I got off on the wrong foot today. I always open my email first and there from my friend Pimernel was a story about how the Bishop of Providence had withheld communion from Rhode Island congressman Patrick Kennedy for his support for abortion rights. So much for separation of Church and State or.....how I have always supported: the garnishment of all Catholic property but for the churches themselves for involving themselves so deeply in the politics of Rhode Island. It is funny, as well, for me, because when I grew up in Providence and went to school there, the Bishop, Louis Geleneau I believe, was the only person in the world who could out-jewel and out-cape Liberace. Even then, I marveled at how the poor Catholics couldn't see the hypocrisy. And, then, there were the parties; I wasn't brought up Catholic and wasn't invited, but I had plenty of boyfriends there who were and they waxed nostalgic about the "special" parties given for the Boys of the Bishop.
The Countess Bedelia provided this wonderful cartoon that would have made me laugh under other circumstances (click to enlarge). And, then, there was the wonderful Colbert piece on the outrageous actions by Rhode Island governor, Donald "The Grey Goose" Carcieri, in vetoing a bill by the R.I. legislature to grant special rights for long-term gay couples--especially those married in neighboring states--the simple right to claim the body of a deceased partner and bury them. Where did this guy come from? Rhode Island is not that backward; it is the only state in the Union with an openly gay mayor of the capital city. In fact Mayor David Cicillini has been re-elected for the great work he has done for poor neighborhoods as well as historically rich.

Sometimes you have to take drastic measures to channel anger and the fastest one I had was to put on the greatest hits of Dusty Springfield. It worked like magic dust (which I didn't have) and prompted me to read a bit about this British pop singer becoming a great sensation here in the Sixties, how she alone introduced Motown singers to Britain, and how--when female pop singers were on the wane here--trotted off to Memphis and learned how to tool herself to country-western music (Son of a Preacher Man); she was a brilliant performer and business person.

By the time I had switched to Nancy Sinatra's "Sugar Town", I was in such an elated state that nothing short of a White Fly could ruffle my wings. (And, by the way, The White Fly has been defeted; but, that's another story).

I figure the voters of Rhode Island are smart enough to know right from wrong and will sort it all out. I'd just love to know how many rings the current bishop, Tobin, wears. Make sure to check out Colbert.