February 2009

You want to know a secret, Poppets? I’ve been angry the past several months. I’ve been trying not to turn into a screaming mee-mee or a raving lunatic – but I’ve been angry, nonetheless. I’ve been angry at the AFA for calling a boycott on McDonald’s for supporting us as a community. I’ve been angry at us as a community for seemingly not caring enough about anything but marriage enough to counter the boycott. I’ve been angry at the people who voted to take our right to marry. I’ve been angry at the racism and bigotry that showed up within our community in response to that vote. Honestly, I’ve been close to giving up. Giving up hope. Giving up faith. Giving up trust.

Then I got an email from my nephew. He’s sixteen. He’s on Facebook (aren’t they all?) He had been communicating with a person from the heart of the Bible Belt. Said person stated that we “all” feel sexual compulsion towards members of the opposite sex and had called homosexuality akin to murder: “just wrong and everybody knows it.” Needless to say, this didn’t help with my anger issues at first. Until I read his response:

As to your comparison of someone acting upon feelings for another of the same gender, to someone committing murder, I find it offensive. While I understand the desire to stick with one theme in a metaphor, I believe that was a step too far. Implying that under the logic that homosexuality is right because it feels right, that murder must be right as well if it in turn feels right is flawed. … As to the 'choice' of being homosexual, I'm afraid I don't have leeway in this particular strain of the conversation. I always try to be open minded, even about something that I feel as strongly about as Gay Rights. However, in this case, I am emphatic. You are indeed mistaken. 'We' do not 'All' feel a compulsion towards members of the opposite sex. … To close, I will refer to the Bible. …you are a Christian. Let’s break that word down. Christian literally means, 'Follower of Christ'. If you were indeed so, would not His words take precedence over any others? Jesus says to Love all. That would, by logic, include those with different sexual tendencies. … I try not to engage in discussions about the Bible however, not being Christian and having never read the Bible. I have however, been raised with strong morals, a love for human-kind, and an understanding of different points of view and preferences. I don't believe that any book, seen by some as word of God or not, should attempt to take away the very human fiber and rights to happiness that all men and women are born with upon this earth.

Dude… I’m still angry, Poppets. I still think we can do and be better than we’ve been – as a community; as a society; as a people as a whole. It still concerns me that there is at least one teenager out there who believes homosexuality is akin to murder - and you know that one isn’t the only one. But that flicker of hope I carry hasn’t gone completely out. Because there’s also at least one teenager who not only gets it but is willing to stand up and speak out for us, against hate - and I have to believe he’s not the only one. I have to hope.

Until next month, Poppets, take care of you.