Sunday, July 24
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Blogs are just like the newspaper opinion/editorial pages. Anyone can have a blog and express their opinions or editorialize on the news of the day. Not everyone can be published in a newspaper, but anyone with a computer can publish themselves. I simply publish my opinions and thoughts based upon my lived experience in a web log format. In other words, I pretty much keep an online journal with running commentary on the issues of the day - from my personal perspective.
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Today the MplsStar published an opinion piece observing that homophobia is on the rise in Minnesota. Homophobia is a modern term which is usually defined as 'unreasonable fear of homosexuals or homosexuality' although the definition is frequently extended to include 'hatred of homosexuals, sometimes leading to acts of violence or antipathy towards homosexual persons'. That is a reasonable definition, despite how politically highly charged it has become. One should keep in mind that there are reasonable objections one may have as regards homosexual behavior and its affects upon what philosophers, theologians, jurists, etc., refer to as the common good.
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Language is an important political tool these days, which is why I decided to post a few quotes from an article I read in today's newspaper. It is interesting how the author employs terms frequently used by religious opponents to the theory that homosexuality is normal sexual behavior, and/or that gay marriage should be equal to heterosexual, or normal marriage between a man and a woman. There is almost an evangelical vigor to his words in an attempt to demonize those who oppose the cultural changes gay activists hope to impose upon fellow citizens.
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To be sure, violence or hatred against any person, no matter his sexual orientation is to be condemned, yet it needs to be acknowledged that homosexuals already enjoy the same equal protection under the law as heterosexual citizens do. Obviously that isn't enough for some gay people - like 'thought police' they seem to want to outlaw reasonable, conscientious objection to any of the political, moral, and societal changes demanded by homosexual 'activists'. I think it is worth noting that the homosexual movement is the group which initially politicized gay issues in the first place, in an effort to place their fight for acceptance and equality on the same level as the civil rights battle for racial equality of the 1960's and '70's. However, sexual preference and race are two different issues: sexual preference is a moral issue, race and gender are civil rights issues.
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The homophobia on the rise piece. (My comments in blue, the author's passionate language in red.)
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Yes, assailants should be apprehended and tried, but taking predators off the street does little to address the underlying issue: the continuing demonization of Minnesota's LGBT citizens. That nefarious project, aided and abetted by discriminatory politicians and organizations, reached a contemptible milestone with the vote to place a constitutional marriage amendment on the 2012 election ballot. And now, as in other states that have voted on anti-same-sex marriage amendments, the nightmare of escalating violence is well underway in Minnesota.
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I was there at the Capitol when Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, introduced the amendment. He trotted out one obscure academic and several clergy members in support of the measure. One after the other laid out tortured and ill-conceived arguments, paying no heed to pesky constitutional issues such as separation of church and state and equal protection under the law, (Seriously? Because someone is a minister or priest he is not allowed equal rights to speak?) not to mention their own guaranteed freedom of choice regarding who can and cannot marry in their own religious settings. (Huh?)
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I was again at the Capitol when the bill's sponsor, Rep. Steve Gottwalt, R-St. Cloud, sat before the House committee charged with saying yes or no to sending the bill to the floor for a final vote. When Gottwalt's responses failed to convince his questioners, he resorted to the favorite slogan of the amendment's supporters: "Let the people decide" -- as though it were somehow our patriotic duty to decide the rights of a minority group of Minnesotan citizens by popular vote.
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The authors of this cynically divisive legislation deny any partisan political intent, but they are willfully and knowingly endangering Minnesota's LGBT citizens in a bald-faced attempt to consolidate their power base. This amendment is an instrument of antigay rhetoric. It protects nothing and harms much. It contributes powerfully to a culture of bigotry and homophobia that inevitably finds expression in hate crimes. By definition, this amendment is hate speech and bullying. (I'm sure I'll be charged with the same.)
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Gottwalt said of the amendment, "This is not about hatred, it is not about discrimination or intolerance. I have faith we as Minnesotans can have a reasonable dialogue on this issue characterized by respect and decency and allow the people of Minnesota to decide." His disingenuous call for civility was apparently unheard by the man who attacked us.
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I have faith that the majority of Minnesotans will not be persuaded to vote for discrimination. Early polls indicate that the amendment will fail, but as election-year money flows into Minnesota in support of this perverse legislation, it's crucial that the antigay rhetoric about to wash over us be challenged, its sources identified and called out, and yes, Rep. Gottwalt, that "the dialogue on this issue is characterized by respect and decency." (The money flowing into Minnesota is support of gay-marriage and against this legislation is and will be considerable. Don't kid yourself, there are very wealthy gay people and gay friendly corporations who finance such things.)
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Let's choose the path leading to a world in which all of us, kids and adults alike, are appalled by homophobic bullying; a world in which hateful legislation such as the Minnesota marriage amendment is denounced as abomination; a world that refuses to accommodate homophobic thugs who attack innocent people as they walk through their own neighborhoods with their friends. - Gary Gimmestad, of Minneapolis, is a musician, arranger, composer and piano teacher.
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One last personal comment.
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Without doubt I sympathize with Gary Gimmestad and what he and his friend went through - these men met hatred face to face in that encounter. It was wrong - but it wasn't state sponsored or church approved and mandated.
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In my life I've encountered worse incidents; years ago a companion of mine was badly beaten one night when we were out for drinks. Many years ago now, I too was shoved around leaving bars, walking my dog on a Sunday morning, exiting an elevator in a hotel, walking downtown with a friend. I've gone through name calling incidents, spitting, contemptuous looks, and so on.
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Likewise I've been mocked for trying to be a faithful Catholic and embracing Catholic teaching on morality. Even more ironically, I've been accused by uber trads and religious fanatics of being a sort of 'gay spy' or undercover activist, posting inside jokes and blog articles, hoping to change or undermine the Church's teaching on homosexuality. I've been accused of being a so-called novus ordo liberal and closet case who just pretends to live a chaste life. My next door neighbors wouldn't let their kids play in their yard or talk to me for most of their youth because a male friend and I share the house and worked in design. I'll never forget the day we moved into the neighborhood and a woman walked by and hissed, "Two men in one house! Sheesh!" Within the next month the Seventh Day Adventist church across the street put up a poster on the telephone poll outside the house and placed a pamphlet in the mail box on the evils of homosexuality and the coming judgement. And there I was, trying to mind my own business and live a life faithful to Catholic Church teaching.
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Gay friends have harassed me over the years as well. For people who constantly whine about bullying, they sure know how to be jerks. (Thanks Penny!) I've been gossiped about, laughed about, and a few friends have sent me porn or penis-enlargement information - and before caller ID one or two made obscene and harassing phone calls. Yup - it was funny - not the crap they sent or said, but their retarded behavior. So don't cry to me about homophobia, rejection, discrimination and bullying.
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It's tough all over. Deal with it.
