I believe in the power of prayer. I also believe in the power of community, and, especially, the power of our community here at Daily Kos. We have worked so hard to accomplish so much, and I am so grateful to be here.
This is not a diary about religion or prayer. I have respect and admiration for those who practice, or do not practice, any sort of religion or faith. It is, instead, simply a reminder of some things that are important, I think, to all of us.
Let us work together to accomplish everything we can. Together, I know, we can do anything.
* I pray for our
GLTB brothers and sisters. I pray for equality. I am praying very hard tonight that the voters of Maine will use common sense and compassion when they go to the polls tomorrow. I read this in
Cheers & Jeers this morning and started sobbing at my desk:
So here I am this morning, standing a bit awkwardly in your virtual living room, hat in hand and palms a little sweaty, asking your permission---via the ballot box---for the right to marry my co-pilot in life. I promise I'll treat him with love and respect and dignity, in sickness and in health, as I---as we---have done for each other over the last sixteen years. Marriage would make doing that a bit easier. For example, it would give us peace of mind knowing that we won't have to go through the equivilent of a legal tollbooth on the inevitable day when one of us ends up in the hospital. (If it's him he'll probably blame my cooking---don't listen to him, he's delirious.) Hospital visitation is just one of many rights that civil marriage grants to those who accept the hefty responsibility of joining it.
Why is this complicated? May we work together, as a community, to make sure that our GLBT have equal rights throughout our country.
* I pray for those in our community who are sick and for those members of our community who have family members and loved ones who are sick. I pray for willb48, blue jersey mom’s mother, Dreaming of Better Days, CityLightsLover’s husband, exmearden and for my beloved niece, Kate.
May we work, as a community, to make sure that all those who are sick have appropriate medical care.
* I pray for those who are hungry, everywhere in the world. Please let wisdom and generosity to end this most unnecessary of evils.
May we work together, as a community, to end hunger in the world.
* I pray for the homeless, especially our homeless veterans. This county is "home" to 400,000 homeless veterans. May we end this national disgrace.
May we work together, as a community, to end the horror of homelessness.
* I pray for all those
in despair. May we all provide comfort to those members of our community who are despairing. May our outstretched hands bring them a measure of peace.
May we, as a community, provide comfort to those in despair.
* I pray, as I do every day, for our community members who are facing hard times, who are frightened, who are ill, who are simply worn out. Let us rededicate ourselves to providing kindness and hope. Are these not essential progressive values?
May we, as a community, work together to ease the burdens of our fellow community members.
* I pray for friends the animals, so many of whom are hungry and homeless. May we continue to do all we can to provide warm beds, food and gentle hands for our friends the animals.
May we, as a community, do everything we can to assist our friends, the animals.
* I pray for the grieving families, friends and communities of the American military whose deaths were announced during the past eight days:
Spc. Eric N. Lembke, 25, of Tampa, Florida
Pfc. Kimble A. Han, 30, of Lehi, Utah
Cpl. Gregory M.W. Fleury, 23, of Anchorage, Alaska
Capt. Eric A. Jones, 29, of Westchester, New York
Capt. David S. Mitchell, 30, of Loveland, Ohio
Capt. Kyle R. Van De Giesen, 29, of North Attleboro, Massachusetts
Sgt. Eduviges G. Wolf, 24, of Hawthorne, California
Pfc. Devin J. Michel, 19, of Stockton, Illinois
Maj. David L. Audo, 35, of Saint Joseph, Illinois
Spc. Brandon K. Steffey, 23, of Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan
Lance Cpl. Cody R. Stanley, 21, of Rosanky, Texas
Staff Sgt. Luis M. Gonzalez, 27, of South Ozone Park, New York
Sgt. Fernando Delarosa, 24, of Alamo, Texas
Sgt. Dale R. Griffin, 29, of Terre Haute, Indiana
Sgt. Issac B. Jackson, 27, of Plattsburg, Missouri
Sgt. Patrick O. Williamson, 24, of Broussard, Louisiana
Spc. Jared D. Stanker, 22, of Evergreen Park, Illinois
Pfc. Christopher I. Walz, 25, of Vancouver, Washington
Chief Warrant Officer Michael P. Montgomery, 36, of Savannah, Georgia
Chief Warrant Officer Niall Lyons, 40, of Spokane, Washington
Staff Sgt. Shawn H. McNabb, 24, of Terrell, Texas
Sgt. Josue E. Hernandez Chavez, 23, of Reno, Nevada
Sgt. Nikolas A. Mueller, 26, of Little Chute, Wisconsin
Sgt. 1st Class David E. Metzger, 32, of San Diego, California
Staff Sgt. Keith R. Bishop, 28, of Medford, New York
Spc. Robert K. Charlton, 22, of Malden, Missouri
Spc. Joseph L. Gallegos, 39, of Questa, New Mexico
Pfc. Brian R. Bates, Jr., 20, of Gretna, Lousiana
Spc. Adrian L. Avila, 19, of Opelika, Alabama
Pfc. Lukas C. Hopper, 20, of Merced, California
Spc. Christopher M. Cooper, 28, of Oceanside, California
May we work, as a community, for peace.
Kindness is a progressive value.