Of course, one thing Karslake’s documentary will likely demonstrate (unintentionally) is that the only way faith reconciles itself with homosexuality--especially Christianity, Islam, and Judaism--is by becoming a little bit less of a faith and a little bit more of a modern set of beliefs based on humanist ethics and evidentiary reasoning: the twin pillars of the Enlightenment that so influenced America’s founding fathers, among many other men and women of influence in the 1600's and 1700's. To find homosexuality intrinsically, essentially “bad” may not require religious faith, but it sure helps.

(And this quibble: I've always found the phrase "friend of Dorothy" odd, at best. As a label for an entire category of humanity, it really makes as much sense as calling all Christians "friends of Falwell," all citizens of South America, "friends of Simón Bolívar," or all people who happen to have black skin, "friends of watermelon." Beyond it being offensive, it's actually just stupid: After all, most gay 20somethings and teens don't even know who Judy Garland was, and plenty of gay people--regardless of age--who do know who she was really couldn't care less about her.)

one of the best commentaries by keillor this year!

n/t

What they say is that life is made up of a richness of small things and you need to keep them all in perspective.

I think that this is true. And I think it's easy to forget that it's true. I was born, raised, and educated in Iowa. Like Keillor, I live in New York City now. Urban life seemingly conspires to obliterate the small things; the massive billboards, massive buildings, massive budgets, massive rents. Certainly no one murmurs in the city of hustle and shout--not unless they want to go unheard. a sense of the small things that nature can offer can be gleaned by those able to afford to buy a home outside of the city--those with massive incomes. But for most new Yorkers, the small things are small without being satisfying. they're things like the simmering ripples on the Hudson on a summer day...if you can afford the view: if you put up with a long subway ride from Queens to get there, if you don't mind that even the Hudson is crowded with loud jet skis, sailboats offering an outing at $75 per ride, barges...and the entire scene lorded over by an endless round of helicopter sight-seeing tours. or it's things like finding a bar where a cocktail is less than $15.

But, I think Keillor's Iowa is gone, too. My mother and father still live there. I think Keillor isn't just describing a place--"Iowa"--but a time: the past.

The men leaning against the car. That was my grandpa Ike, who farmed most of his life up near the Minnesota border. But he's dead, the family farm is no more; my uncle still lives in the farm house, but the land was sold to a larger operation. He works in a factory. my mother works nights at a hospital in another town--where the factory is closing after many decades. my father talks politics, and god's will, and how awful political correctness is...and was supporting Sam Brownback. Now I suppose he supports Huckabee. There was a time when he was not political.

I’m not sure there's the leisure time or the inclination even in Iowa much these days for leaning and murmuring. Most leaning is forward--at the computer. And most murmuring is simply the statement that for good or ill, "things aren't what they used to be."

this one's a keeper. you know, one of those: print-it-out-and-put-on-the-fridge-or-office-door ones. :)