The Supreme Court Voted Down Trump's Illegal Tariffs

 YAY! 

The Supreme Court just voted down Trump's illegal tariffs. 

The vote was 6-3. Of course the usual suspects; Clarence Thomas, Joseph Alito and Bret Kavanaugh voted for Trump and against the American people. The only three Supreme Court justices who are corrupt having accepted vacations and other benefits (Kavanaugh's mortgage loan was paid off), no surprise. 

Maybe, just maybe prices in the grocery store will go down now. Probably unlikely though because once prices go up, they rarely go down. We shall see but it is a relief that for once, on this rare occasion the Supreme Court actually voted for the American people instead of the tyrant in the White House.

Sad Day for the United States of America

Non photo-shopped pictures of privileged white men showing their anger when their power is questioned

Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice today by the Republican controlled Congress.  Today is a sad day.  

Many of us will remember where we were when this travesty happened.  

I will minimize my rant here but I did want to make my displeasure known.  

No profiles in courage here today.  These Senators will go down in history for the cowards that they are.  

November is coming.

Supreme Court Rules In Favor of Same Sex Marriage Nationwide

Well, it happened. The majority (5-4) of Supreme Court justices ruled that same sex marriage is legal nationwide.  They overruled the wrong-headed thinking of the minority of Supreme Court justices who believe that "it should be left up to the states" to decided who has equal rights.  In other words, the rights of a minority should be decided by the votes of a majority.  

Bill and I will celebrate our 51st anniversary as a couple this day, next Friday.  Next Friday is also our second "official" wedding anniversary.  Folks, I have to tell you that when I met Bill fifty-one years ago at the Westbury Bar at 15th and Spruce Streets in Philadelphia that never . . . . NEVER in our wildest dreams did we ever think or believe that in our lifetime our love and life would be recognized and treated with the dignity and respect that straight couples automatically receive.  That we would no longer be the most despised minority in this country.  That one day we would no longer be "less than."  That one day we would be equal.  Not better, not less but EQUAL.

Bill (35) and Ron (22) - Pennsuaken, NJ - 1964 - Young Love

Bill (86) and Ron (73) - 2015 - Old (enduring) Love

The Battle Is Over

Me at Penn Manor Apartments Pennsauken, NJ - 1964 - Bill's apartment

With the historic Supreme Court decision yesterday to not hear the appeals of five states that wanted to continue to legalize discrimination against LGBT couples, legalized discrimination against the gays is over.  Of course there will always be holdouts like the Justices Scalia, Roberts, Thomas and Alioto.  That fact will never change until they are gone.  But they have lost and they know it.  Even Scott Walker, the governor of Wisconsin said "The Battle is Over."

Back in the bad old days when it was against the law just to be a homosexual (the word used to describe "the gays" pre-Stonewall), never in my wildest dreams would I imagine that I would be legally married to Bill.  

The photo at the beginning of this post is of me in 1964, the summer that I met Bill and would spend weekends at his apartment in Pennsauken, New Jersey.  We led a clandestine life in those days.  Very secretive.  

Bill could not even hint that a man was living with him because if he did he would risk losing his job at RCA.  Only straight men worked at RCA, later GE.  If it was known that Bill was a HOMOSEXUAL, how long do you think his employment would last?  Nada. Gone.  

Bill Kelly, RCA employee and closeted gay - 1964

I don't know where I'm going with this post.  Just expressing my feelings of relief that finally, in my lifetime, that not only me but thousands of other gay men and women will now be able to enjoy life as equal citizens of this great country, even though and despite the many flaws this country still has.  And oh yes, there will still be discrimination and attacks on gays like there was a few weeks ago in Philadelphia.

That attack particularly caught my interest because several times while I lived in Philadelphia I was attacked (not injured, got away) while just walking the street to or from a gay bar. I and many other gay men were often physically attacked by back in the Sixties and Seventies those assaults didn't make the news because we were gay and thus disposable.

I was even threatened in those two bastions of Gaydom, Provincetown and Rehoboth Beach. Folks, homophobia exists everywhere, even today and be forewarned my fellow gays, always try to be with someone if you're walking after dark in a known gay area.  My problem was I was always by myself (Bill didn't like to go out to gay bars).  Being by myself I was an easy target.  

Me at our center city Philadelphia home 1969

Looking at this picture of me from those days I have to admit I probably "looked gay" because I was slim and neat. I remember when this picture was taken, New Year's Day 1969 - I was cooking eggs to balance my hangover from celebrating New Year's Eve the previous evening.  Oh those were the days.

You know what folks?  I'm just glad I lived long enough to see the day when so many of my gay brothers and sisters can now get married and enjoy a life without the yoke of legalized discrimination and second class citizenship. 

Supreme Court Punts on Same-Sex Marriage

While eating lunch today with my MSNBC TV wallpaper on as background I heard:

"The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way Monday for legal same-sex marriages in five more states.

the court refused to hear cases from the states - - Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Indiana - - seeking to keep their same-sex marriage bans in place."


Oh my, oh my, what are those folks who are trying to protect the institution of marriage going to do now.  What with all "the gays" now able to get married . . . . there goes the neighborhood.  

I was going to begin my next sentence with "meaning no disrespect" to those who genuinely hold religious views on the traditional marriage of (and I hate this term) ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN (which isn't in the Bible by the way), I say "get over it."  Everybody and I mean everybody should be equal under the law.  

If two people (and not brothers, uncle or nephew, or whatever "slippery slope" argument those opposed to marriage equality use) love each other and decide to get marriage to enable them to have the same protections and benefits under the law that heterosexual couples take for granted, LET THEM GET MARRIED.  For God's sake, don't we have more important things to worry about in this country other than preventing two people who love one another from getting married?  

Twenty years from now today's children will tell there grandchildren "Yes, there was a time when Uncle Bob couldn't marry his friend Frank." And the grandchild will ask "Why?"

I remember about fifteen years ago when I worked at a bank in Downingtown.  A young guy (gay) who worked for me asked me "Was it true that the police would arrest you for just being in a gay bar?"  I said "Yes, I've been in a gay bar when the police came in."  He said "Why?"  I said "Because we were gay."  He asked again "But why? Just because you were gay?  How could they do that?"  I said, "Because they could and they did."  Guess what, there are now five more states than can no longer legally justify preventing Jim and Joe and Mary and Alice from getting married.  Those states are:

Oklahoma
Utah 
Virginia
Wisconsin
Indiana

Bill and me yesterday - together 50 years, married one year - we lived to see it!

The Puritans Must Be Rolling Over In Their Graves

John Winthrop, first governor of Massachusetts Bay colony

I woke up this morning feeling great!  So this is what freedom feels like?  I love it!

The last time I felt this free and equal was back in 1974 on an early July summer evening as my friend Bob Mc. and I rolled down Commercial Street in Provincetown, Massachusetts.  This was the first time we had ever been in Massachusetts and also the first time we were in a gay resort.  

Ariel view Provincetown, Mass 1974

What struck us first was how crowded the town was.  Solid masses of people on the sidewalks and in the road. At first we were mildly irritated that people were walking in the road and not jumping aside to make way for our vehicle.  Then we noticed something we had never in our lives seen before, same sex couples walking down the street (and in the road) together, many holding hands, some kissing and just being together.  What really astounded us was that the straight people seemed to take no notice.  There were no faces twisted in disgust at the sight of two men or two women walking together, CLOSELY.  

Commercial Street, Provincetown, Mass - 1974

Bob and I were thrown off balance by this new dynamic.  Prior to this steamy, July evening in 1974, in our previous life we were conditioned to expect different responses from straight folks when they say gay folks expressing fondness and closeness  in public.  Then we both had this very strange feeling.  We couldn't quite identify it because we had never felt it before.  Well, actually I did feel something like it before and that was the time I went into my first gay bar in Clairton, PA and saw men dancing with men.  But this was different.  This was in public and there were straight people around. 

Me in Provincetown (working on my skin cancer) - 1976

We quickly adjusted our attitude towards the crowds overflowing in the street thus slowing us down to our destination which was a gay bed and breakfast called "The Ranch" further on down Commercial Street.  Funny thing, we thought we were going to a dude ranch and we were dressed accordingly.  HA!  We found out differently when we arrived at "The Ranch."  

But that is another whole story which deserves its own blog post.  Back to the program in progress.

When we got to "The Ranch" we discussed this new "feeling" that we both experienced.  It wasn't too long until we both came to the realization that this "feeling" was freedom.  Yes folks, FREEDOM! God was that ever a great feeling.   

Outdoor cafe dining in Provincetown - 1976

For the next week we were in Provincetown we bathed and indulged ourselves in this new "thing" called freedom.  

"Tea Dance" at the Boat Slip in Provincetown, Mass (oh I spent many an afternoon here getting sloshed dancing)

Then it came time to leave and return to home which for me was center city Philadelphia.  It wasn't too long before I had to make an attitude readjustment.  Sure, I lived in center city Philadelphia which housed a large gay population. That was one reason I moved to center city Philly. But I quickly realized that even though there were many gay men and women in center city, that feeling of "Freedom" was gone.  Oh sure, a same sex couple could try walking down Spruce Street holding hands.  At best such a public display of affection would guarantee many disapproving looks from the straight people passing you on the street.  At the worst you would have a homophobic slur thrown at you like "Look at the fags!" Or you could even have what I had happen to me once, chased down the street to a friend's apartment to escape a gang of baseball bat wielding South Philly toughs who periodically on Saturday nights would drink enough beer to get the courage to go to "Philly and bash some fags."  Yes, I was chased simply because I was walking down Spruce Street......by myself.  Yes folks, even though I had fooled myself by thinking I was living The Life in center city Philly I didn't know what real freedom was like until that 1974 summer evening in Provincetown, Mass.

Jay (guy who reads my blog and sent me some of his Provincetown pictures)  feeling no pain at the Tea Dance

Yesterday I had that feeling again.  I was sitting at my computer, banging out my latest blog titled "Same Sex Ruling Due Today."  To be honest with you I didn't expect anything positive, especially because of the Supreme Court's ruling the previous day which put a dagger in the heart of the 1964 Voting Rights Bill.  Oh no, I was expecting the worse.  Then while I was typing with my TV on in the background I heard THE NEWS!  The Supreme Court declared DOMA, the "Defense of Marriage Ace" unconstitutional!  Unbelievable!  I could not believe it.  DOMA, the only time in our nation's history that Congress passed and the president signed a bill legalizing discrimination against a class of its citizens.  DOMA was no longer valid.  This meant that anyone married in those state that have legal same sex marriages would be entitled to the dignity and respect now routinely accorded to straight couples, including all the Federal protections and tax benefits.  Then that feeling swept over me like Niagara Falls.

Me at Niagara Falls 1967 - back in the bad old closeted days

 Oh my.  I had forgotten what it felt like.  Folks, it feels good!

Which brings to my mind, I wonder if John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Puritan would feel about yesterday's Supreme Court ruling knocking down DOMA.  You all know John Winthrop don't you?  He left England with his little band of religious zealots called "The Puritans" to find....get ready for it......religious freedom.  Of course his brand of religious freedom was you either practiced his religion or you were ostracized and punished.  Sound familiar?  Ostracized and punished.  Hmmmm.  Yes folks, the irony is that one of the first leaders to come to this country for freedom probably would not approve of yesterday's Supreme Court ruling.  Winthrop and his fellow Puritans must be rolling (twirling is probably more accurate) over in their graves today.  

Winthrop and his fellow intolerant Puritans (nice drag).  Justice Scalia would feel right at home.

Supreme Court Strikes Down DOMA

The brave lady who started it all - thank you Edith!

YES!  I can't believe it.  I'm still trying to absorb the full impact of the Supreme Court ruling today that struck down the discriminatory DOMA law that banned same sex marriage.  

The first thought that comes to my mind is "So this is what freedom feels like."  

I have yet another "moment" that I will remember the rest of my life where I was when I heard this news.  Damn, this is a GOOD feeling.

This means that when Bill and I get married we will have the same respect and legal protections that heterosexual couples have taken for granted for millennia.  We also will have 1,138 Federal benefits. Man oh man.  I can't believe that I have the option to file a joint tax return with Bill.

No longer will Bill and I be considered less than equal.  For this to happen in my lifetime is still hard for me to absorb.  I can't stop smiling.

So much to think of.  So many changes.  First I'm going to have to get used to referring to Bill as "my husband."  You know folks, every time I heard heterosexuals refer to their "husband" or "wife" I always had a twinge of envy and also feeling less than because I had to refer to Bill as "my partner", like I was in a business relationship. At least "my partner" was an improvement over "my lover" which was how we gays used to refer to our partners back in the old pre-Stonewall days.  

I'm also happy for my LGBT friends who have children.  They too will now be treated equally and not as "less than."  

Now I'm wondering if my local representative, Stephen Smyk (R-Del) will finally acknowledge me as his constituent and answer my mail.  Who knows?  Maybe he'll get on the right side of history and recognize that Bill and I are equal.  Next time when he knocks on my door asking my support because he is the "family values candidate", he will include my family.  

Same Sex Wedding Ruling Due Today

We await.  We await with nervous trepidation for the United States Supreme Court ruling on same sex marriage, otherwise known as marriage equality. Will the Supreme Court do the right thing and strike down DOMA?  Will the Supreme Court strike down California's Proposition 8 in which California voters decided that same sex marriages were illegal?  I don't know.  I know what my "gut" feeling is but I won't say because I'm superstitious.  I am hoping the Supreme Court does the right thing and recognizes that same sex couples are entitled to the same rights, respect and benefits that heterosexual couples have taken for granted for hundreds of years.  

I'm not big on attending weddings.  The very first wedding I was invited to was my best friend Larry's wedding to his sweetheart Lois.  That was to take place in September of 1962.  Unfortunately I couldn't make it to the wedding because I had to attend the funeral of my much loved Uncle John Tipton, who died accidentally.

Larry and Lois at their wedding - 1922

The second wedding I was invited to was my younger brother John's wedding.

Marriage of John and Barbara Tipton - 1963

That's me, standing to the far right (with my eyes closed of course) next to my other younger brother Isaac.  By the way, this picture proves that I am the shortest of the three Tipton brothers even though I am the oldest.  Each Tipton boy came out bigger, that's my our Mother stopped having babies.  But I digress.  My brother Isaac was best man as his brother John's wedding. I was  the Other Brother at this wedding.

One wedding that I didn't attend but that a member had a big influence on my life was the wedding of the man I had my first intimate relationship with.  His name was Bob S. (no last names out of respect for his family, whose wife is still alive and children know who I am because of a previous blog posting in which I mentioned his whole name).

Yes, he was that good-looking.  We had a several month affair until I broke it off because I didn't want to be a "mistress" to a man with three young children.  Bob was my first love. Later his wife wrote a book about her failed marriage. I was referred to in her book, as one of the "other men" he was seeing.  I found out later that Bob had married again and fathered two more children.  Prior to his first marriage he had two children out of wedlock.  This was the man who "introduced" me to same sex relationships.  Ironic don't you think?

I've been invited to weddings over the years.  I turn them down, probably because it was only a reminder that this was something that I could never participate in.  I didn't need that reminder that I wasn't "good enough" to have an official marriage to the man I love and have lived with for the past 49 (this July 3rd) years.  

Bill, me and my brother John at our new house in Delaware 2006.

Maybe today the Supreme Court will rule that Bill and I and all other same sex couples are entitled to the same respect and legal protections that straight couples have enjoyed since millennia.  Maybe.  One can only hope.

FLASH!!!!!