Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

Just another gray, dreary day in Philly.

There are a few interesting things going on in the news right now, so I thought I'd weigh in.

As one pundit put it, "Yay! Good for them!" That pundit being me, of course.

Seven gay couples in Massachusetts sued the state for discrimination, because they were denied civil marriage licenses.

The Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, and they gave the state legislature 180 days to do something about it. Since there's no way an anti-gay marriage amendment could be added to the Massachusetts constitution in that time frame, the general thinking is that the legislature is being asked to construct a new framework to clear the way for the paperwork allowing same-sex unions.

A marriage, in its essence, is a union between two people who love and support each other, and want to build a life together. Some would say, "Why do you need a legal rubber stamp? Isn't the love enough?" Well, the legal stamp is to protect you in case things go wrong.

The legal protections are there, for example, when one spouse needs to go to the emergency room. A marriage license allows their loved one to fill in the proper forms, to be at his or her side, and to help make decisions involving care.

The Christian right will argue against same-sex marriage, claiming its not moral. But years ago, such arguments were made against interracial marriages. Some argue that marriages exist to protect the children of a union, and to provide for custody arrangements, should that marriage fail.

But today, many gay couples do have children, whether through adoption, surrogate mothers, sperm donors or from previous relationships. These children need protection under the law, too.

It remains to be seen how this will play out on a national stage, but this does seem like the beginning of a new era of equal rights for all.

Michael Jackson

Neverland Ranch was raided last night, and there is now a warrant for Michael Jackson's arrest, which would probably indicate something was found at the residence which corroborated the story of the young boy who accused him of sexual abuse.

He had been accused of this same crime before, about 10 years ago, and sidestepped it when the family agreed not to press charges but, instead, to accept a large monetary payment.

This is a sad and disturbing chapter in the never-ending Fantastic Flameout that is Michael Jackson's life. It is incredibly sad, but it's far, far too easy to make tasteless jokes.

The Gryphon and I were discussing it over instant messenger today:

him: Hmm... if Michael panics and decides to make a run for it, what do you think the cops would be chasing? An ice cream truck?
me: Stop! LOL
him: The worst part is I can just picture it. Michael hunched over the wheel and dramatically looking out the side and behind, while over the truck's sound system blares "Smooth Criminal" (arranged for C# calliope, of course).
me: You're bad. You're bad. You know it.
him: That's the spirit!

Scott Peterson

Scott Peterson, the Modesto, California, man accused of murdering his wife, Laci, and their unborn son, Conner, was bound over for trial when his preliminary hearing ended after 11 days of testimony.

This was really no surprise to me, because the preponderance of the evidence — a hair, suspicious statements, an alibi that put him in the very area where the body was found — though circumstantial was enough to lead to a reasonable conclusion that a crime had occurred and that Scott Peterson could have done it.

The most revealing testimony came from statements that Scott Peterson himself made, such as telling his mistress a few weeks before Laci's disappearance that he was a widower and that this would be his first Christmas alone. Or the fact that, after the disappearance, he bought a Mercedes in cash under an assumed name and was apprehended near the Mexican border with his hair dyed blonde and a large sum of cash.

But will this be enough to convict him? Only a jury knows for sure.

Personal News

My dog, Una, is recovering from a skin infection. She gets allergies every October, probably brought on by the fall season. This time, probably from scratching her skin open, she ended up with a skin infection that turned red and scabby.

I took her to the vet, where they put her on antibiotics. She gets the pills twice a day, administered in a piece of cheese.

As a result, it's been a real challenge lately, taking a walk with her. Apparently, antibiotics give dogs diarrhea. I'm literally counting the pills, to see how much longer this will last.

Una, on the other hand, is healing nicely. Her skin has cleared up. She seems to be in good spirits. Then again, she doesn't pay attention to cable news.

Other writings by Alyce about Michael Jackson:

My First Celebrity Crush
The Tyranny of Photography (Wild Violet Vol. I Issue 1)
( Feb. 7, 2003) Michael Jackson's Mask
(Feb. 10, 2003) Lifting the Mask
(Feb. 11, 2003) - Would Be Pundit
( Feb. 19, 2003) - MJ Fascination
(Feb. 22, 2003) - Michael Gets His Say
(March 5, 2003) - Bye-Bye Black Sheep
(June 16, 2005) - My Two Cents

Other Michael Jackson links:

Tribute to a tragic pop star: Anatomy of a Face
What Michael Jackson might have looked like without surgery: 'Nasal Cripple'
A Photographic HisTory of Michael Jackson's Face
The court document outlining the 1993 charges.
Which Michael Jackson era are you? Take the quiz

Copyright 2003 by Alyce Wilson

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