BOAZ HAS ARRIVED!
I hereby proudly announce the birth of our newest grandchild, and his name is Boaz Mathias Wainscott, born March 3, in Lafayette, Indiana. He's the son of our daughter Marla and her husband Lance Wainscott. Baby Boaz Matthias is doing well, so are his parents, and so are his grandparents Marlene and I.
The name “Boaz” comes from the Old Testament Book of Ruth. Boaz, translated from the original tongue means “swift” or “strong.” The middle name “Matthias” means “Gift of God” and that’s what babies are.
Marlene and I are now the grandparents of eighteen grandkids, and one great-grandchild – and I should point out two of our grandkids are younger than our great grandchild!
The name “Boaz” comes from the Old Testament Book of Ruth. Boaz, translated from the original tongue means “swift” or “strong.” The middle name “Matthias” means “Gift of God” and that’s what babies are.
Marlene and I are now the grandparents of eighteen grandkids, and one great-grandchild – and I should point out two of our grandkids are younger than our great grandchild!
posted by Blogs by Rep Bob Lynn | 8:51 PM
2 Comments:
Congratulations! I look in amazement and excitement everytime I know a family enters into the world another amazing soul. I patiently await the day when my little ones are grown and sharing thier lives as parents. That being said, I completely hope to take a slowww road to that tomorrow. :)
Now that you know I admire your sincerity and family values, let me please pose a question Bob. What if Boaz reveals in 17 years that he is gay? What if right now he has already been predispositioned internally to live with that haunting reality? You'll see it is haunting as heteros tend to make it that way. I never gave much thought to this until I spent some time w/ my best friend Sarah. I was the Southern Baptist, raised in the hills of Arkansas and very discriminating in my ideas of ideal.
Until it came to my attention that my best friend suffered in silence I could not comprehend being gay at birth. And her background is almost cult like as she belonged to a very strict church and loving parents who would have denied her love if they had known. It's sad really. But the question really is what IF Boaz is hurt by this very idea that Alaskans should discriminate in the workplace based solely upon sexual desire? Really sir, I must question if you would support me and my business if I should desire to only provide benefits to men who workout and have nice biceps, or to those who have no family history of cancer, or to those who are Christian or not Christian? Would you indeed sponsor a movement that would give me the authority to choose based on my right to personally identify my tolerances (those listed do not reflect by the way.) Would you stand beside me as I tried to confirm to the courts that I, as an employer, should be allowed to subjectively assign wages/benefit packages bases purely upon my feelings of a person without regard to how he/she performs at work? Would you be alright with Boaz being hired at a company and told he can not receive equal benefits as the name is too different and presents a religious agenda that might offend others? There's not a lot of difference here really in this scenario and that of which you are hoping will be part of Alaska's law.
I have faith you can understand that besides forcing your sexual preferences and tolerances upon others you might also realize that while your marriage may be sacred, it's not so commonplace in the hetero world anymore. Divorce rates are crazy now. People enter into marriage regularly and it means nothing more than a tax deduction. In fact I believe it to be a shame. I'd far much more easily support a bill that would require premarital counseling or even financial counseling. I, however, can not find myself in support of denying a group of Americans the same right that their co worker has just because the lawmakers may not have the same sexual pleasures or fantasies. It's tough at best to be fair in this world, but we don't need to set out in search of defining inequality by making it more real than yesterday. Not giving gay marriages a thumbs up is one thing, but denying them equal access to medical care and profitability is ridiculous. What about the child of a lesbian from a former relationship that is now diagnosed with cancer and dependent completely upon her mom's gay lover? Why should that child not have medical coverage? Will it take a lawsuit on behalf of that child to really get our attention? How do we justify discriminating against a family, a child, a happy loving home solely on sexual preference? How does that become an acceptable issue in the workplace? We can't discriminate based on color anymore. Why must we choose another form? Isn't it time to hang the hat on this? It takes far more courage to step up and say, "Maybe I was wrong," than it does to keep pressing onward. If you want re election be real. Tell the people that you have thought about this and you realize that the initial thought you had isn't in the best interest of ALaska. You have to believe that. You are very intelligent. You fought for our country. You have shown integrity in your history of the American spirit. Christianity can't be the ultimate reason for discrimination. Even you know Jesus still loves all His people. Even you have past times you hope no one ever knows, but know all along that Jesus loves you regardless. I don't think you could actually be the man I thought you were and be sponsoring a change to our state that not only promotes discrimination but also encourages it. Alaskans don't believe in discrimination. The wording of the changes makes it appear not discriminatory but wholesome while we both know that it will specifically discriminate. I hope you will think this over and realize that we as Alaskans are counting on you to do the right thing for all of us, not some of us. After all, what would fairly distributing wages do to hurt those who are not gay? What pain would hetero people have to know that homo people have medical coverage and can take care of their loved ones? Why does it seem to appear that you favor inequality and fear that your marriage will be less impressive if another man chooses a man vs. trying to court your wife, daughter, or neighbor lady? How does it hurt you or other "straight" bodies to know that "gay" bodies can go to the doctor and pay the same price or out of pocket expense? Doesn't it matter to you that husbands and wives are battling each other and often not caring at all while there are loving couples that have been together for as long as you've been married? You aren't going to catch "gay" and it won't spread like the flu just because gays are treated equally. The only thing that will happen is simple. EQUAL TREATMENT. The opposition has many effects though: hate, fear, prejudice, anger, hurt, financial distress, inability to seek medical care for some, pain, sadness, shame, and discrimination by the very group that should be protecting us from it. Please reconsider. I charge you to hold to the belief you had, that I know you had, that America is land of the free, home of the brave. It's time for you to be brave and admit this idea you had is not what it should be.
Thanks for your time. And again congratulations. For all it's worth I pray Boaz is not gay as I'd never want the child to have to face the world we are creating by taking two steps back. If ever this child or any you know are, I hope they will be embraced by you, your family, and our world. I hope you don't help create a world that will further hurt the little souls of tomorrow. Just like you love this child instantly...so sometimes does a woman love another woman...or a man another man. It's just a matter of the heart. Not the workplace.
Sincerely,
Cristy Layton
cristy@nome.net
Please pass my congratulations on to Marla! We went to junior high and high school together, though we haven't been in touch since then.
Heather Dorsett
(now in Fairbanks)
Post a Comment
<< Home