On the other side of right thinking and wrong thinking there is a field.
I'll meet you there. Rumi
We are just here to walk one another home. Ram Dass
+It made headlines in the Friday, Indy Star. Her name is Christine Von Der Haar, and she is a lecturer for the Indiana University School of Sociology. It seems she is involved with a lawsuit that stems from her being detained at the Indianapolis Airport, supposedly because of her emails to and from a friend of hers from Greece who visited her here. All timely, considering the concern of some over the secret monitoring of phone and other electronic communications and whether they are necessary in the fight against terrorism.
And it happened to me. Or close.
+It all started a few years ago at the Indiana Statehouse. I've spent a lot of time there facilitating Q&As, speaking to the general body, meeting with legislators, being interviewed in press conferences, speaking on the steps in the icy cold, and being a part of the general backdrop for the work of other like minded women and men. The day that started my own detention story, though, was the day that HR6/HR3 took its ill-willed flight. It was the day the Indiana General Assembly began the process to amend the Indiana Constitution for the purpose of writing into the State Constitution the denial of rights for a group of Hoosiers. It was for me--and many--a sad day--a day that wrote an ever growing script for many of us who wanted it stopped. That day, though, all 'my sad' could do was think ahead towards my husband Cal's and my coming trip to Iceland. You see, the Prime Minister of Iceland is a lesbian, legally married to her wife-which also makes Iceland's First Lady a lesbian. The dichotomy of the Iceland and Indiana story played itself out in my mind. I decided then and there to email Iceland's Prime Minister and ask her to send a message back to give us encouragement. I believed she would have words to add to all the ways folks like me--would continue to live out our passion and purpose. It was not unusual for me to 'take the show on the road.' Cal and I had been traveling to various parts of the world each year for some time. Along with experiencing the varied cultures and seeing the beauty of the world in all its flavors, I have had the good fun of talking to real people about two issues dear to my heart: national health care and GLBTQA (gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender/questioning/ally) rights. This ally-- hit the road.
+So, I wrote Iceland's Prime Minister, requesting her word of encouragement and telling her I would share it with many. I also listed the dates we would be in Reykjavik and asked if I could come by to meet her, having read she made herself very available to people. Not knowing if she spoke English or not, I asked Brian, our good, tech savvy friend if he would translate my email letter into Icelandic, which he did. I emailed both versions that day to the Prime Minister's office in Reykjavik, the capitol. I heard nothing, so sent it again the next month. Still nothing.
+When we landed in Reykjavik, I emailed them both again, and we headed out to hundreds of waterfalls, Greenland's beautiful, Inuit fishing villages, eating the traditional rotten shark meant/washed down with 'who knows what', horse farms with their stocky, thick long coated beauties, and a day of soaking in the steamy Blue Lagoon. After getting acquainted with our wonderful guide, I told him of my emails. He said, "I think I can help you. My cousin works for the Prime Minister. I can get you her direct email. He did, and I sent my emails once more, doing so again as we returned back to Reykjavik towards the end of our trip. Several times in Reykjavik we would pass by the Prime Minister and First Lady's residence and the Minister's offices. I took pictures, knowing they were about as 'up close and personal' I'd get.
+I did meet many people in Iceland and Greenland and had opportunity to learn of their great society. "You missed our national Pride Parade by one weekend. 1/3 of the population of the country was in the Parade." I asked, "Who was left to view the parade?" and they laughed, saying, "There was a huge crowd from all other the country. Pride Parade is our biggest family festival." One day I was in a 66 Degree (their version of North Face) shop when it had a slow moment. I struck up a conversation with the salesperson about my interests. He said, "Our national healthcare works very well--giving several examples-- and as far as your other interest, homosexuality is not an issue here. We know it is in your country. We hear a lot about that. Here pretty much, one day some people who were gay and lesbian said it does not seem fair we can not marry the way couples of mixed gender can. That started a discussion, and people said, 'we hadn't thought about it, but you're right' and they fixed the problem legally. I'm really glad to meet you and to hear that your country is doing much work to make things right." Then I could see his thoughts drifting, and he said, "You're so interested in this, I was trying to think about something else you might find interesting. What about last spring? We held an election and elected a transgendered woman as our judge. How about that?" And said, "Yea, how about that!"
+Last day of the trip, we were dropped off at the airport, checked our baggage, and headed to Security. Meeting us there were two airport officers who said to me, "Are you Sheila Yvonne Brandenburg? Come with us. You will return to your husband and the couple you are with before your plane departs." With that I walked away with them--one in front of me and one behind. Cal, Clarice, and John then went to the terminal and waited with the huge crowd there, Cal seated for three hours on the floor. The three of them wondering where I was and why-- and how we would once again reunite.
+I was taken to another part of the airport. Along the way, I asked if this happened to some random 127th person or something. They said, no. They showed me a letter and said, "This detention is under the order of your US government, not the government of Iceland." I asked if I could have a copy of the letter, thinking, 'We have a really close friend high up in Homeland Security, and he's never going to believe this."
+They took me into a room, saying "We will come for you and escort you to your seat in the plane right before it takes off. We want you to be comfortable and will check on you often. They gave me a tray of Icelandic doughnuts, plenty of the best hot chocolate in the world, and a couple of warm throws, 'just in case', they said. I had a large, soft black leather couch and a big flat screen TV all to myself. And they said, 'the door behind the couch is a private restroom with items with which you might freshen up. Please pay no attention to any overhead announcements you might hear. They will not pertain to you. Flights are late today, so this could go on a long time. We will make certain, though, you are taken to your husband and do not miss your flight.' They did check on my comfort often, as they promised. Mostly, it was just good, knowing they had not forgotten me.
+When the time came, the two men returned and accompanied me to the main part of the airport, one on each side of me. We exited the airport, across the tarmac, and up the stairs into the plane. When I entered, the passengers started cheering. I was to learn later that Cal was quite anxious. He had announced to the attendants that if his wife was not on the plane when it readied for take off, he was going to leave the plane. There seemed to be some kind of law about that, so I think the passengers were more interested in their flight leaving than they were about me.
+When we got home I showed our Homeland Security friend the form I had requested copied and asked him what happened. He said, "It was likely all the attempted contacts you made with the Prime Minister, you stalker you." I told him, they were all very friendly and about a cause certainly dear to her heart, and he said, "Yvonne, hardly any terrorist says something like, 'I plan to assassinate your Head of State."
+So, I hope all who care for such things do whatever they need to do to shed light of peace and safety on-- me, another, all others, and this Universe about which we are genuinely fond. For we are just here to walk one another home.
I just wish that in the process, everybody got doughnuts!
+Blessing and Peace, Yvonne
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