An Open Letter To My State Representative Steven Humphrey

Dear Representative Humphrey,

I woke-up this morning to the news that your Colorado Freedom of Conscience Protection Act has died in committee. I was saddened and confused by this as the law would have only protected the religious rights of every citizen of Colorado.

As Christian I would have no longer have to do business with Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, or Transgender people since The Holy Book says that, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." Of course those words are in the Old Testament and not the New Testament which means Jesus never said them, he said things like, "Love thy neighbor" and "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” But those other words are in The Holy Book so this makes my actions righteous.

As a Jew I would have no longer have to do business with any menstruating woman as the Torah says menstruating women are unclean for seven days. Of course, as a Christian I would have been able to do the same thing as the Torah is really the Old Testament and a part of The Holy Book. In fact, since I cannot really tell whether or not a woman is menstruating, I would not have done business with any women all.

As a Hindu I would have no longer have to do business with anyone wearing leather shoes, clothing, a watch with a leather strap, or anyone carrying a leather bag, suitcase or briefcase as cows are sacred to me. I would also not have done business with anyone who walked into my business eating a McDonald's hamburger.

As a Druid I would no longer have to do business with anyone who puts up a Christmas tree as trees are sacred to me. I would have also had the right not to do business with anyone who puts up a fake Christmas tree since that person would only be mocking my beliefs.

As a worshiper of the Ngen I would no longer have to do business with anyone who defiles nature. Woe to you who treat nature with no respect and molest the animals with in it. There are not many of us Ngen worshipers but those of us will probably be working for the Parks Service. I wouldn't want to be you on the day I work the entry gate at Rocky Mountain National Park. If you try to come in the west entrance, you will be stuck in a line of vehicles that reaches back to Granby.

As for the supposed negative effects to our economy that opponents of this law presented, how many gay or lesbian or bisexual or transgender or female or leather wearing or McDonald's hamburger eating or Christmas tree puter- uppers or nature defiling tourists really come to Colorado to ski, visit the parks or attend conventions? Not that many, I'll bet!

What the people who are against this law do not realize is that passing it would have helped end terrorism and improved our relationship with the Islamic States. Once the Islamic people learned that we had passed a religion based law, just like one of their Sharia Laws, they would have known that we as a people are righteous.

Allah, I mean, God be with you,

Colleen Shannon


PS Since President Trump will soon be closing down all social media to prevent people from criticizing him I will be sending you a copy of this letter by snail mail.
C


Link to Denver Post article, Religious freedom bill dies in Colorado House.

Women's March- Denver January 21, 2017

Be not deceived. Revolutions do not go backward.
-Abraham Lincoln

View of people streaming into Civic Center Park before the march. Photo taken from 22nd floor of the old Hilton Hotel building.

View of people on 16th St. heading toward Broadway St., then on into Civic Center Park- from the 14th floor of the old Hilton Hotel building.

Start of the march at 15th St. and Cleveland Place.

Signs, signs, everywhere signs.

More signs and people- including men, women and children.

Nasty woman marching.

Pink hats and Dr. King.

More hats and signs.

At 14th St and Temont Place with view of other marchers heading up 15th Street. You can also see Trinity Church way down on Broadway and 18th Street.

The crowd behind me toward the end of the march.

My sister Maura and me at W. Colfax and 14th St. just getting ready to turn onto Banock St. Two block away from the end of the march

Denver Post's photo of Civic Center. The post figured 100,000 people came to march. Only 40,000 people were expected.

My sister Maura and I were not the only Shannon sisters to march. Our sister Tara marched in Los Angeles and took along a photo of our mother taken back when she was protesting for Civil Rights in the 1960s.

It was exhausting. It was invigorating. It was a start. We are the future and the future is now.

Inauguration Day 2017

I'll Be There

 Women's March on Denver website.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

Six to eight inches of snow on the ground by the time we woke up today. Got it all shoveled off the driveway, backyard patio, and the sidewalks. My husband even snowblowed the sidewalks in front of the houses on either side of us. Then we took the dogs for a couple laps around the neighborhood. Had to walk in the street because everyone is just getting out to clean their walkway so we talked to neighbors we have never really met before. It was a fun morning.

Happy New Year, 2017!

I'm not fooled by the innocence symbolized by the angel children. I know the bats represent what it is really going to be like in this country this year. If you look closely at the face of the angel riding the closest bat on the left, you can see that he or she knows it, too. Fasten you seat-belts, little children, it's going to be a bumpy year.

As 2016 Ends

Dining Room in the Country, 1913 by Pierre Bonnard (French, 1867-1947)

Yes, I need a little Sunshine
Right this very minute
Colors and a window
Chair with a cat in it

For I've grown a little leaner
Grown a little colder
Grown a little sadder
Grown a little older

And I need a little angel
Sitting on my shoulder
I need a little Sunshine now

(With apologizes to Jerry Herman.)

Merry Christmas To You All!

A Visit From St. Nick

T'was the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.


When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
-Clement C. Moore
(Published in The New York Sentinel December 23,1823)

Light Shadows-32

"Life is but a dream, Sweetheart."