18 Years Ago ...

Eighteen years ago was the final Father's Day with my father still alive. Of course we didn't know that then. Although he may have.

Eighteen years is quite a long time, but it still pinches each time the algorithms try to sell me on this day.

Meanwhile, the pic above shows AHF in the city he said he loved the most. And the pic below shares an unsung achievement of his, becoming a Knight of Mark Twain. 

Always deeply loved and missed.

a little bit of a jerusalem pride report

see gay.com for full details. bits and bobs include:

"A 32-year-old ultra-Orthodox man carrying what police called "a homemade explosive device" was arrested before the parade's kickoff, and city officials forced the cancellation of a planned post-parade Pride rally, citing a slow-down strike by firefighters."

"Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service said in a statement it was preparing an "unprecedented operation," readying 200 medics, 45 ambulances, 11 mobile intensive care units and a field command center. Additional medics and ambulances were on standby, the statement said. THEY WERE NOT NEEDED (my capitalisation)."

"Noa Satat, chairwoman of parade organizers Jerusalem Open House, told Reuters: "We are thrilled to be here today, celebrating our freedom of speech in the center of Jerusalem.""

see also jewlicious
pix from the parade at critical-humanism
jerusalem pride photos on flickr

jerusalem pride latest

yahoo/planet out/gay.com report:

"A group of ultra-orthodox Haredi Jews is attempting to thwart a gay rights rally in Jerusalem, planned for June 21, by placing a curse on Pride participants. The group is also promising a huge anti-Pride rally. A group of rabbis from the Eda Haredit sect published a warning Sunday saying, "To all those involved, sinners in spirit, and whoever helps and protects them, may they feel a curse on their souls, may it plague them and may evil pursue them; they will not be requited of their transgressions from heavenly judgment." The letter further threatened: "Know what happened to the evil persons who were cursed, and thus feel in your souls that your end will be bitter."

Last year's festivities were marred by members of the Haredi sect, who created a massive uproar, blocking roads, setting trash bins on fire and throwing rocks at police. The Pride parade was canceled and a rally held instead in a heavily guarded sports stadium. In 2005, a member of the sect stabbed three Pride participants.

Although this year's parade has preliminary approval, it is still possible for authorities to halt the controversial event. Pride organizers Jerusalem Open House plan to take the decision to Israel's High Court of Justice if the parade is banned. "The Orthodox curses and their refusal to commit to non-violence prove that this is not just a Pride parade but a fight for Israeli democracy, freedom of expression and for the capital city, which is everyone's city," said Noa Satat, head of Jerusalem Open House. "We call on the mayor and prime minister to immediately condemn the threats of violence and protect democracy in this country." (Hassan Mirza, Gay.com U.K.)"

another naive comment from ravaj - i just don't get why violence is considered an appropriate response to that with which one does not agree. less naively perhaps, i also say that if olam haba/the next world aka a jewish view of heaven is going to be full of these haredim then i am quite happy not to be joining them and look forward to eternity with those i love and who love me wherever else that may be.

finally, if you are looking for a good curse, my favourite is:

May You Be Like A Chandelier!

(thgin lla nrub dna yad lla gnah)

pink jerusalem protested

first, there was the campaign to attract the pink dollars to jerusalem. now, yediot achronot reports the backlash. today, the deputy prime minister, eli yishai, said:

"I unequivocally reject the attempt to focus a state-sponsored campaign on a delusional minority that suffers from a normative defect. Jerusalem and Amsterdam are the same for these people. Therefore, those who fail to recognize Jerusalem's holiness had better stay away from it."

the tourism minister, yitzhak aharonovitch, responded by saying it was all his predecessor's idea, and his office would not support the campaign in the future.

etc, etc. read the comments, if you can bear to ...

my only complaint is that all the promo pictures they showed were of gay men. aren't there any pink women in jerusalem?

seriously, though, while i like the idea of being welcoming, it appears to have been done in a rather *ahem* hamfisted way.