Re: RAT Other Sucking Things

[jonoh1@juno.com]

On Fri, 11 Feb 2000 13:01:58 CST "Donna Sherritt"
<ohbelladonna@hotmail.com> writes:

>Christians aren't the reason homosexuals don't have equal rights.  
>Homophobes in power who will use any ideology to protect their 
>position are 
>the reason.

Pretty convenient setup here. It's not me it's the politicians.  And, um,
<how> did the homophobe get there to begin with? Perhaps by the tacitly
approved of oppression of others by those who vote? I've found with many
people, and that does include christians, that they talk a good game, but
when it comes down to actually voting with their money, mouths, fingers,
and/or personal safety, they prefer to walk the straight and narrow. A
politician will sway with the prevailing wind but a christian (IMHO) will
do anything they can to try and control which way that wind blows.
Usually because they "know" what's best. Being a christian and all.

>
>By the way, while I'm not arguing that it's as easy to be gay as it is 
>to be 
>straight in this society, I don't know of any homosexual who faces the 
>daily 
>struggles thrust upon african-americans or hispanic-americans. 

I'm not sure what this has to do with the point. Gays shouldn't feel
oppressed because there are others who are more oppressed? Regardless,
it's evident, from your statement, that you don't know any flaming
(effeminate) homosexuals. Or drag queens. Or transsexuals. Or tattooed,
bulladagger lesbians. Talk about difficult. Pray through <that>. Or,
better still, try to get an apartment. For that matter, try to walk down
the street without being harassed or possibly beaten to death.


 I'm 
>not 
>downplaying or dismissing anyone's experience of discrimination, 

(actually, yes, you are.)

but 
>loudmouths who play on mass hysteria, emotion, hype and ignorance, 
>whether 
>christian-bashing gays, or gay-bashing christians, make me angry.

>Motivating any sort of action out of hatred is akin to Hitler's own 
>methodology.  Hate the other.  He hates you.  He's the reason you 
>don't have 
>everything you want.  Gender-specific pronouns intentional.
>
>You asked why "we" aren't on the evening news?  A side-note here: the 
>Dallas 
>Morning News published an article about me, since I was a Christian 
>who 
>worked at the Holocaust Center, who believed it was everyone's job to 
>fight 
>prejudice.  But I have not been on the evening news, because it's less 
>
>interesting for the camera to follow me around as I try to treat 
>everyone 
>with generosity and respect, regardless of their orientation.  And I 
>know 
>dozens more just like me.  We aren't screaming on the sidewalk, 
>playing on 
>mass hysteria.  But we are making a difference in a real way. 

Um. I'm not sure what you mean by making a difference in a "real" way. I
think that the young man who recently sued the Orange County school
system and took to the streets because the school would not let him
organize a gay/straight youth alliance organization under the school's
auspices made a difference in a "real" way. Apparently the Supreme Court
thought so too. Maybe you <should> be screaming on the street. If your
passivity were against the law or kept you from getting the rights
attributed to others, then something tells me you just might be out there
on the front lines making a difference in what I must assume you view as
an unreal way. 

 I hear 
>
>hateful things said about Christians *every* day.  But I don't hate 
>back.  
>It probably sounds like I'm trying to make myself sound like a saint.  
>I'm 
>not. I just get tired of careless, hateful ranting.

I hear hateful things about faggots everyday. And I do hate back.
Righteously. 


>Be careful.  Someone you know might be a Christian.  A real one, who 
>isn't 
>so insecure about their belief system that they have to rely on 
>bashing of 
>any kind to make themselves feel righteous.

My dear sister is a practicing christian who knows the meaning of
unconditional love and applies it daily. It helps her get through life
and helped her raise two wonderful kids. In Colorado.  (Just a
coincidence, I'm sure) I respect her and her beliefs. As I do yours. But
I won't let her get away with any whitewashing of an individual's human
and civil rights simply because their lifestyle doesn't mesh with her
christian views.  As I've told her in the past, it's just as easy to
convince oneself of one's righteousness by taking <no> action as it is to
take bold action.

>
>I'm sorry for the kinds of experiences you must have had which inflame 
>such 
>rage against Christians.

Like 2000 years of war, oppression, lies and murder in the name of the
Christ? Thanks, I appreciate it. And, believe me, this isn't rage.

  But please look a little closer.  We aren't 
>all 
>like that.

I'll remind myself of that the next time I lose my rights to those
purporting to be working in the name of the Lord. And then I'll look to
you in Texas and ask you what you did to help. And then I'll wonder at
the concept of shame. And then I'll sleep very well.

Goodnight,
Jonathan


>
>
>>From: jonoh1@juno.com
>>Reply-To: rat-list@whirl-i-gig.com
>>To: rat-list@whirl-i-gig.com
>>Subject: RAT Other Sucking Things
>>Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2000 10:15:06 -0800
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>On Fri, 11 Feb 2000 11:46:55 CST "Donna Sherritt"
>><ohbelladonna@hotmail.com> writes:
>> >Not all Christians hate gay people.
>>
>>And yet homosexuals still don't have equal rights.
>>
>> >Not all Christians are anti-free speech.
>>
>>And yet homosexuals still don't have equal rights.
>>
>> >Not all Christians are mindless wackos.
>>
>>And yet homosexuals still don't have equal rights.
>>
>> >In fact, there are even some "right-wing" Christians who believe 
>in
>> >protecting free speech, the rights of all Americans, and who 
>believe
>> >that
>> >love and compassion for others is the most important part of being 
>a
>> >Christian.
>>
>>So why the hell aren't <they> on the evening news? Where are they?
>>
>>
>>  Even love and compassion for those who want to "fuck those
>> >goddamn christians".
>>
>>Pretty easy to find "love and compassion" in one's heart for 
><anything>
>>if you don't have to back it with a letter, a march, a phone call or 
>a
>>political action.
>>
>>
>>  Christian-bashing is as nauseating, tiring,
>> >cliche',
>> >and harmful as gay-bashing.
>>
>>As harmful? How? What rights do christians give up simply to be
>>christians? Something they <choose> to be, by the way.
>>
>>
>> >It's also hypocritical.
>>
>>Unlike the church, of course.
>>
>>
>>Shame on you.
>>
>>Sorry, Sister. Not your call.
>>
>>
>>Respectfully (if grudgingly)
>>Jonathan Harris
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
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