Testimony of Lizbeth Marcs

or

How to Turn the World Upside Down Using Common Decency

I grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts. Fucking hated the place. Hated. Never felt like I belonged there. My family, I love them to pieces. All of them. I dig my parents. Had a reasonably happy childhood. Problem was, I hated the place. In my heart of hearts, wanted us to pick up and move to Providence. Because Providence is cool with its corrupt ways, great cityscape, Rhode Island 'tude, and out-and-out character.

But Worcester. Worcester! Bleh. Heart of Massachusetts. Seven hills surrounding a valley. Dying factory town with a depressing cityscape. Dull. Boring. Small-town conservative minds. Days of grey.

The only thing it has culturally speaking is the Centrum (civic center).

Paris of Massachusetts my ass.

Over the years, hatred turned to dislike and indifference. I often have joked that if I didn't have family there, I'd never, ever go there for any reason. Hell, I live near Boston. Why would I?

I've claimed to be from Providence, Boston, Northampton, Nashua, Beverly (near Salem)...anywhere but Worcester.

Then a wonderful thing happened. A marvelous thing. A thing that makes me think I need to rethink my once-despised hometown.

The City Clerk of Worcester, along with the town clerk of Provincetown and the city clerk of Somerville, told the Governor of Massachusetts to get stuffed. Loudly. Repeatedly. The three intrepid clerks are basically daring Governor Marriage-Should-Only-Be-Between-a-Man-and-Woman-Who-Cares-What-the-State-Supreme-Court-Says Mitt Romney to arrest their asses.

Why?

Because when Same-Sex Marriage goes legal on May 17 (Monday) they will marry same-sex couples without asking for proof residency. Without focing those couples to comply with a 1913 law that's never been enforced and was passed to prevent out-of-state mixed-race couples from getting a Marriage License with the Seal of the Commonwealth on it.

In short, they have announced for all the world to hear that they will treat same-sex couples seeking a marriage license no differently than the heterosexual couples that come before them seeking a marriage license. They will not ask for proof of residency. They will not demand proof that their Same-Sex Marriage is legal in their home states. They will merely ask them to sign the same affadavit that heterosexual couples must sign before issuing the license.

They won't treat same-sex couples any differently than mixed-sex couples.

They will follow the law as ruled on by the State Supreme Court.

What a concept!

And if Romney wants to arrest their asses for complying with the law as it's currently enforced, he can kiss all three of their asses and toss them in jail.

So I ask those of you who support same-sex marriage as a legal right designed to protect committed couples of all stripes to please take a moment and give your props to:

David J. Rushford, City Clerk, Worcester, Massachuetts

John J. Long, City Clerk, Somerville, Massachusetts

Doug Johnstone, Town Clerk, Provincetown, Massachusetts

(For the full coverage of Same-Sex Marriage in Massachusetts from the Boston Globe, here's the link: http://www.boston.com/news/specials/gay_marriage/)

My world has changed in a blink of an eye.

For the first time ever, I feel like I can jut my chin out, look my fellow man in the eye and say with pride, "I'm from Worcester, Massachusetts. You got a problem with that?"

Now on to more light-hearted matters.

mara_sho has a damn fine short-n-sweet story in her LJ called, Happy in a Land of Us. Perfect Andrew voice. I spent part of it going, "Hunh?" and then I got the kicker at the end. Go. Read. And I'm not just sayin' because there's a brief glimpse of wonderful Xander-Faithness.

And now, new Living History part.

( Part 53B: Philosophy of the Slay by Faith Lanoire )