Hi-o, here's my bio

Hey folks—

Thanks for the opportunity to participate in this blog! My machine's been on the fritz the last few days and am just now getting around to saying hi/introducing myself.

My name is Chris. I'm 47, and have lived in San Francisco for over 22 years now, though I originally hail from Madison VA. Like all of us, my life has been impacted in various ways by both the social discomfort with which LGBT people are so often still greeted, and the policies of government which try so hard to deny the fact that our experiences and relationships are real, valid expressions of the human condition. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that our place in the natural order renders us very important to our species. Denial of Queers is just another expression of the divided nature of humanity at this point in our evolution. One of the deepest ways my life has personally been impacted is through our inability to sponsor our foreign-born partners.
So we have to lead the way where we can.

Speaking of which: one of the biggest issues that looms for me in 2010, as is the case for so many Americans and residents of this country, inclusive of all orientations/persuasions, is failure of leadership. Clearly the President's team has dropped the ball on so many fronts, and squandered the vast, populist support, that carried him into office. What strikes me so often, though, is that so many other leaders, INCLUDING those who profess to be our friends, far too often remain silent in the face of mistruths about or slanders of us. In their silence, they become complicit in maintaining a hateful status quo about us, when in reality we are their brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, neighbors, colleagues, and so on.

I know we have come a long way in a very short period of time. When I was a kid in the 70's, nobody would've dreamed that same-sex marriage would be an issue of national political import. But it does not justify allowing injustice to continue--and we all know how we are cautioned, election cycle to election cycle, that our issues must stay on hold just a little longer.
I try to be a do-gooder as well. I'm involved in my southeastern SF community around issues of neighborhood planning and redevelopment. I'm a small business owner and I try to put my money where my mouth is on the kind of community member any business should be, through involvement and treatment of employees to donation work. I'm certain me and my family is good for my community, as is the case for all here no doubt. I hope we can use our communications here to gain strength and help fuel purpose in movement to social justice for all.

Guess that’s more a bunch of beliefs and random thoughts about equality than a bio, but thanks again for letting me step on board here…