Dateline – San Jose, Costa Rica
Today was dreary and full of rain. Which worked out nicely as we had little to do other than make our way back from Quepos to San Jose. Fortunately, the roads were not crowded, the bridge under constant construction which could cause delays of up to an hour was crossed without issue and we were back at the Radisson San Jose where we began a week ago by midafternoon. When we left, the Radisson was full of teenagers here for some sort of youth soccer tournament. This time, it’s full of bowlers here for major bowling competition happening over the next week. The teens were less rambunctious.
The highlight of the drive back was the sighting of a pair of scarlet macaws in a coastal tree which led to an unscheduled stop. I used to have a fantasy of owning a scarlet macaw as they’re such gorgeous birds but having now seen them flying in their natural habitat, I could never do that. I’m becoming a softie in my old age. After a nap and a walk, the group gathered one last time for a farewell dinner – at a Vietnamese restaurant in a Latin American country. The food was quite good. I had a rice noodle bowl with pork meatballs. The organized tour may be done but I’m up in the morning to catch a puddle jumper at San Jose airport to the town of Liberia on the North Pacific coast for my few days of R and R in Conchal at the Westin.
The news out of DC is stunningly bad. Using the shut down as cover, the administration more or less gutted the CDC last night pretty much eliminating the teams that keep the food supply safe, track epidemics and infectious disease and let the health system know about what’s happening, assist foreign countries with serious outbreaks so that nasty diseases over there don’t spread here in this age of global travel, monitor respiratory viruses like the flu and help understand mutations and changing strains so that things like flu shots remain effective etc. etc. I can think of only a few reasons why these moves were taken. 1. They believe that if there is no information available regarding public health issues, that they won’t need to respond. 2. There’s been a calculated decision to knock out the supports that allow us to live long and health lives so that there will be fewer outlays for support in older age by the government. 3. They’re somehow conflating other public health initiatives with vaccine policy and they’ve decided destruction of public trust in vaccines is good short term politics. 4. They’re feckin’ idiots. It’s likely a combination of all three.
The consequences that are coming are: a) there will be a resurgence of childhood diseases previously conquered and children will die needlessly. I’m really expecting a polio outbreak with kids in iron lungs within the next five years. b) there will likely be a collapse in the ability of the population to access protection against seasonal respiratory viruses of all stripes after this coming year. c) some really nasty bug will arise in Asia or Africa and will come to this country and we won’t have the tools to contain it and it’s not going to limit itself to ‘othered’ populations.
Today is October 11th. It’s National Coming Out Day. I came out many decades ago in a totally different world where there were very real risks to my career, social standing, finances and various other things. But it was a necessary step in my evolution as an authentic adult. Besides, there was no way Steve, who came out at age 14 in high school in the early 60s when such things simply were not done, was going to allow me to not be who I am once we became a couple. For a while there, with the Windsor and Obergefell decisions and enormous shifts in the culture, coming out became less of a big deal. But we’re in a different time now where LGBTQ people are being ‘othered’ by powerful forces at a rapid clip. Books are being banned. Symbols of LGBTQ life are being erased from the publc square. Business is afraid to openly support us for fear of running afoul of the government. I made it through the 80s as a gay man so I have full battle armor, psychic and otherwise and am not afraid to use the skills I’ve learned.
Speaking of Steve, today is also the 57th anniversary of the first service held by Troy Perry founding what would become the Metropolitan Community Church, the first religious denomination created to specifically tend to the spiritual needs of the LGBTQ community. 20 year old Steve was one of the 12 attendees at that first service in Troy’s living room making home one of the 12 apostles of MCC. (He was there because he was the window display guy at the Santa Monica Sears where Troy ran the notions department). This means that Steve, were he still living, would now be 77 – he would not be thrilled. Troy is now 85. I’ve met him a few times over the years. As far as I know, he’s still doing OK.
The Saturday after I get back is the No Kings Day protests. I am going to go to the Birmingham gathering at Railroad Park as I take my first amendement rights of freedom of speech and freedom of peaceful assembly and protest very seriously. Will there be trouble? Unlikely in Birmingham. But I do expect the administration will try to goad violent action in some other locales. I hope people are smart enough not to take the bait. I have a couple of notions regarding a specific message I want to send. One is to show up as the Ansager from Politically Incorrect Cabaret with a sign regarding how PIC stands for freedom of speech and expression. The other is to show up in my plague doctor get up with a sign about how the whims of kings keeps me in business. The time for standing on the sidelines is rapidly passing. I’m in a position where I can put my body on the line for the good of the nation if necessary. No one depends on me and my working life is more or less ending.
It’s raining again. I can hear it outside the windows. I love lousy weather when I’m comfortably inside looking out.
Life, The Universe, and Everything 