Hi y'all - Vulgarperson, I'm wiping the teardrops from my keyboard. Your theme of the majority oppressing the minority is well taken - would you consider adding atheist, or at least freethinker, to the oppressed gay section?
On Nov 26, 2:29 pm, thevulgarone <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi MFA, > > The following is a column I wrote to be published this week. It is for > the purpose of mustering the troupes for the rally and to explain to > those who lack empathy that gay people are people too. It has not yet > been filtered by the errors so there could be grammar or punctuation > mistakes. Just try to understand the message. > > In the history of the US, it is the revolutionaries who brought about > justice, equality, and diversity. This country has had its share of > inspirational characters and each of which has made this the greatest > nation the world has ever seen. Those revolutionaries opened our > hearts, minds, and eyes to what is oppressive and taught us that to > stand up for justice and equality is as American as apple pie. > I am deeply inspired by our American revolutionaries and moved by the > words of Susan B. Anthony when she said, “It was we, the people; not > we, the white male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the > Union.” And I can not deny my tears when I hear the speeches of Martin > Luther King Jr. I am also overwhelmed with patriotism when I read > Thomas Jefferson’s “The majority, oppressing an individual, is guilty > of a crime, abuses its strength, and by acting on the law of the > strongest breaks up the foundations of society.” Words no less poetic > than the lyrics of the Star Spangled Banner. > In the beginning, it was Americans as an oppressed people and > together a declaration for independence was made. With that > independence, rights to freedom became constitutional, freedoms no > other nation could claim. Constitutional freedom became the spirit of > the American people and with that spirit, brave visionaries ended > oppression, first by race and later by gender. That American spirit is > self-perpetuating and is continuing with a cry for a new freedom, a > freedom to love and protect families, regardless of gender, race, or > sexual orientation. > Being forced to fight the establishment that was created to protect > us, makes it seem as if America lost her vision, but so be it; if we > have to stand up to governmental propositions that attempt to bind all > under a restricted creed then we will stand. The empathetic are > disgusted by the indignation put upon history’s minorities, therefore > the last place we should ever want to be is on the side of the > uncompassionate. Sam Adams said, “It is no dishonor to be in a > minority in the cause of liberty and virtue.” Protesting against > injustices is the beginning of liberty in any “rights” movement and is > the next inch gained toward social reason. On Saturday, November 29th, > at noon, citizens of Jackson will be making a statement of protest of > California’s Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage (at the Federal > Building in Jackson). I pray of those on this quest for civil rights > and love, to allow me to stand with you and share this moment in > American history and to take the next step in the evolution of > diversity. > As a heterosexual, gay rights is not an issue that affects my life > directly, however I find it impossible to not see the majority of the > gay population as genuinely good people whose aspirations break down > to one cause and that is to be loved. The hurt inflicted upon gay > individuals by their families and communities is expressed with horror > stories of rejection, harassment, and abuse, all of which are more > than I can hear in detail without dying a little inside. With that in > mind, I beg the opportunity to stand on the side of the tired, poor, > huddled masses, wretched refuse, and tempest-tost, to do so is the > pentacle of American patriotism. To be limited in scope can keep one > protected from the discomfort of change but the pains of birthing a > new conscience opens our eyes to see that we falsely believe that we > are free and gives us a new breath to speak up for diversity. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
