Islam | Dangerous Common Sense

Othello

By Galen|2018-03-03T19:01:35-08:00February 25, 2018|osf, plays|

Ashland, Oregon at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Othello by William Shakespeare directed by Bill Rauch I know I have seen Othello before, at least a couple of times. But, I never experienced this deliberate, painful story with believable Evil, blinded goodness, and flawed purity. Other Othellos were classic SHAKESPEARE. This was 2018 artistry. I left the theater wondering if Othello's tragedy is personal or is the real sadness that racism, dislike of foreigners, faux-Christian superiority and male dominance has changed so little in 400+ years? Othello (Chris Butler) is certainly flawed and succumbs too completely to Iago's (Danforth Comins) suggestions of marital infidelity. [...]

Talking to LGBT Refugees About the Orlando Shootings

By Galen|2016-06-13T10:36:48-07:00June 12, 2016|Social Justice|

There is no place where you are absolutely safe. No place in the world. The men and women whom my church's Refugee Guardian Group has helped all fled their home countries to avoid being beaten or killed because of their sexual orientation. Most of our clients come from Muslim countries. They know first-hand the deadly acts against LGBT people carried out in the name of Islam. The news from Florida this morning must have sounded frighteningly familiar. Today I contacted the four men for whom I have been a mentor. I wanted to check in. How were they after the murders at [...]