An open, community-edited space for grass-roots action and reconciliation on 8
Gay Marriage Battle Still Rages in Calif.
CBN.COM writes:
[...] Election day is over -- but the battle over gay marriage is still hot in California. On Nov. 4, voters approved the Proposition 8 marriage amendment, which defines marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman. [...] But now, the state supreme court is deciding whether to overturn it. In the meantime, homosexual activists are targeting Prop 8 supporters--and especially churches. [...]
My Comment: I do not refer to myself as a homosexual. I'm Gay. But the faith press loves to to use the "H" word because it captures how they really feel about us. This word is dehumanizing, which makes it an excellent word choice for them, as it captures their view of us perfectly.
They don't see us as regular people like everyone else, with the full range of emotions and experiences. Instead they see us as subhuman, defined only in terms of one dimension of our lives. I am no more a "homosexual activist" than Pat Robertson is a "heterosexual activists" and yet they use the "H" word to describe us at every turn.
It is a horrible thing to be reduced to one aspect of my humanity by supposedly spiritual people that should know better. But in a way, I appreciate the honesty of their use of this word. The "H" word reflects their honest view that we are subhuman, and such views are always the very essence and foundation of discrimination. When the faith press uses this word, as they always do, it betrays a view that is truly, honestly, and deeply prejudiced.
[...] Incidents like these are causing churches across the state to realize that their support of traditional marriage may come at a price. That's what Pastor Jim Franklin of Cornerstone Church in Fresno and Mayor Alan Autry recently found out. Their public support of Proposition 8 led to a death threat right before the election. [...]
My Comment: As I have said on numerous occasions, many articles from the faith-press describe our civil rights movement as a violent campaign. And yet our movement has been widely reported to be one of the most peaceful civil rights movements in history.
So many members of our community are also people of faith. There is no actual division between us. We get along very well with people of faith and we work side-by-side with faith-based organizations throughout the nation at events such as Light up the Night for Equality.
But the threat of violence against us is very real.
Just to put this issue into perspective, if two people in love consummate their relationship in Mauritania, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, or Yemen they can be put to death just for being Gay.
In November Lateisha Green was shot and killed in Syracuse, NY because someone thought she was gay. A week earlier in North Carolina someone spray painted anti-gay graffiti at the home of Melvin Whistlehunt and then burned his house down because he is gay. In September Tony Randolph Hunter, 27, and his partner were attacked and beaten near a gay bar in Washington DC. In Rochester New York Lance Neve was beaten unconscious because he is gay. In February Duanna Johnson was beaten by a police officer while she was held in the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center.
I could literally go on, and on, and on, and on for hours.
There is violence against us around the world every day. We were rounded up and put in concentration camps and killed during the Holocaust. So to those who would incite more violence against us amid these claims of pretend violence, you should really be ashamed of yourselves.
Discrimination is wrong even when based on a personal belief; and if that discrimination is somehow made public, there will be be public accountability. In this sense, there is indeed a price for supporting Proposition 8, and it is the same price that anyone must pay when publicly supporting discrimination.
[...] Election day is over -- but the battle over gay marriage is still hot in California. On Nov. 4, voters approved the Proposition 8 marriage amendment, which defines marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman. [...] But now, the state supreme court is deciding whether to overturn it. In the meantime, homosexual activists are targeting Prop 8 supporters--and especially churches. [...]
My Comment: I do not refer to myself as a homosexual. I'm Gay. But the faith press loves to to use the "H" word because it captures how they really feel about us. This word is dehumanizing, which makes it an excellent word choice for them, as it captures their view of us perfectly.
They don't see us as regular people like everyone else, with the full range of emotions and experiences. Instead they see us as subhuman, defined only in terms of one dimension of our lives. I am no more a "homosexual activist" than Pat Robertson is a "heterosexual activists" and yet they use the "H" word to describe us at every turn.
It is a horrible thing to be reduced to one aspect of my humanity by supposedly spiritual people that should know better. But in a way, I appreciate the honesty of their use of this word. The "H" word reflects their honest view that we are subhuman, and such views are always the very essence and foundation of discrimination. When the faith press uses this word, as they always do, it betrays a view that is truly, honestly, and deeply prejudiced.
[...] Incidents like these are causing churches across the state to realize that their support of traditional marriage may come at a price. That's what Pastor Jim Franklin of Cornerstone Church in Fresno and Mayor Alan Autry recently found out. Their public support of Proposition 8 led to a death threat right before the election. [...]
My Comment: As I have said on numerous occasions, many articles from the faith-press describe our civil rights movement as a violent campaign. And yet our movement has been widely reported to be one of the most peaceful civil rights movements in history.
So many members of our community are also people of faith. There is no actual division between us. We get along very well with people of faith and we work side-by-side with faith-based organizations throughout the nation at events such as Light up the Night for Equality.
But the threat of violence against us is very real.
Just to put this issue into perspective, if two people in love consummate their relationship in Mauritania, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, or Yemen they can be put to death just for being Gay.
In November Lateisha Green was shot and killed in Syracuse, NY because someone thought she was gay. A week earlier in North Carolina someone spray painted anti-gay graffiti at the home of Melvin Whistlehunt and then burned his house down because he is gay. In September Tony Randolph Hunter, 27, and his partner were attacked and beaten near a gay bar in Washington DC. In Rochester New York Lance Neve was beaten unconscious because he is gay. In February Duanna Johnson was beaten by a police officer while she was held in the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center.
I could literally go on, and on, and on, and on for hours.
There is violence against us around the world every day. We were rounded up and put in concentration camps and killed during the Holocaust. So to those who would incite more violence against us amid these claims of pretend violence, you should really be ashamed of yourselves.
Discrimination is wrong even when based on a personal belief; and if that discrimination is somehow made public, there will be be public accountability. In this sense, there is indeed a price for supporting Proposition 8, and it is the same price that anyone must pay when publicly supporting discrimination.
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