Order of Perpetual Violence.

[g_whiz]

I spent half the night working on a post detailing how much fun I had over New Years...but, truth be told, after reading a few news blogs after coming back home...it seems wildly self indulgent and frankly a lot less important in other weighty context. It is entirely useful at times to be roused from complacency and shaken awake, despite the fact

Comments

Growl

[ianvass]

These stories make me ANGRY. How DARE people who claim to live a Gospel that teaches love and light look aside and ignore the plight of people killed (KILLED!) because they are gay! And perhaps not only ignore but PARTICIPATE

Re: Growl

[g_whiz]

Thanks for the response. I'd been following young Mr. Kenedy's case since before the election, but hadn't been struck by how awful and insubstansial the punishment was until I started reading some of the responses of his mother. Awful heartbreaking almost unthinkable reading there.

I appreciate your post, and yeah, the overall thrust of my argument is that perpetuating the idea that certian people aren't worth protecting equally, or treating justly is one that is latently picked up by the youth of our culture and exersized with sometimes extreme prejudice. Bias crimes are such that just require the right mindset, the right timing, and the right people to enact. All of the instances in my post, I think sadly, make that point pretty clear.

I think the only way to prevent bias/hate crime across the board is to send much clearer messages to the mainstream that this sort of gatekeeping is unacceptable. Of course, it would be nice if our society treated everyone equally and humanely without such qualifiers, but, such is life.

Hate Crimes

[anonymous]

I think that the fact that it is a challenge to pass hate crime bills for homosexuals says a lot about where our country stands. If you look at this last election, and how many bills were past you can see where we stand on the list of minorities. It isn't just about being gay when a gay person is killed, it is a human life that is lost because of someone's ignorance. Any human life that is taken away because of something he or she inherently is, should have protection from said reason for murder. But I guess the Judeo-Christian belief of choosing homosexuality is what is standing in the way...Enough ranting for me...

Re: Hate Crimes

[g_whiz]

You're right about one thing. The "lifestyle choice" assumption the Right bandies about is the pinnacle of their argument, and is key to their ability to divorce themselves from the humanity of the persons they're so busy writing off. Human psychology and sexuality is of course ridiculously complicated, and simply saying one can choose to wear blue over red, or like the Yankees over the Sox is sadly missing the point. Funny thing is, we don't beat, shame and torture people when they like the Yankees (Outside of Boston anyway).

[kj66]

Great post…I notice the gay community really was beginning to make progress in mid to late 90’s then the Republican & religious zealots took over and everything just seem to take 3 steps back and never recovered.

Division.

[g_whiz]

Isn't that by design? Setting those within the sub-group against each other is an age old tactic those in the majority use to change the subject. "Black people are responsible for voting Yes on 8" annnd we're off the issue of why the fundamentals of the proposition are wrong (or not) and onto barley veiled racist screeds. Its easy to be taken off topic, and easier to be reduced by the Judeo-Christian majority to some sort of hysterically blind malcontent. None of these labels patently fit any one of us, but they serve the purpose of making rational conversation less possible. Its important that we do not, (to use a phrase I've always wanted to coin) throw the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to hammering home the importance of issues like this. But its easier said than done, obviously.

Re: Division.

[kj66]

I agree with you on the Prop 8 matter. Whenever you are dealing with religion there is no logic in debating. They will not bend to see the gray area.