Sunday News
Published: Jul 20, 2008
00:02 EST
Millersville
By SUZANNE CASSIDY, Staff
Blaise W. Liffick was born into a family whose values included an acceptance of diversity and an appreciation for music.
Blaise Liffick was at
the ready with Silent Witness PA when Lancaster Pride 2008 debuted last month
in
Jack Leonard, Sunday News
"Folks with differences were no big deal to us,"
he says.
Music, however, was a big deal. His father was a professional square dance
caller, his mother was a square dancer, and music was an integral part of their
family's life.
And it remains so for Liffick.
He and his wife, Alanna Berger, are musicians with the Arcona Reel Band, an
American Celtic group. The couple also performs and records as a duo called
Clannamore. They have performed at musical festivals and other events including
the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire.
Tolerance remains important to Liffick, too.
A computer science professor at
He and his wife also run Silent Witness PA, a volunteer group dedicated to
providing a nonconfrontational buffer between anti-gay protesters and those
attending pride festivals and other gay cultural events, such as last month's
Lancaster Pride 2008.
Silent Witness volunteers carry oversized, rainbow-hued umbrellas that provide
a literal shield between event-goers and protesters. The umbrellas work as a
metaphor, too: The rainbow is a symbol of the gay community, and under the
Silent Witness umbrellas, Berger explains, "are both gays and straights."
Silent Witness has trained more
than 600 volunteers to be nonconfrontational peacekeepers. The organization has
volunteered at dozens of events in this state and others.
Liffick's children aren't gay. Neither is he. But he still feels he has a stake
in protecting those who are gay from those who are homophobic.
"This is a straight problem, a problem created by straight people,"
he says. "I feel a certain moral obligation to make it right."
Education: Bachelor's degree in computer science from
Purdue University; master's degree in computer science from the University of
Pittsburgh, and doctoral degree in computer and information science from Temple
University.
Family: Wife, Alanna Berger. Children: Alex, 29; Laura,
29; Karyn, 28; Chava, 28; Wendy, 27. We're a blended family. We used to call
them "The Brady Bunch From Hell." They're
actually good friends now.
How I became a musician: I grew up in the era of folk
music in the 1960s, and I took piano lessons as a kid. I had a little bit of
talent, but switched to the guitar ... I performed a little in the '60s, but
put it away for 20 years. When Alanna and I got together, we discovered a
mutual love of folk music, which became a big part of our courting.
Why I play Celtic music: I've got a Celtic heritage ...
and I've just always had a great appreciation for Irish musicians.
Favorite place in
Favorite musical instrument: It depends on what I'm in the
mood for. I enjoy messing around with the pennywhistle. I don't know if it's
just because it's such an uncomplicated instrument. The
mandolin's fun, too.
Favorite musical artist: James Galway, in part because
he's got a foot in both classical music and Irish folk.
Favorite TV guilty pleasure: We're big "Star
Trek" fans that, and "Xena: Warrior Princess." We used to
watch a lot of "Xena."
Why I'm a Trekkie: The ethics of it appealed to me a great
deal, from a philosophical perspective. ... There was a nuance to everything. I
just enjoyed that there were a lot of layers to peel away. And the original
"Star Trek" shows were very subversive.
What I could say to a Klingon: K'pla. That means
"success." How's that?
What Renaissance fairs and "Star Trek" have in common:
It's escapism, there's no question about that. The Renaissance fairs are
nowhere near the reality of what it was like back then. It's pretty tame. ...
We used to say that the Renaissance fair is to history what Cocoa Puffs are to
good nutrition.
How I feel about legalizing gay marriage: I'm 100 percent
for it. ... Everybody's entitled to happiness. Everybody deserves the same
rights.
Why I am committed to Silent Witness: I'm standing up for
my beliefs and standing up for an oppressed minority.
Last movie I watched: "Crash." We're doing some
anti-racism stuff for church.
My hope for the world: I think that we have got to begin
working together in community much more seriously, not only to promote peace,
but to protect our planet. We are absolutely killing it.
My biggest fear: It's that we won't figure out how to do
it, and we'll continue to bicker about petty things.
What I believe in: I believe very strongly in the power of
peace. I cannot understand the pervasiveness of hate in the world. It's
absolutely beyond my comprehension. The world would be a better place if
everybody could just be tolerant and accept difference.
Suzanne Cassidy is a staff writer for the Sunday News. Her e-mail address
is scassidy@lnpnews.com.