Births, deaths, weddings, funerals, graduations, divorces, birthdays, you name it. People participate consciously and unconsciously in rituals to mark their big shifts. Community is, at least in part, defined by who participates and then remembers and tells the stories.
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This was a post in the Comments section of the NYTimes article on the
weddings this week...
• 73. June 17th, 2008 5:13 pm
I just retired after serving 26 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. My partner of 12 years is currently an active duty marine. We are looking forward for his retirement so we can get married in California. We are both natives of the San Diego and we will celebrate with our friends and family. I worry that inviting our marine friends might put an
unwanted light if they attend our wedding. An old salty gunnery sergeant marine friend of ours asked, "What will the Marine Corps do if I attend your gay wedding? Will they make me shave my head and go back to Iraq for a 4th time?" There you go….courage! — Posted by Daniel