Here's wishing all my LGBTQ readers and their straight allies a happy Pride Day. In light of last Friday's Supreme Court ruling, today's pride events are going to have an extra special resonance. Like James Inhofe, I have gay friends, and I'm glad that their marriages will offer them legal protection throughout these here United States.
I do a Pride Day post every year, but I'll give a short précis about why I do so. The primary reason why I support LGBTQ rights is that I believe that every single human being deserves a chance to live a life without fear, and to have the opportunity to live happily as long as their happiness does no harm to others. Opponents of LGBTQ rights continually lie about gay, bi, and trans*persons, accusing them of posing an existential threat to society... accusations that are patently false. I want people to live truthfully, not to hide who they love out of fear. I think this is crucial to an open, healthy society.
On a personal level, my first encounter with anti-gay animus took place when I was about six years old, when I intervened when an older neighbor kid was bullying the nice, well-mannered kid next door, calling him a "faggot" and threatening him. Never having patience with bullies, I went after the jerk and ended up getting knocked on my ass and down a hill, with a sprained ankle that had me off my feet for several weeks... in the summer. Nice gay kid or bully, who's side do you take? That question has informed my attitude to the LGBTQ community ever since I was old enough to understand it.
Right there wit' ya, Mr. Bastard. You don't get to carve out an exemption from a set of values - unless that set of values isn't important in the first place. America, as a concept, rather than an execution, is an incredible powerful, empowering idea. All men/people are created equal. What part of that is hard to understand? What part of that is something you really want to challenge?
ReplyDeleteThe reason I support LGBTQ rights is that it's just so fucking obvious - we laid down our marker, and we need to be willing to live within our rules. We've done a fucking TERRIBLE job of that - we have denied due process, we have tortured, we have lied in order to incarcerate people of color, we have killed people as an institutional process, and as a political process.
So much is beyond our power. But in any case where we can say NO, GODDAM IT, you don't get to piss on the very things we believe, least of not in the name of those very values and freedoms.
God Damn it. I want to have this fight. I think the bigots and the sectarian Christianists will lose in very short order, and much of the US will thrive without the hatred and ignorance holding it back...
America, as a concept, rather than an execution, is an incredible powerful, empowering idea. All men/people are created equal. What part of that is hard to understand? What part of that is something you really want to challenge?
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's all about holding this country to the standards which it always pretended to adhere to.
Young B^4 had his heart in the right place.
ReplyDelete~
Damn right. I hear the wingnuts puling about the fear that marriage equality is a sign that liberals don't get the first amendment--but their interpretation of the first amendment seem to mean that everyone has to follow their particular interpretation of religion, which means no freedom of religion or freedom of expression of love for any pro-LGBT* people. That is the real viewpoint of a bully--say "uncle" (or say you support only same-sex marriage) or we'll sock you in the nose! Our position is: They have to do nothing more involved than mind their own business, while we go right along ignoring them. Seems a free enough set-up to me! I'm straight-married, but I resent that they would bar me a different choice--because choice of individuals matters. That's where freedom actually exists--with individuals, and not their institutional freedom to ban!
ReplyDeleteActually--that bit where I said "(or say you only support same-sex marriage)" should be "or say you only support traditional marriage" but I really hate editing in Blogger comments and ya'll know what I meant.
ReplyDeleteOT- The purslane is early this year... plus I keep reading that it's higher in Omega 3's than fish oil. Chomple, chomple!
ReplyDeleteI can never look at the stuff now without thinking of bald bastards...
OT- The purslane is early this year... plus I keep reading that it's higher in Omega 3's than fish oil. Chomple, chomple!
ReplyDeleteIt's great to hear from you! Purslane is the wonder vegetable, and it's free! You can't get rid of the stuff if you tried anything short of a nuke.
I can never look at the stuff now without thinking of bald bastards...
My work is done!