back to…1967. It wasn't that long ago that the Supreme Court ruled in Loving v. Virginia that "There can be no doubt that restricting the freedom to marry solely because of racial classifications violates the central meaning of the equal protection clause." The aptly named "Loving" refers to Richard and Mildred Loving, who got married in Washington, D.C. in 1958 and got arrested (not realizing that interracial marriage was illegal) upon their return a few weeks later to a town near Richmond, Virginia. Richard died a few years ago, and Mildred died just last month. But Loving Day is (and will continue to be) celebrated each year.

We're about a week from the official start of summer, but for most of us involved in college life, it's already summer – and hence my lack of blogging! There are many stories to tell, like a Colorado ballot measure that calls an egg a person, efforts in Utah to remove a ban on bikinis, reasons why John McCain should worry women and anyone concerned about reproductive and sexual rights, nursing home sex, how same-sex weddings might help save the California economy, and the supportive reaction of Deval Patrick (governor of Massachusetts) when his daughter came out: "You know, I can still imagine what Katherine's wedding is going to be like." Lowering his voice, he adds, "How much it's gonna cost."

It's important to keep an eye on the news and monitor the political and cultural climate related to sex. I encourage you to do that. I'll do the same. But it's summer, so expect my blogging to be fairly light. After all, life's also about getting out and enjoying the good times…