[OT] Languages and cultures (was Re: survey)

[Richmond Mathewson]

On 22/02/2010 16:26, Bernard Devlin wrote:
> On Mon, Feb 22, 2010 at 11:58 AM, Andre Garzia<andre at andregarzia.com>  wrote:
>    
>> Congrats Bernard, happiness to you and yours!!!! :-D
>>
>> Now, the important piece, when is the party?
>>
>> Cheers!
>> Andre
>>      
> Thanks Andre (and to Richmond, also).  It's over 2 years ago since we
> got 'married', and we just had a very quiet celebration afterwards.
> I'm not someone who likes to draw attention to myself, even on a
> momentous occasion.
>
> We're not allowed to call it 'marriage' as that would have offended
> any number of religious minorities (yes, even christians are a
> religious minority here).

That makes me fed up. Almost everything you do, I do, and anybody else does
is bound to offend someone. Personally I am offended by any religious group
that thinks it holds the moral high ground. I am also offended by those who
think they have some sort of licence to stick their noses in other people's
business and pass judgement.

There are things that are morally wrong, such as murder; and it is morally
wrong because it impinges on another's freedom of action (as does
slavery). Actions or thoughts that are held to be morally wrong are
rather hard to justify empirically and, as such, are probably held to be
morally wrong because of either religious beliefs or religiously determined
cultural beliefs (to explain that we should consider many atheists who hold
that homosexuality is wrong - but when you try to pin them down you
find that their set of values is normally based on the religion they 
make such
a noise about despising).

I really wish people could begin to see past the "wrappings" of gender,
sexuality, race and so on, to the individuals within. All religions make it
clear that God looks on us all with equal favour - and that should suffice.

>    Still, I found the day far more moving and
> significant than I expected it to be.  It's very nice to see that
> other people who are so far away and were not at all involved with it,
> should see it as an important day for us.  Getting 'married' truly
> transformed our lives.
>
> We'd been together for over 5 years before the law was changed and we
> could 'marry'. Those early years were a real struggle -- our time was
> repeatedly limited by the hostile actions of immigration officials,
> visa controls, and 9000 kilometres.  I made many 13 hour flights where
> I had to stand almost the whole way there and back because of my back
> pain.  Sometimes I was in so much pain I had to cancel the flight, and
> couldn't claim it on travel insurance because it was a pre-existing
> health problem.
>
> Air France ended up being one of my favourite airlines -- because they
> are so cool they actually turn an area of the plane into a bar, and I
> could stay there and chat with other passengers.  With other airlines,
> passengers and crew were understandably wary of this man who would not
> sit down for more than a few minutes.
>
> Our relationship only survived those obstacles because of our
> determination and our love for each other.

determination and love will wash everything else away . . .  :)

> I hope that is not too
> much personal detail.  I just thought I would provide a little
> back-story.
>
> Your kind thoughts are much appreciated, really.
>
> Bernard
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