An Evening at the Circus

Friday evening we had a great date night. We try to make time just for us at least once a month. Last year we went to Cirque du Soleil, Corteo. It's about a clown that is having a vision of his own funeral. We enjoyed the stunning acrobatics and acting.

Some how, this year we had an even greater time when we went to watch Cirque du Soleil, KOOZA. We couldn't have had better seats. We managed to get front row, FRONT ROW, seats. The trapeze performer was swinging and flipping above our heads. Throughout the performance the artists were closer than arms length to us.

KOOZA tells the story of The Innocent, a melancholy loner in search of his place in the world.

The Innocent's journey brings him into contact with a panoply of comic characters such as the King, the Trickster, the Pickpocket, and the Obnoxious Tourist and his Bad Dog.

Between strength and fragility, laughter and smiles, turmoil and harmony, KOOZA explores themes of fear, identity, recognition and power. The show is set in an electrifying and exotic visual world full of surprises, thrills, chills, audacity and total involvement.

The most electrifying point of the show was when two of the actors were running on the Wheel of Death. If you've never seen it in action before, you must. Before they began, plastic was draped on either side of the Wheel. It wasn't netting for a fall, but plastic, I assume for the splattering of blood, should one of the men fall. There was a heart-stopping second when one of the actors tripped while jumping rope on the outside top of the spinning Wheel of Death.

We look forward to next months date at the Buell Theatre. We are planning on seeing the Broadway musical Wicked. It is our hope to join a few friends this time. Of course, we'll still keep most of the night to ourselves, have dinner together and enjoy a slow walk to the Theatre in the brisk October evening.

We haven't bought tickets yet, so if anyone would like to contribute to our evening, or join us, please feel free to. We never object to early Hanukka/Christmas/birthday gifts.

Living Liberally Honors HRC

Each Monday evening, a group of progressives gather to drink wine, eat food, and share their thoughts on politics with like-minded friends. This weeks focus was on the Human Rights Campaign, and the legislation, both locally and nationally, that is being worked on in the 111th Congress. Nancy Cronk, the administrator of the group, made White Knots and handed them out to all present. I was then asked to speak.

I shared what HRC is working on, with the 15-20 people that gathered. We discussed the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill, Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, and Don't Ask Don't Tell, amongst several others.

Having met with most of my senators and representatives I had some insight to share of what they would like from the community and where they stand on repealing anti-LGBT laws, and enacting civil rights equality for all Americans. I am happy to say that I live in a district where my elected officials stand on the side of equality, not hate.

Overall, the evening was very informative for the group and for me. I have great input to return to the state steering committee with and share amongst the LGBT community. It was very heartfelt to have so many "straight" supporters want more information on what they can do to progress pro-LGBT legislation. As in all cases, call your Senators and Representatives and tell them you support equality for all Americans.

After speaking, and eating dinner, I had a moment to speak with Nancy. I thanked her for allowing me to speak to her group and share a message that was so personal for me. Something she said to me has stuck in my mind and rolled over and over again over the past 24 hours. She said, "It's all about love." So simple, yet so telling of her heart and love for all people. If we disregard all of the negatives we've been taught, and instead live based on this one statement, "It's all about love," we could accomplish so much more in our world.

No Excuses

Last night members of the GLBT community in Denver and surrounding cities had the opportunity to meet with Senator Michael Bennet's State Director Rosemary Rodriguez.

Rosemary started off asking that the meeting be personal, open and informative both for us and for her.

Prior to the meeting, before she arrived, a few of us were sitting around talking, discussing what we hoped to hear, what we wanted to portray, and offering up questions to ask if the meeting hit a point where there was silence. One of the questions I was hoping to hear was what Senator Bennet did for GLBT employees as superintendent of Denver Public Schools. It was encouraging to hear that he extended benefits to same-sex couples that were previously enjoyed by heterosexual couples.

Senator Bennet is in favor of expanding the definition of hate crimes to include sexual orientation and gender identity. To show his support he became a co-sponsor of the Matthew Shepard Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Currently the senator sits on the Homeland Security Committee. Up for discussion is extending medical benefits to same-sex couples(I don't remember which bill this is so if anyone wants to expand on this please do).

There was a great question asked of what we can can do as a community to give the Senator coverage/protection when he votes in favor of pro-equality legislation. Rosemary made it very clear that once the senator makes up his mind whether he supports legislation or not his decision is final. Recently he was in a very unfriendly atmosphere, right outside Colorado Springs(city starts with a "F"?), and someone asked him what he thought about Marriage Equality. He stated that he believed it was a state right, and that if it were up for a vote in Colorado he absolutely would vote in favor of Marriage Equality. I find it very encouraging that in an atmosphere where he felt he had to be on guard he remained resolute in his support of equality and his own convictions.

I'm very thankful Rosemary spoke in depth about DOMA and how she is working with him in the coming days to bring him up to speed on GLBT legislation. Rosemary seemed very interested in having us all be in contact with her and Senator Bennet in the future and sharing our personal stories with him. Preferably, she would like as many stories as possible of how DOMA has adversely affected the GLBT community in Colorado. It is her hope to have these stories to share with Senator Bennet when the meet in the coming days. It is his belief that it is very important to share the stories of Coloradans when he is speaking on the Senate floor and touring the state. If DOMA has had a negative impact on your life please email your story to Rosemary Rodriguez.

There were many other questions asked and topics covered, but these are what I found most compelling. Hopefully, in the coming weeks we will have the opportunity to again sit down with Rosemary and discuss these issues in more depth, after she has had a meeting with Senator Bennet. It is our hope too that he will be present.

Thank you to Senator Bennet for sharing Rosemary with our community, and thank you to those in the Human Rights Campaign that made this meeting possible.

You can read more about this forum on HRC Backstory.