Seeding Spartanburg

I was so, so sad to read in the paper today that 'Roc' Curry had passed away. Her obit said she passed away after an extended illness.

Of course, like many of us do with time…I thought…extended illness? 'I just saw her not long ago' but after thinking about it I realized that the last time I could recall seeing her and really chatting was at "Show Up for Spartanburg" in May 2009. So it wasn't just yesterday. It just seemed like that.

I recalled her taking the mic and praising all that was Spartanburg. She always did. She had her patriotic hat on…the one she always wore to League of Women Voters events and Democratic Party events. A real spitfire of positive pro-community energy. Of course…I loved her for that inspiration. She always inspired me…regardless if it was her constant pursuit of a seat on District 6 School Board, her dedication and love of the Spartanburg community or selling her plants at the Farmers Market. She tried it all and supported it all and set one heck of an example for women and citizens everywhere and for that, I am glad I had the opportunity to have known her and to learn from her.

She put her voice out there…even when it wasn't easy…that's what will change the world. So thanks Roc. Rest in peace. You will be missed.

Very much.

xo,

t

What is that? Who is that?

I keep hearing that term tossed around in political circles and I remain baffled because I'm not sure I know one. Or at least, I should say, the ones I do know don't feel the need to go out and declare it in the way some politicos do. I do know of a handful who walk the walk and for those few…I have great respect. They aren't always 'christians' though…they just walk that walk.

As for little 'ole me…I tend to seek my own answers and encourage others to do the same. I realized a long time ago that I didn't need the baggage that comes with organized religion. It's different for everyone though and I acknowledge and try to respect that. 

But, none of that is my point. Religion and spirituality are very personal. It is something that one lives by example not by declaration. And when citizens support a candidate who insists on constantly declaring their religion they kid themselves. If you think…REALLY…think…that simply because a political candidate annoints himself a 'good christian man' that it means he will be a fine politician…you're a sucker.

I tried to think of a kinder word but I couldn't. Don't be a sucker. Because even the finest so-called 'good christian men' have skeletons. And if they think skeletons won't come out in this political climate…they're kidding themselves.

The best advice I have for any politician…don't run as a saint. You ain't one. None of us are. Just be a person who is trying to work to make things better.

And to everyone who believes politicians don't drink booze, do drugs, screw around on their partner, gamble, lie, cheat…or whatever 'sin' you may frown upon…WAKE UP already. Politicians are just people. Not Jesus. They are just as capable of doing those things as the rest of us.

Quit judging and electing them on what you think they should be in your eyes and simply start choosing people who might be able to actually FIX OUR PROBLEMS. They do have resumes…you might consider taking a look at qualifications for a change.

Politicians are no different than you or me. They tend to be people who either want to truly change the way things are done or simply people who want to build their resume.

It's up to me and you to open our eyes, research, determine their motives and vote accordingly. 

Regardless, none of them are perfect and you're setting yourself up for disappointment if you think they are.

t

but now I'm back. Trying to catch up on everything. Do love me a little Edisto Beach. I return to Sburg to see I didn't miss much which is good. I hate to miss stuff. I did see a letter to the editor that stated people should boycott City businesses because of Junie White's proclamation.

Really people? Really? There was also an article about Spartanburg's obesity rates.

Oh well. Let's look to the positive. Maybe people won't go to the Golden Corral so much and our County's overall obesity rate will improve. Someone is packing that place everyday…who, I don't know. Let's hope they can make it through the boycott. If only Jasons Deli was in the County they might go there…a much healthier choice. Oh well, who knows what they'll do.

Regardless, it's good to be home.

t

I had an op-ed in Wednesday's Herald Journal about a neighborhood fire that has proven to be a pretty dang incredible emotional journal…wanted to share.

t

Woohoo!!! Go Hub City Bookshop!

So exciting for Downtown. Can't wait. Wednesday, June 30th. 10am. 186 W. Main Street.

You can even buy your books online and keep the money in the local economy!

Thanks Betsy, Erin and the rest of the HC Bookshop team for working so hard to bring this to our community!

t

I’ve been a horrible follow-up blogger lately. I apologize. It’s been a pretty incredible time here in ole’ Sparkle City over the past month. The Pride parade was a huge success and, like last year, my family proudly marched with our friends and neighbors but at the same time, it was hard for me to watch people I had grown to respect take stances that I never imagined they’d take.

It’s left me questioning my political place in local politics and wondering things like…where will the local Democratic Party go from here? They already have incredible challenges to overcome but what happens when elected black democratic leaders and progressives disagree like we just did over the past weeks?

We need to have some serious discussions in this community—and not just the Democratic Party. We’ve sugar-coated race relations for long enough. The reality is…we sweep the hard issues under the rug. That is the southern way…did we learn nothing from “The Prince of Tides”? Enough. We need to discuss things like Linda Dogan’s comments about the Pride march if we expect to truly move forward on the issue. She obviously wants to discuss them. So let’s do it. There are gay people in the City of Spartanburg. They have good jobs and pay their taxes. Why should they not get a march if they ask?

For me, the Pride parade was about standing up for what is right. It was about teaching my children that no matter who they are they are still people with rights nonetheless. It was a personal choice I made to march. But, I am not in an elected capacity and my personal choices do not affect my entire City but for those that are and those who chose to isolate many of our law-abiding, taxpaying contributing members of the community…I believe they made a mistake and should answer. They are elected to make good decisions for our entire City’s population and they didn’t. They are not elected to isolate people and they did. They are not elected to tell people their lifestyles are wrong—they did. They are not elected to oppress citizens and they are certainly are not elected to squash the City’s economic development interests. Yet, they did.

We need to be discussing that. Because I’ve got questions.

How do you expect me to stand up for one oppressed minority and not another? How do you justify that? To divide the community in a way that literally pits black against pro-equal rights is the poorest form of leadership I’ve seen in my lifetime…and that is saying a lot considering I lived through the GW Bush era. As a woman, it is unimaginable to ever think I would get to a place in my life to believe that I have earned the right to oppress another.

It has truly been a disheartening experience for me to witness the stance of certain people. And for me, that also means an inspiring experience because I will turn lemons to lemonade somehow. That’s all we’ve got…is to look to the positive. Hence the reason I am all about us sitting down and discussing the issues.

Mayor Junie White took a stance and it took guts to do what he did. He catapulted the City of Spartanburg forward 10 years…at least…by having an understanding heart and using the simple swipe of a pen. He will go down in history for having the guts to lead our community forward. Leading is not easy and it is not something we see every day. Actually, we see it very rarely. Yet, all of us have just had the opportunity to witness it firsthand in our current Mayor.

It is important that all of our citizens prosper and that none are oppressed. It is important that those on the outside look at our community and see an open-minded, accepting community if we ever expect to prosper and create a true economic engine in Downtown Spartanburg. We need elected officials who are smart enough to realize just that.

So where do we go from here? Some serious community discussions about not only race relations but the socioeconomic issues plaguing us. It will do us all some good. Easy? No. Good? Yes. I hope people across the spectrum will support truly putting the issues out there and be committed to all of us working together to get through them…it will do Spartanburg good. We can’t move forward until we do.

t

You were awesome! The SHJ article today said that more people attended here than in the one in Charleston a couple of weeks ago. Woohoo. I knew yesterday that it was 3x more people than last year!! Yay!

Can't wait until next year!!!

xoxo,

t

Thanks to the Spark for this video footage!  Check out Mayor Junie White's presentation of the proclamation.

UPDATE: And do read Christopher George's fantastic summary piece, Pride Postmortem, over at the Spark. (Good job Chris! And Happy Belated Birthday!) 

Spartanburg's gay pride festival is making the rounds. Peter Greenberg, America’s most recognized, honored and respected front-line travel news journalist, mentioned it in a recent column.

5 Unexpected Gay Pride Festivals

1. Tijuana, Mexico

2. Spartanburg, SC

3. Istanbul, Turkey

4. Sligo, Ireland

5. Columbo, Sri Lanka

Spartanburg, SC?!?! Really? Awesome.

Yes, a gay pride parade in a small Southern city is, as you might expect, not a mega-event. Last year’s first-ever Upstate Pride March attracted about 500 people (and about 300 anti-gay protestors), and around 700 are expected this year.

But this year, the LGBT community of Upstate South Carolina may be holding its collective head a bit higher after Spartanburg Mayor Junie White signed an official proclamation recognizing the community and the event. But not only that, Mayor White also wrote an editorial coming out forcefully in favor of civil rights for all Americans. (Now that’s Southern hospitality.)

A modest parade will depart from the city’s Magnolia Street Station train depot at 2 p.m. on June 19 and conclude with a festival (also at the station). But the festivities don’t end there—an afterparty will be held at Club South 29 at 11 p.m. It might not be among the most over-the-top gay pride events, but for big-city LGBTers used to easy, casual acceptance, it could very well be an eye-opening reminder of how difficult it can be to be queer in America.

Wow. Go Spartanburg. The little things DO matter.

t

Why can't I get you to grow? My tomatoes…doing good. Peppers. Good. Blueberries. Check. Green beans, cucumbers. Even my strawberries despite the fact something takes a bite of them before I can but they are growing and the few we've had…yum (note to self: cover them next year). But, squash…nothing. And everyone says you're so easy to grow.

Is there something I'm doing wrong? Please tell me so we can eat you once you do grow.

Your friend,

t

I’ve been thinking a lot about oppression this week. And how and more importantly why people seek to justify oppressing other people. I can’t help it with all that has gone in Sparkle City this week. Why are there people that are so anti-gay people? I just can’t understand it.

Why?

You hear simple arguments like…they are wrong. What rights are they missing? Why do they have to flaunt their “lifestyle”? Who’s oppressing them? They aren’t like black people…no one is spraying them with a hose…as if that is a good argument.

Are we still there? Really? In 2010? Unfortunately for some…I guess we are. The fact that people are speaking out against it…is reason enough for the need for a parade and a proclamation. 

Have we learned nothing via history? We look at history and remember black people marching into Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in the late 50s. I use that example because I think it is one that people in this generation can relate to—if you’ve seen the movie “Forrest Gump”, for instance, you know what I’m talking about. 

A typical example of the federal government being forced to step in and tell a bunch of ignorant Southern elected officials…if you take our money, you will let ALL people in. Pretty much the same way they still do SC today.

Yet, there were people who made an effort to get off their butts and line the sidewalks and protest and take a stance to say ‘no black people don’t belong here.’ Although, I think they used the ‘N’ word to get their point across–not 'black people.' But somewhere, somehow these people actually thought they were right in their stance. What were they thinking???? Of course they failed because they were wrong. 

So when I watch people today…in 2010…take that same stance against gay people…I think…you people are the ones lining the sidewalks of the late 50s. As you try to justify your bigotry…do you hear yourselves? You are no different than those same people that thought blacks weren’t worthy in the late 50s. You are so going to end up being one of the people your children look back on with shame. And wonder. Wonder why you thought it was right to oppress to another human being because you had some deep-rooted, ill-will against them. Is it worth that?

Because your children will ask—if they are smart enough. Maybe you just want your kid to be a follower but if you’re a good parent you want more for your kid…so you better hope they do ask…where you stood. And hopefully you will have a good answer for them so they don’t end up another sad, angry person with nothing better to do with their life but work to oppress another person. What kind of future is that to have to look forward to…

I told my Mom the other day, “I don’t ever want my children to wonder where I stood.” I don’t ever want my children to look at history and see hate-filled people trying to oppress others and wonder where I stood. 

I want my children to grow up knowing and understanding that being an American comes with responsibility and understanding and empathy. It is a BIG responsibility to be an American…I want them to know that.

I can’t understand people who make an effort to stop the dreams of others. I really can’t. I'm just not there in my life. I try hard to see both sides of the issues but when it comes down to oppressing another…my understanding stops.

What good would it do me to stop a parade for a gay person? Why do people make an effort to deny another happiness? I don’t know. Because they are sad or angry with their own lives? That’s all I can figure. And I can’t help them with that. One must resolve that on their own. All I can do it hope they will let go of their issues. And soon. Not just for our sakes but for their own.

I am a woman who has benefitted because someone stood up for equal rights for women despite the fact there were people who thought women didn't deserve so much. I owe it to others who are oppressed to stand up in an effort to ensure they get the same.

Life is too short to be upset and angry about other people seeking happiness. Seek your own happiness and let others seek theirs. At the end of the day, you will be so much happier because you did.

And THAT is where I am on all that.

t

p.s. One more thing…people, please learn the difference between City and County. People in Inman and Landrum keep writing letters to the editor and saying you're disappointed in "our mayor". He's OUR mayor…the City of Spartanburg. He is not the Mayor of Inman or chesnee or landrum. You didn't elect him…we did. The SHJ should have explained that to you but they probably felt bad that you didn't realize it yourself. Not to oppress your voices…just wanted to clarify for the sake of political purposes.