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Pen Points
Letters to Gay Today |
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Facing the Bigots Eye to Eye
I've been reading alot lately about many debates centered around gay rights. This isn't new, for sure, but I've just noticed perhaps an increase in the range of topics. On the vote.com site there's even a separate tab for gay issues now. The issues range from Boy Scouts to the military to marriages and parenting. While it's nice to see that some progress has been made since the days of Stonewall, it's also very disheartening to see the large percentage of the public still not getting it. My feeling is that most all of these debates could be simplified.
The fact is, that the whole "gay issue" is based on religious context. In that light, it's my opinion that maybe we're fighting the wrong battle. Personally, I label myself as "agnostic." But I recognize that the moral construct of our laws is based on religious ideals. The fact that murder, theft, adultery and lying are all illegal is based on the same moral foundations found in religious codes. The problem comes in when religious codes supposedly forbid acts that are "victimless" crimes, and those deeds are in turn deemed forbidden in public law as well. It seems to me that our laws need to be revised to exclude such things. Am I way off base here so far? I think that the battle against the Religious Right and their current dominance in politics would be better fought using their own weapons against them. Fight fire with fire, if you will. In my time spent researching theological issues and reconciling them with my own personal values, I've discovered something that is all too often overlooked. If they're going to hold up a Bible as their evidence against us, let's get the evidence dismissed, or at least discredited. Isn't that a common goal of any defense attorney?
I'm sorry this is so long, I've just been thinking about this for a while now and figured I'd get some of it off my chest. I just think maybe it's time to attack the attackers. I hold no grudges against people who identify as Christians, or any other religious ideal. In fact, I support them because there is great good to be found in religion. I just don't subscribe to most of it, as presented today. Let's at least weed out those who are twisting the message to their own benefit. Let's show them what hypocrites they are. Jesus supposedly did that himself. Let's use our minds to educate ourselves. The best why to beat an enemy is to know him better than he knows himself. I have read the Bible from cover to cover. I gladly enter into discussions with bible-thumpers all the time, and have yet to be soundly defeated. They usually leave somewhat frustrated and confused. That's fine with me, at least they have begun to question their beliefs. That is a step forward. I have stepped out of the world of public activism and begun my own fight on a one-to-one basis. I prefer to look my enemies in the eye and stare them down. How quickly could this all be won, if we all took such an approach in our daily lives. When people resort to the public soapbox, it all gets reduced to rhetoric and ultimately means nothing. Thanks for letting me get this out. BCRT—Badpuppy Forums—May 10 Paramount is Pissed at Proctor & Gamble
We continue to believe DR. LAURA will be an advertiser-friendly program, offering an attractive demographic for national advertisers as demonstrated by its strong upfront sales. We are disappointed that Procter & Gamble has chosen to withdraw their advertising without ever having seen the show or judging it on its own merits. We also expect that the fans of Dr. Laura will express their disappointment with this decision. Press Release--May 17, 2000—Paramount Television Group A Rose by Any Other Name… With regard to "Dr. Laura: The Merchant of Menace": I find it sadly ironic that BuckcuB is so quick to label Dr. Laura a "hate-monger" in one breath and then hatefully hurl the epithet "asshole" at her in the next. If you are at all interested in furthering your cause, you may consider replacing your double standards with the love and compassion you claim your opponents lack. Hate only begets more hate.
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