Officer Laura Gerritsen, life partner of Los Angeles Police Officer Spree DeSha, who was killed in the Metrolink train collision, touches DeSha's casket during funeral services at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008.
JCF sent us this picture, which frankly makes me cry. This is the face of marriage: you know, all that better/worse stuff? This is the worst any of us can imagine. This is the "Where you go, I will go, your people will be my people" thing, taken to the agony of "why oh why did you leave me behind?".
This is love. How dare anyone tell us otherwise.
Our sincere condolences to Off. Gerritsen for her tragic loss, and to the other victims of Metrolink 111.
12 comments:
"It is love and how dare anyone tell us otherwise." IT
I know personally.
Amen to the sincere condolences to Officer Gerritsen and her tragic loss (and all the other families too who lost loved ones)
One of the most popular law professors at the Univerity of Southern California Law School died this week of lung cancer. One student rightfully noted that he would fill up a major lecture hall even if he was lectoring on the history of linoleum -- he was that good of a teacher.
He was gay and partnered and active in the Gay and Lesbian Center in Los Angeles. For some reason, his obiturary has not yet appeared in the Los Angeles Times. It was reported in another publication that is not readily available on-line. I'll post the link if the Times reports it; if it doesn't appear shortly, I'll just cut and paste from the other source.
Still nothing in the Times. So this is from the Los Angeles Daily Journal:
"Law professor Charles H. Whitebread, whose colorful lecture style drew throngs of students to his classes at USC and held the attention of many more nationally through bar review courses, has died from lung cancer. He was 65.
...
"'He probably could have lectured on the history of linoleum and still filled the lecture hall,' said Jonathan Klein, a 2006 graduate of Gould who took both the Trust and Estates course and Whitebread's bar exam review. 'He was the most gracious and accessible personality in all of USC Law School.'
Whitebread is believed to have taught more students than any other member of the law school faculty, largely due to his popular undergraduate seminar Law and Society. ...
...
"One of Whitebread's personal achievements was the Jeff Griffith Youth Center, a center for at-risk youth at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center that he established in memory of a friend. His continued support of the center, through solicitations and receptions, raised a quarter of a million dollars."
...
"Whitebread is survived by his sister, Anne Tower; his brother, Joseph Whitebread; his life partner, John Golden; and his friend, Michael Kelly."
This is incredibly sad. Legalized discrimination is cruel to same-sex couples in the American military, too, especially when there is an injury or death. And what about the policy that only allows heterosexual marrieds to bring non-American spouses to the USA? I know many American expats in same-sex marriages who stay out of the USA because of these dehumanizing laws.
The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property demonstrated in favor of Prop. 8 in downtown Los Angeles today. This group is a self-described counter-revolutionary Roman Catholic group that essentially opposes everything that has occurred since the 14th Century. Here's the Wikipedia entry on this group.
They were standing on the corner of a major intersection with huge banners on poles, bagpipes, drums, and all their personnel in crypto-military uniforms.
The most interesting thing is that they were handing out flyers but virtually NO-ONE took one. This is really unusual -- most people in downtown L.A. take flyers to avoid a possible confrontation if they say, "No," and then dump them in the next trash-bin. I think these folks scared the be-jesus out of the lunch-time crowd.
As they say, "one picture is worth a thousand words." In this case, there are no words.
It is unfortunate that those opposed to equal rights will not be moved by the photo. Oh, they will until they understand what is goign on in the photo.
I keep coming back to this photograph and each time I don't know what to say other than it is heartbreaking.
I'll be sure to keep Officer Gerritsen in my prayers.
Interestingly, DeSha is family name in my extended family; so it's possible the fallen officer could also be a distant relative of mine and Ofcr. Gerritsen a distant relative-in-law.
"Give to the departed eternal rest./Let light perpetual shine upon them."
Such pain, such beauty.
God grant Peace to both hearts, and healing to the one left behind.
Again, on this thread, I need to hat-tip this pic: it's from Cath, at the Tavern Wall (a great straight ally, from Sacramento: my hometown!)
If anyone is interested, the picture was taking by Luis Sinco of Los Angeles Times -- http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-traincrash19-pg,0,1859246.photogallery?index=7 . The photo gallery that contains this picture has a number of moving pictures from the funeral.
I don't know how I am going to do it, but I have something to send to Laura Gerritsen and I will find a way to send it to her.
This photo touches the hearts of us all.
Post a Comment