- Boston is very rich in history. I was only there for a few days, so I didn't have time to really tour the city, but I did get to see a few historical sites the day I left. My favorite was probably Boston Common, which I saw on the way to the Statehouse on Tuesday, walking up Beacon Hill. I also got to walk through Faneuil Hall, the Old North Church, and I saw Paul Revere's house. The north end of Boston is a nice touristy area, full of narrow streets, shops, and restaurants. The Old North Church and the Revere house are in Little Italy-there were scores of Italian restaurants and coffee shops, so I will have to try one or two the next time I am there.
Here is the outside of Faneuil Hall, located right next to Quincy Market and near the old Boston Customs House.
- I am definitely going to visit Boston again. Probably the next chance I will have will be in October, during our fall break. My mom and dad might go with me, or I can try and get some friends together to go. Either way, I would like to consider going beyond Boston, maybe spending a day or two in the city, and then going through scenic areas of Connecticut, or maybe Vermont.
- On a more serious note, the will of the people was thwarted again by certain members of the Massachusetts legislature. By a narrow vote, the state constitutional convention voted to recess until November, thus killing any chance for a vote that would put an amendment on the ballot to define marriage as between a man and a woman. It is important to pray for the situation up there in the Commonwealth, that either the people are motivated to vote the obstructionists out of office, or that the current House and Senate members have a change of heart.
I was there for the convention, spending most of my time inside the Statehouse. I even got to sit in the Gallery for part of the proceedings. The legislature was debating non-same-sex marriage topics like universal health care and the state's rainy day fund, but it was still fascinating to me to see how a legislative session works. Sure, I have watched Congress on C-SPAN before, but like many things, the real experience is being physically present to watch how a session works-how votes are taken, how debate is conducted, and how the process works.
This is the Great Hall inside the Statehouse; on the walls are the flags of every city and town in Massachusetts.
Also, the Statehouse gallery in Boston is absolutely beautifully decorated-I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside, but the wall behind the podium contains a mural of "Milestones on the Road to Freedom in Massachusetts." The events chronicled include the receipt of the city's charter in 1630, Judge Sewall's public apology following the Salem witch trials, and John Hancock's proposal of the Bill of Rights during the 1787 Constitutional Convention.
In the Senate chamber, there is a banner over the podium reading "God Save the Commonwealth of Massachusetts." The room is full of history-you can almost breathe it in when you enter inside. It contains historical artifacts, and busts of famous figures from American and Massachusetts history. The irony was not lost on me as I surveyed the room-surrounded by busts of Lincoln, Washington, and Ben Franklin, these men and women were debating whether to give homosexuals the right to marry. It is the strangest dichotomy-between the Christian Founding Fathers and the rich tapestry of history, and the godless liberalism that has taken over so many people in that state-that it emphasizes the tragedy of so many in our Republic losing their sense of Biblical values and right and wrong.
This obelisk was in the garden on the lawn behind the Statehouse; the eagle's wings represent the answered prayers of the Revolutionary generation.
We need to pray again, so that God will hear us and forgive our country's sin-not just the sins of the people on the "other side", but the lack of love and compassion we Christians have sometimes shown for those who are in the gay lifestyle, and for those who do not know the Lord.
- This is not directly related to Boston, but while I was there, I got some fantastic news-I will be a staff member on the Ohio State Law Journal next year. I'm not sure yet what I want to write my note on, but I plan to decide by next month. Suffice it to say that it will involve constitutional law, and an issue such as religious liberty or the sanctity of life-I am eager to expand my knowledge and scholastic credentials, and get to work.
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