Some of the most remarkable photographs ever made are powerful reminders of our human relationships. I regret, to date, having not spend much time photographing people (other than family) and hope to change that going forward.
Liz and I celebrated our 40th anniversary last week in North Carolina with family and a lovely trip to Asheville. On the way back to the airport it seemed fitting to stop in Newton to join several thousand others participating in a demonstration against the preacher who advocated putting gays and Lesbians inside an electric fence.
Celebrating 40 years of marriage!
What a joyous and powerful turnout of people it was! Humor and love fueled us along with an appreciation that all of us, as humans, are the same, yet, as individuals, are so wonderfully diverse.
Several thousand lined the street and many more, some no doubt still too afraid (understandably) to be seen in public, joined in by driving, honking and holding signs in their car windows. There were a few truly sad homophobes and misguided Bible-thumpers too, greeted with chants of “Love, not hate!”
Thank you to our GLBT friends and family who have loved us as we’ve learned to accept diversity in life. I was proud to stand with them and, especially, with my wife of forty years. While the photographs are not “award-winning”—I wasn’t really there for that!—I hope they show some of the emotion we shared being there.
We are all part of the same remarkably diverse family, aren’t we?
Demonstrations like this help me remain hopeful about people.
Still Learning To See 
WOW! What great pictures of a celebration honoring our diversity! Congratulations on your anniversary–I can’t think of a better way to hit 40 years than being with your family AND then participating in the broader “family” of justice! I’m reading Bill Bradley’s book WE CAN ALL DO BETTER, and in his last paragraph he says: “Wisdom tells us that love is our truest impulse, that love translated into policy is justice, that we’re all on this planet together…” How joyous for you and Liz to share your love both with a personal family AND a universal one! 🙂
“Let Freedom Ring”. All People just want to be treated like Human Beings and when you strip away everything else… Human is the core. Congrat on forty years of togetherness.
Congratulations on the 40th celebrations and a thank you for being there on the street helping folks see diversity. I had net er seen the Liberty and Justice kissing poster:-) What a hoot!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! You guys look great! And thanks for taking the time to post all this. We have this one life, and people just want to have some happiness in that. So why are others wanting to deny them (same gender partners) that? Selfishness, fear and cruelty.
like old times. what an inspiration! belated Happy Anniversary – Don and I hit 43 this year.
Congrats!