The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed the right of gays and lesbian to marry, as a matter of equal protection. In New York City, the cops were closing of Christopher Street, so people could party. Similar pop-up public parties are happening all over the nation, including here in Connecticut. But some hearts are heavy.
Justice Clarence Thomas, reasserting his capacity to shock us, even now, allowed as how he was vexed by any arguments having to do with the government conferring dignity and humanity upon a minority population that, in conspicuous ways, is not allowed to drink from that well. The government, said Thomas, is not in the dignity business
Slaves did not lose their dignity (any more than they lost their humanity) because the government allowed them to be enslaved. Those held in internment camps did not lose their dignity because the government confined them. And those denied governmental benefits certainly do not lose their dignity because the government denies them those benefits. The government cannot bestow dignity, and it cannot take it away.
If you listen to the podcast embedded above, you'll hear our guests analyze this and other statements from today's court decision. We didn't have time to feed their names of the panelists into a Scalia Burn Generator, but I did that later.
Meanwhile, yes, we did talk about the proposal that -- as part of this summer Plantation Sale of Confederate flags and things named after John C. Calhoun -- it might be time to think of "Gone With the Wind" and its contented, docile slaves as something other than a mainstream motion picture.
We also contrasted two women who grew surrounded by firs and balsams and also deprived of the lineaments of normalcy, Elizabeth Gilbert (who raised on a Christmas tree farm in Litchfield, CT) and Bristol Palin (no explanation necessary). Palin unveiled a second out-of-wedlock pregnancy. Gilbert revealed a past that involved the pilfering otherwise attached men.
Lastly, we discuss an annoying restaurant trend that is produced -- I am convinced -- by our growing tendency to see ourselves as individuals and not part of groups. Even if we're sitting with a group.
These are some the topics in the batting order for The Nose, our culture roundtable on WNPR.
GUESTS:
- Irene Papoulis - Teacher in the Allan K. Smith Center for Writing and Rhetoric at Trinity College
- Taneisha Duggan - Director of Audience Engagement at HartBeat Ensemble
- James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
MUSIC:
- "I Want You To Want Me" by Cheap Trick
- "I'll Be Your Waitress" by The Big Nowhere
