Last night, I read an article by a pastor by the name of Rob Shepherd with regard to the Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling and how people on both sides of the marriage equality debate should be more empathetic of one another. To his credit, Shepherd wrote in a very respectful manner and seemed to genuinely believe what he was saying. In most instances, I'd say he makes a great point, but I don't think that's the case here.
Both he and Fox News' Bill O'Reilly made sports analogies with regard to the public's reaction, saying that those celebrating were like sore winners, rubbing the victory in the face of their opponents, I'm sorry, but I just don't see things like that. I see it more like an athlete, embattled with health issues for most of his or her life, fighting through to qualify in and win a gold medal in the Olympics, and celebrating. This is what the LGBT community has had do deal with for all of their lives. Many tried to deny who they were for fear of rejection from friends, family, employers, coworkers, and members of the church. This led many to abuse alcohol, drugs, and live promiscuously, as they wanted to deny their true identity. After finally feeling comfortable with their sexuality, they then had to fight for equality both inside and outside of the workplace, try to convince those around them they were normal human beings just like everyone else, and had to try to convince voters and the government that they deserved equal rights under the law. There has been talk about an amendment being added to the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Many politicians have tried linking gay marriage to pedophilia, polygamy, and beastiality. Some members of the LGBT community have been fired from their jobs after it became known they were gay (or transgender). Some have been refused service. Some have even been disowned by their families. So when word came out Friday morning that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of gays being legally allowed to wed in all 50 states, homosexuals and their allies weren't celebrating to rub the victory in the face of those whom disagree with the decision; we were celebrating a long, hard fought victory for equality and against oppression.
That's what many of these Christian fundamentalists have a difficult time understanding. Many have taken their legal rights for granted. They didn't have to hide the fact that they were heterosexual from their families and employers for fear of being disowned or fired. They didn't have to worry about visiting their partners in the hospital. They didn't have to worry about getting married or of adopting children. They didn't have to worry about being demonized and condemned by members of their church for their relationship. They didn't have to worry about the government trying to permanently prevent them from getting married. That's where the true empathy is lacking in my opinion. While these very far-right heterosexual Christians may never be able to fully grasp what members of the LGBT community have gone through, if they simply tried to empathize with them, perhaps they'd be able to feel differently about matters, and instead of feeling like homosexuals and their allies were rubbing the Supreme Court ruling in their faces, they could understand why we were celebrating in the first place.
On the other side of the empathy equation, though, I'm sorry, but I don't feel much of it for those whom have been trying to deny equal rights to LGBTs for decades. I wouldn't have felt any empathy for those whom fought against women's rights or African-Americans' rights when they were granted equal protections under the law. I mean, what would they want me to say? "While this group of people was forced to be slaves for many years, I just want you to know that, while I fully agree with abolishing slavery, I understand and feel bad for people, like yourself, who still wanted to treat this group of people as slaves. Aw. Boo-hoo. Here, let me hand you a box of tissues."? I don't think so. Even when reading what I just wrote, I can't help but hear myself uttering such a line in a very sarcastic manner. Through the years, gays have been: Beaten, hospitalized, hung, fired, denied service, demonized, condemned, persecuted, abandoned, disowned, and bullied for who they are by people whom adamantly opposed the Supreme Court ruling on Friday. Then, after gays are granted marriage equality across the land, they seriously want homosexuals and their allies to empathize with them? I don't think so. Friday's ruling was a moment to celebrate victory, to celebrate equality, to celebrate humanity, and if some people take issue with that, then I'm afraid they may want to take a long hard look in the mirror, because it's their own fricking problem.
http://www.robshep.com/2015/06/29/how-to-respond-to-the-supreme-courts-ruling-on-same-sex-marriage/
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/oreilly-white-house-rainbow-lights-wrong-and-insulting-slap-in-the-face/
Both he and Fox News' Bill O'Reilly made sports analogies with regard to the public's reaction, saying that those celebrating were like sore winners, rubbing the victory in the face of their opponents, I'm sorry, but I just don't see things like that. I see it more like an athlete, embattled with health issues for most of his or her life, fighting through to qualify in and win a gold medal in the Olympics, and celebrating. This is what the LGBT community has had do deal with for all of their lives. Many tried to deny who they were for fear of rejection from friends, family, employers, coworkers, and members of the church. This led many to abuse alcohol, drugs, and live promiscuously, as they wanted to deny their true identity. After finally feeling comfortable with their sexuality, they then had to fight for equality both inside and outside of the workplace, try to convince those around them they were normal human beings just like everyone else, and had to try to convince voters and the government that they deserved equal rights under the law. There has been talk about an amendment being added to the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Many politicians have tried linking gay marriage to pedophilia, polygamy, and beastiality. Some members of the LGBT community have been fired from their jobs after it became known they were gay (or transgender). Some have been refused service. Some have even been disowned by their families. So when word came out Friday morning that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of gays being legally allowed to wed in all 50 states, homosexuals and their allies weren't celebrating to rub the victory in the face of those whom disagree with the decision; we were celebrating a long, hard fought victory for equality and against oppression.
That's what many of these Christian fundamentalists have a difficult time understanding. Many have taken their legal rights for granted. They didn't have to hide the fact that they were heterosexual from their families and employers for fear of being disowned or fired. They didn't have to worry about visiting their partners in the hospital. They didn't have to worry about getting married or of adopting children. They didn't have to worry about being demonized and condemned by members of their church for their relationship. They didn't have to worry about the government trying to permanently prevent them from getting married. That's where the true empathy is lacking in my opinion. While these very far-right heterosexual Christians may never be able to fully grasp what members of the LGBT community have gone through, if they simply tried to empathize with them, perhaps they'd be able to feel differently about matters, and instead of feeling like homosexuals and their allies were rubbing the Supreme Court ruling in their faces, they could understand why we were celebrating in the first place.
On the other side of the empathy equation, though, I'm sorry, but I don't feel much of it for those whom have been trying to deny equal rights to LGBTs for decades. I wouldn't have felt any empathy for those whom fought against women's rights or African-Americans' rights when they were granted equal protections under the law. I mean, what would they want me to say? "While this group of people was forced to be slaves for many years, I just want you to know that, while I fully agree with abolishing slavery, I understand and feel bad for people, like yourself, who still wanted to treat this group of people as slaves. Aw. Boo-hoo. Here, let me hand you a box of tissues."? I don't think so. Even when reading what I just wrote, I can't help but hear myself uttering such a line in a very sarcastic manner. Through the years, gays have been: Beaten, hospitalized, hung, fired, denied service, demonized, condemned, persecuted, abandoned, disowned, and bullied for who they are by people whom adamantly opposed the Supreme Court ruling on Friday. Then, after gays are granted marriage equality across the land, they seriously want homosexuals and their allies to empathize with them? I don't think so. Friday's ruling was a moment to celebrate victory, to celebrate equality, to celebrate humanity, and if some people take issue with that, then I'm afraid they may want to take a long hard look in the mirror, because it's their own fricking problem.
http://www.robshep.com/2015/06/29/how-to-respond-to-the-supreme-courts-ruling-on-same-sex-marriage/
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/oreilly-white-house-rainbow-lights-wrong-and-insulting-slap-in-the-face/
Comments
Post a Comment