more delightful poison

So they’re dusting my neighborhood for mosquitoes (because of West Nile Virus). Again. I had to rush home from YSA volleyball at the stake center to walk the dog and shut up all the doors and windows so that stuff doesn’t come inside. The dusting should be starting any minute now. At least this time it’s not so creepy because my house isn’t ground zero. But that means someone else’s house is ground zero. And they’re probably creeped out right now. I know that they’re just trying to prevent West Nile Virus, but I can’t help wondering how this pesticide stuff is going to hurt us in the long run. Meanwhile I hope someone out there is working on a cure. Or some kind of vaccine. I read on Wikipedia that there are three possibilities in terms of West Nile symptoms in people. The first and most common has no symptoms. The second (and somewhat less common) is called West Nile Fever, and looks pretty much like the flu: lasts a week, fever, aches and chills, swollen lymph nodes, etc. The third and most scary, but least common, is called West Nile Meningitis, and is as bad as it sounds. This is the one that has got us all paranoid. It can infect the spinal cord (in rare cases) and is mostly characterized by a lower level of consciousness and hyperactive “deep tendon reflexes,” followed by “long convalescence with fatigue.” I imagine it can kill kids and seniors.

Why did I include information about the symptoms (based on only slightly legitimate research)? In my personal experience, knowing more about something makes you fear it less. When I didn’t know what kind of havoc West Nile could wreak on my body, I was a lot more afraid. But now that I know what I’m up against, I’m okay. I can handle this. But I’m still afraid of the pesticide.

be firm

Elder Ballard has counseled members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to write about their beliefs on the internet, to share these beliefs with others. I think this is a great way to get correct information out there, so that when others look up the Church on a search engine they find more than just anti-Mormon websites. They have a better chance of finding the truth. I already have friends who do so, most admirably. Now it’s my turn.

Today I want to address a very crucial topic that seems to be coming to a head in our society. This is particularly difficult for me because some of my closest friends in high school felt strongly the opposite of what I believe on this issue. They were vocal members of the gay-straight alliance, etc., and some even claim(ed) to be bisexual. I also had friends who were homosexual, though we were not as close. I did my best to make it clear to them that, while I do not and cannot condone homosexuality, that they were still my friends and I cared for them. I believe they saw me as faithful and yet tolerant. But now I have to make a stand that, if they see this blog, could very likely damage our relationships for life. But it’s time to no longer be afraid of criticism.

So as most Californians know, the state supreme court recently declared the law, passed by the voice of the people, that defines marriage as only between a man and a woman, unconstitutional. According to the state constitution. Here’s a quote from an article on CNN.com:

The California Supreme Court struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage Thursday, saying sexual orientation, like race or gender, “does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights.”

Okay, but this is not about “rights.” It is about “definition.” They call it a right to marry, when in fact they seek to change the definition of marriage.

And pro-gay activists have a load of weapons in their arsenal. They use loaded words to gain sympathy. First, as I said, they call it a “right.” Anyone who disagrees is a “bigot” or “old-fashioned.” And we’re not allowed to say things like “sin” because that’s bringing religion into the picture. They’ve duct-taped our mouths.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles words it much better than I do:

This is much bigger than just a question of whether or not society should be more tolerant of the homosexual lifestyle. Over past years we have seen unrelenting pressure from advocates of that lifestyle to accept as normal what is not normal, and to characterize those who disagree as narrow-minded, bigoted and unreasonable. Such advocates are quick to demand freedom of speech and thought for themselves, but equally quick to criticize those with a different view and, if possible, to silence them by applying labels like “homophobic.” In at least one country where homosexual activists have won major concessions, we have even seen a church pastor threatened with prison for preaching from the pulpit that homosexual behavior is sinful. Given these trends, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must take a stand on doctrine and principle. This is more than a social issue — ultimately it may be a test of our most basic religious freedoms to teach what we know our Father in Heaven wants us to teach. (see full article)

And so it is time for us to take a stand. And don’t let them derail you with arguments of the “fundamentality” of their feelings or of the specialness of their situation. Elder Wickman says the following in the same article:

Whether it is nature or nurture really begs the important question, and a preoccupation with nature or nurture can, it seems to me, lead someone astray from the principles that Elder Oaks has been describing here. Why somebody has a same-gender attraction… who can say? But what matters is the fact that we know we can control how we behave, and it is behavior which is important.

But maybe I’m derailing myself. My point is, marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. Any twisting of that is wrong. Also, the family is the basic unit of society. As the First Presidency puts it in “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”:

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

…

We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

And a few weeks ago a letter from the First Presidency was read aloud in every LDS meetinghouse in California, urging us to give time and means to support the upcoming proposed amendment to the California constitution this fall that would define marriage as between a man and a woman. According to the CNN article, Governor Schwarzenegger said he would not support such an amendment, which means we have to make an especial effort. So this is my call to all out there (especially in California) who believe that marriage should only be between a man and a woman. Even if you are not Mormon. The Supreme Court overruled a vote by the majority of the people, so now we have to go over the Supreme Court.

Vote yes on Proposition 8, the California Marriage Protection Act. More than that, become a part of the campaign effort. Even if it is as little as talking to your friends and sharing how you feel about the issue. Don’t be obnoxious or belligerent. But be firm.

And whatever you do, don’t give up. There is enough voting power out there to do the right thing. We just need to make an effort.

book angel

I just read an article in the San Jose Mercury News this morning about a teacher who saves books that his school library throws out.

This week, Wright, 57, rumpled in sweatpants and a T-shirt, rushed to Morrill Middle School after the Berryessa school board had declared 686 library books surplus. The teacher browsed through volumes laid out on tables. He filled boxes until the custodian turned out the lights and chased him out. He returned Friday morning, his triumph mixed with amazement and distress.

“Why get rid of ‘The Yearling’? Or ‘Leaves of Grass’! How could anybody say there just isn’t room for ‘Leaves of Grass’?” he asked. “If they were throwing out ‘Captain Underpants’ I’d understand, but not ‘Leaves of Grass.’ “

Granted, I haven’t read Leaves of Grass, but I have read The Yearling. And one of the pictures showed a few of these reject books laid out on a table, including a book by Ray Bradbury. Which really got me riled. The article also mentions such titles as The Witch of Blackbird Pond and Anne Bronte’s Agnes Grey.

Apparently this guy takes the books home, puts them in his classroom, or takes them to another school library that is happy to receive them. All three are much better outlets than the dumpster. It’s too bad the school doesn’t have access to some kind of donation program for the books.

Here’s something else that’s scary:

He glances at the spacious library with empty shelves and counters of computers, and laments that the room that once held many more shelves of books now is labeled “the media center.”

I went walking past my old elementary school a couple of weeks ago, and noticed the same thing had happened to the library there. It was a “media center.” As useful as computers and other media can be, I find this incredibly disturbing. It’s a trend of belief that with the advent of the internet, books are suddenly obsolete. It reminds me of something Ben said on a recent post:

I’ve noticed it in myself, watching my attention span shrink as my mind reshapes itself in order to digest bite-sized meals instead of the full nine courses of a Tolstoy or a Melville or even the ordinary single-course meal of an Austen or a Hardy. I gravitate towards shorter books, I shy away from the long. (And “long” grows shorter by the day.) I’d rather read blogs than books.

But don’t worry, he redeems himself:

Wrong wrong wrong! Blogs are great, and the Internet’s a wonderful thing, but I will not let it suck away my capacity to enjoy books.

Let me remind everyone that books are the most enduring data storage device in history, our friend since the dark ages.

So this teacher is one of my personal heroes.

Only one thing:

At home he’s got bookcases, a steamer trunk in the basement, and soon plastic bins for his crawl space, all filled with books.

Packrat. Reminds me of me. And Ben. And Mike. Plus maybe a little OCD on the side. Let’s hope someday I have enough shelving so nothing has to go in boxes