Young Police Officers...

At times, people have been made aware that young police officers are working with me on the police project....  An older lady--me--and some young officers....  And people wonder what we're up to and if anything good will ever come of it...? 

In the first place, there have been young officers who were invited into the police project many years ago--10, 20, 30, 40 years ago, etc.--and they're not so young any more...but some are still involved....  Second, there are chiefs of police and fire chiefs who are involved, with some supervising authority; and the chiefs have to have a certain amount of experience before they're hired for their own jobs....  The very young aren't usually, if ever, hired as chiefs!  So, I feel confident that it's not only the young who are working with me....  Third, it's possible the young officers can make mistakes...but we get through the best we can.  And the young have a lot of energy and enthusiasm that the rest of us don't always have....  [Some young people have done some excellent work in the police project in the past, that I'm aware of...!] 

As long as we don't wait too long to come to a conclusion, I'm confident that we have a great potential for success in this business, God willing....  People observing could gain a lot of benefit from finding out what's been going on....  Some people would have a personal interest in the issues and others would be interested for charitable purposes. 

A person who I'm acquainted with told me about a recent movie called Woman in Gold and said I should see it....  And this person was trying to hide her sarcasm--not quite successfully....  Have looked up the film on the Internet and it's based on a true story about an older Jewish lady who worked with a young lawyer to get possession of a valuable painting which had been stolen from her family by the Nazis.  The painting had been held by the Austrian government in a museum....  The museum had offered to compensate the woman--for some price?--if she'd give them the painting but she said no.  Then, after a long battle, someone else wanted to have the painting for a New York gallery....  The woman accepted this offer and the Wikipedia write-up doesn't say too much else about it, regarding the film.  But some real history about the case on the Internet said that the woman received $135 million for the painting!!!  So, I guess she didn't come out too badly, after all!!! 

Some people have looked down on me for bringing up a lot of movies in the police project....  [Have written about them in my blog, a certain amount.]  And I've said that I should be compensated financially....  Maybe my acquaintance wanted to compare me to the above woman in the film...?  And she thinks I'm fighting a losing battle...???  I haven't really made too big of a deal about money.  Instead, I've been working on other issues, things that needed to be done....  And I certainly don't expect to receive as much as the lady in the film...but there'll likely be other parties who will get paid from the police project when it gets resolved.... 

When I see my acquaintance again, I'll ask her exactly what she was referring to about the film???  Why did she want me to see it???  And I don't know if she's really supporting my interests, unless I'm mistaken...?  She seemed to be sarcastic, as I've said....  But there are certain police who have an inside joke that they say the opposite of what they mean, among themselves.  And if the Woman in Gold movie was made to seem unsuccessful at the end, I'm sure it was meant to be an opposite story when people found out the actual circumstances in real life!?  I mean, if they study the true story of the woman, they'll know she certainly had reason to be happy and proud of her accomplishment!  And myself, it's not just that I'm looking for money but of course some pay would be reasonable, for my efforts over the years....  And I haven't made a big deal of asking my associates for money but they've brought it up, themselves, at times....  [But as they say in business, nothing is concrete until there's an offer in writing....] 

So, I hope the police and firefighters won't continue to sit on this case for too long...!?  I don't want it to get buried and forgotten...!  But we've been making progress with our issues and I have reason to expect something will happen, sooner or later.  One thing about the young officers is they have nothing invested in this business and they have their whole lives ahead of them....  They don't need to hurry!  But I know, as I've stated above, that there are others involved; and I'm sure the young would also like to see success....  [And new, young officers will always continue to be added until we're done....  But young officers?  No problem!] 

What Influence Will the Movie Have???

Myself, I've wanted to see the official movie being a help in breaking down further prejudice throughout the world for gay issues....  I had also made the suggestion to my contacts that they could tell about the "legal partnership" story which came up in Canada...some gays had offered to accept a lower status for their marriages if they could receive the full legal benefits of marriage...and this story itself had helped to break down prejudice when it was told in different places....  [And even in the USA in the past, some gays had said, "We don't care what you think of us.--We just want our rights!"]

Anyway, I may not have control over how the movie will be made and what will be told in it but I've been saying it's possible the movie could be used to break down prejudice....  And I don't know how much longer the police and fire people are going to wait before they get going...???

There are screenwriters and filmmakers who are more serious than others, or who have concerns about specific topics....  So, I think it'll make a difference about who gets the story...?  And I believe it's possible for the police to make a good choice--to make the right choice...!  We don't need to be floundering any longer, we can get going....  [And if they don't want me to be directly involved, that's fine....]

What Kind of an Official Movie?

There was a successful, commercial film called Life of Pi which came out in 2012; and I believe it shows what happens when a story is sold to novelists or screenwriters--which is what it seems the police project is planning to do in the near future....  And I think we need to be prepared for all the possibilities....

In the first place, I've noticed that even stories "based on a true story" are often fictionalized.  In Life of Pi, a young boy told about an adventure that happened to him and people didn't believe him.  Then he told a fictional version and it was accepted.  Also, later in his life the grown-up boy sold his story to a novelist; and it was with the understanding that the novelist would tell the story as he wished--without necessarily having a regard for the true facts.... 

The movie planned by the police is going to be for entertainment, as far as I understand.  So I'm sure the screenwriters will want to tell the story in their own way....  However, I believe we'll need to tell a factual account of what happened somewhere.--Maybe they'll have a news conference or even write a factual book, although the book-writing would take longer....  Maybe a news conference would be the easiest to do at the beginning.  And I've mentioned earlier that besides the official movie, there could be other movies and even books....

As long as somebody has a handle on the facts, I think we'll be okay....  You can't just go publicizing things willy-nilly with nobody taking responsibility for what's being told....  And the police groups have been so scattered, along with the firefighters, that somebody really needs to be in charge.  I'm sure the police know more than they've told me, so far; and I just want to make the suggestion that a news conference might be the most helpful way to get started...?  And then we don't need to expect a factual movie....  But other movies and books might help, also.... 

Gay Marriage in the USA--part 2

The most important thing for gay rights supporters, I believe, is that the Supreme Court did vote in favour of gay marriage.  It's a done deal.  If there's going to be some opposition and negative feelings, it's nothing that we haven't seen here in Canada....  And the laws are on the side of the gay supporters.

Have been writing in my first blog--Waterlily Story--about a movie which I believe the police are going to make soon....  This movie--as has been discussed but not yet confirmed behind the scenes--has a potential to do a lot of good in reducing prejudice and bad feelings against gays and gay marriage.  I believe that.  Of course, the proof is in the pudding!  Right?  But for the sake of argument, if the police don't do a good job with the movie there's always a chance of someone else doing another movie....  We're not limited by one, single film!  [And I'm sorry to express doubts at this time....  It's not that I want to be negative.]  Nobody has specifically asked for my help with the film and they haven't given me any details, so I don't know for sure what's going on except that a certain police group is in charge of it....  And I think I'm satisfied to wait for these police to take the lead....  Have said so elsewhere....

If some of my firefighter friends from the police project are still hoping for me to continue my writing to California, I'm sorry that I'll have to disappoint them.  That's my decision.  I don't believe there's much value in me continuing my confidential writing....  I believe the movie would be a lot more helpful....  [I can't compare to that, I don't believe!!!]

Have also expressed in more than one place that the police--among themselves--and the firefighters have been competing a lot, in the police project....  And I've told my California contacts, which I believe includes firefighters, that it's going to be time for the parties to cooperate with each other and to share their information among themselves....  The competition served a place for a while but it seems that time is over, if they ever want to get something more accomplished from here....  And I believe justice and fairness will prevail, one way or another!  It may take a little while but that's okay....

NOTE ADDED ON JULY 30:  When I say the police are going to make a movie, I really mean they're going to hire a commercial filmmaker.... They're not going to make the movie, themselves, of course.

Gay Marriage in the USA

If people listen to the news, they've heard the Supreme Court of the United States voted to accept gay marriage across the entire country last Friday.  It's a significant milestone for gays, for sure.  I hope the religious exemptions are going to continue to remain in place, for churches or ministers who wish to opt out of performing ceremonies for conscientious reasons. 

The Chief Justice at the Supreme Court on Friday was accepting the decision but wasn't happy about it.  It was a vote of 5 lawyers out of a total of 9.--A 5-4 decision.  And there have been rumblings of opposition from other places in the USA....  Even in Canada, where gay marriage became legal 10 years ago, there has still been some prejudice against it and against gay couples.... I think some people need to have more knowledge and information about gay issues....

Gay Marriage Accepted in Ireland

Gay marriage was approved in Ireland.  They say it's significant because it's one of the few places, if not the only place, where a national vote was taken.  And also the country has strong Catholic roots.... 

Ireland Voting For or Against Gay Marriage

It seems that a national vote is being taken today in Ireland regarding the legalization of gay marriage.  The country already allows civil partnerships for gays but there are rights which are left out, compared to full marriage.  That's the reason why I, myself, have decided to support gay marriage--with religious exemptions.