During my lunch-time walk through Richmond city center I had a new spring in my step. It was in the high 70s or low 80s; which is amazing for the end of July. I was at home yesterday, out of commission, when the news came about two momentous events in the city.
For one, Virginia's rule on same sex marriage was overturned. Secondly, the trial of our new ex governor and his wife had started.
Considering the marriage ban, I am happy to see that one repealed. I really have a big issue in policing what goes on at home or denying people the right to get married. Yes, you can see all the arguments on television, but having committed gay friends, I can not understand why we deny them the chance to get married. Both partners from one couple who are close friends needed an operation in the past few years. Everything went fine, but I just can't imagine if something went wrong. Interestingly, a talking head on TV was telling us that it was against the will of the majority Virginians. This is such a fluent issue (thanks to programs on television including HGTV) that I am not sure if that guy was correct.
On the governor and his wife, the jury will decide whether they were just stupid, greedy or corrupt. I have no opinion. During my life I have lived in countries with corruption and it is interesting. In Uganda I was able to bribe soldiers on a road block with one or two cigarettes. In Yemen, it took four beers to buy off a soldier at a road block who discovered all the illegal alcoholic beverages we bought on the black market and were smuggling home. I'm sure that bigger bribes were paid, but we operated on a much lower level.
What the governor did will be decided on by a jury, but one thing is for sure: Yesterday was a new beginning of politics I our state. Things will never be the same again! This photo of the state Capitol and the cranes behind it symbolizes this new beginning for me; building on a new and better future.