-Caveat Lector-
I certainly agree with you about anything being shoved down a person's throat
or pushed upon them at the point of a gun. I would not be appreciative of such
arrogance,coercion,or intimidation. However, I disagree that African-Americans
gained their fellow citizens respect by burning anything down. I was there in
the midst of it and recall the dialogue developed through the efforts of
leaders ie Martin Luther King. Millitant Blacks in this country can not take
the credit for the strides made in racial unity. They may have made the
headlines,but they did not cause their fellow man to have a conscience or gain
any acceptance with their neighbors,co-workers,or peers. That came from
positive example upon example of people who lived what they belieived and
struggled to change the low image given them and the circumstances assigned to
them. There is no comparison between the civil rights abuses heaped upon
African-Americans and today's or yesterday's American homosexual community.
#1 African Americans had no choice and were literally forced into the
situation that they found themselves in . They could not hide in a closet if
they wanted to. They were isolated from their families and their own children
taken from them and sent into servitude far away from them.
#2 African Americans were not allowed to own property,vote,get an
education,live where ever they wanted or work at jobs that they would have
chosen for themselves. They were publicly humiliated and not allowed to mingle
with anglos. No homosexual has been denied these rights!
#3 This was a generational abuse. Not just an individual indignity that they
faced. Their parents and siblings and grandparents were all contemptuosly
treated. Homosexuals can not say this either.
#4 African Americans did not seek societies stamp of approval of their
actions. They sought legal protection to be treated as human beings. There
were and are black citizens that have more piety and humility than the whites
that abused them. It was not their actions that were discriminated against but
just their very existence as members of the human race.
#5 Half of the citizens of the US believed that the ill treatment that they
saw black families receive was so wrong that they were willing to give their
own life in war to end it. This did not stop the abuse but certainly began the
long march to freedom. It did not repay them for the wrongs that they suffered
and nothing ever could.
Jews,Moslems,Christians and Hindus have every right to practice their religion
without the demands of non members insisting that they change to accomadate
them. I am a Christian but I do not expect the Jews to change their Torahs to
foster my religious philosophy. I would not insist that a religious Jew eat
pork because I was a hog farmer. Nor would I insist that Jews or Moslems wear
a cross because I believe in the cross. I understand that it would be an
abomination to them. If someone is converted at the point of a gun,it is no
conversion at all and has no meaning or merit. I know that it has been done
across the annuls of time,but it did not foster understanding or acceptance.
Rather it sowed seeds of hatred for centuries. Why would anyone suggest such a
scenario be replayed? There will always be people converting from one
religion to another. It may come from efforts of proselytizing or it may just
be a personal choice. I do not think that Americans wish any harm to come to
Jehova Witnesses that come to the door or Zin Bhuddists at the airport. They
can always close the door or walk away. Just telling me about their beleifs
does not constitute abuse on their part. Even if a Moslem cleric told me that
I was dressed like an infidel,I would not insist that all Moslem women dress
like me so that I would feel comfortable . Surely that is not what you desire
all these major religions to do in regard to their beliefs about homosexuality?
The Jews,Christians,Moslems,Hindus,all have one thing in common.Actually,
African Americans had this element too. They have all been willing to suffer
for their deeply held convictions rather than abandon them. It was not their
violence toward one another that saved their religions from extinction. The
violence of the colliseums of Rome, the Crusades,the Holocaust,and the Jihads
have not succeeded in destroying the religioius beleifs of these people. But
the willingness to suffer persecution before changing their convictions did
save them from extinction.
Thankfully ,there are laws that prevent Christians and all religions from
using the force of a gun as an evangelistic tool in the US. If you have
experienced such a thing you do have recourse.And lastly I did not see any
other posts that pointedly expressed a Christian belief other than mine,so I
must assume that you meant those remarks toward me. I do not assume that the
world revolves around me or any single group of people. I do not like in your
face tactics but if you truly beleive such assaults help win people to your
cause---well, only time will tell if they are effective. Karen Kerr
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
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CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic
screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters
and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright
frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects
spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL
gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers;
be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and
nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
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