Red Love Monday: Laarni and Murray

Every Monday, Dating Politics features leftie couples who’re shaking the laws of lust and motion while saving societies in crisis and motion. Based on the novel by Russian Rev Alexandra Kollontai, Red Love Monday is about love on the other side and inside the class struggle.

If you and your partner are lefties and want your stories posted, check out the Underground Notes and let me know. I’ll transmit the questions.

Laarni de los Reyes and

Murray Martin

She:  Laarni de los Reyes, B.C. Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines and the Philippine Women’s Centre of B.C.

He:  Murray Martin, B.C. Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines

Active Turf:  Vancouver, B.C.

Changing the world since:  1999

The Meeting of Two Worlds:  At a BBQ, completely non political.

Anthem:
Laarni:  “Kaisa Ka” (Unity of Women) by Teatrong Bayan, the cultural group we met during our exposure trip to the Philippines

Murray:  “Wake Up” by Rage Against the Machine

Battle cry:  The People United Will Never be Defeated!

Why she activates his world:  Laarni truly cares about other people.  She is very passionate when she gets connected to a cause.  She has an open mind and will change her position if she thinks she is wrong.  Laarni is also very curious and doesn’t presume to know it all.

Why he activates her world:  Murray is thoughtful, intelligent and open-minded.  I love his sense of adventure and he is always questioning traditions, rules and authority.

The Long March:
Laarni:  To continue learning from each other and from people living in all parts of the world in order to build international solidarity.  To resist economic injustice and inequality.  And to advance the rights and welfare of marginalized Filipinos in Canada and abroad.

Murray:  To keep working for a world where human needs are met and are not dependant on how much money someone has.  We hope to travel more.  Not in the standard vacation sense but similar to our Solidarity trip to the Philippines that allowed us to learn how organizers resistance is being carried out against tyranny and greed.  Personal plans: to keep learning from each other and take life as it comes.

Quirks outside the picket line:
Laarni:  Reading, traveling, hanging out with friends.

Murray:  There’s life outside the picket line?  Just kidding, but we like to travel, read and other standard boring things.