Vanessa White
04-26-2007, 11:41 AM
Hello all, including those newest members from some of the schools that the Equality Riders visited. First of all, welcome, and I do hope that your membership/visitation here is at least enlightening, even if not altogether pleasant. The feeling of unpleasantness is mutual, I must say. I have been thinking on starting this thread for a couple of days now, not really knowing how to respond to some of what has been seeming to happen here, meaning in general on the Soulforce forums. I am posting here on this thread, and leave it to the moderators to move if they see it more appropriately placed elsewhere.
Let me begin by stating how proud, and humbled, I feel of and by the work of the Equality Riders. If I were twenty years younger, I would like to think that I would have been taking two months plus off from my life to participate in this endeavor. Frankly, I don't know that I would have had the courage to do so, but I like to think that I would. I admire their tenacity, strength, courage, determination, energy, and ability to look pure adversity and intolerance in the face and continue on. Now, by saying that, I am in no way stating that all schools and/or all students, staff, and personnel have been intolerant. I know that many schools have welcomed the riders for dialogue, discussion, presence. I know that some students have felt inspired, changed, willing to look in a different way because of the presence of our riders. I feel fully able to support what they have done and the way in which they have done it.
I do not do well with confrontation, with hostility, and that could be another reason that I would not have been a Rider, even though I would like to think I could handle it. It is another reason I don't easily post when there seems to be so much conflict on a thread, even if it is useful and necessary. THe dilemma for me personally becomes, by not speaking my truth, am I silencing myself from what needs to be exposed to the light? Probably, in a way.
However, much of what has been posted here in some of the threads does not seem like discussion, meaning, a willingness to see even a little bit, an alternate point of view. I would like to trust that the persons that actually join our membership here, know full well what the mission of Soulforce is, and come here not to just rant what they see as the only way to view things, but rather, the way they have always seen things, yet are willing to consider other perspectives. I have watched many of my beloved SF friends become agitated, angry, and personally offended by some of what has been written. THat saddens and angers me for them. And, I have felt personal hurt, on behalf of the LGBTQ community, and the youths and students that have no one to turn to as they try to make sense of how they feel and who they are. Those are the souls for whom these actions hope to help the most, I believe, those that do not yet know how to help themselves.
Without speaking too much for others here whom I have come to know and to cherish, I think many of us view any mistreatment of our fellow humans to be unthinkable and intolerable, and whatever can be done in a loving, nonviolent, manner, to open up our arms to our fellow humans, we should be doing so. I feel so encouraged and hopeful when new members come on board, and are willing to openly tell us their story, and are willing to hear ours with open ears and hearts. It hurts my heart when they are not.
I read this in an affirmation book by Melody Beattie today, and I believed it applied to the current climate on the forums:
"We can be honest with people without being mean. We can be diplomatic in whatever we need to say, at least most of the time. And we usually don't have to scream and shout. I have learned a little trick along the way. THe weaker and more vulnerable I feel, the more I holler and the meaner I react. The more truly powerful, clear, and centered I am, the quieter, gentler, and more loving I speak. The next time you feel threatened or start to scream and yell, stop yourself. Take a deep breath. Deliberately speak more softly than you normally would.
You can speak softly and still carry a great big stick."
Much love and peace to you all, Vanessa :love: :love: :love:
Let me begin by stating how proud, and humbled, I feel of and by the work of the Equality Riders. If I were twenty years younger, I would like to think that I would have been taking two months plus off from my life to participate in this endeavor. Frankly, I don't know that I would have had the courage to do so, but I like to think that I would. I admire their tenacity, strength, courage, determination, energy, and ability to look pure adversity and intolerance in the face and continue on. Now, by saying that, I am in no way stating that all schools and/or all students, staff, and personnel have been intolerant. I know that many schools have welcomed the riders for dialogue, discussion, presence. I know that some students have felt inspired, changed, willing to look in a different way because of the presence of our riders. I feel fully able to support what they have done and the way in which they have done it.
I do not do well with confrontation, with hostility, and that could be another reason that I would not have been a Rider, even though I would like to think I could handle it. It is another reason I don't easily post when there seems to be so much conflict on a thread, even if it is useful and necessary. THe dilemma for me personally becomes, by not speaking my truth, am I silencing myself from what needs to be exposed to the light? Probably, in a way.
However, much of what has been posted here in some of the threads does not seem like discussion, meaning, a willingness to see even a little bit, an alternate point of view. I would like to trust that the persons that actually join our membership here, know full well what the mission of Soulforce is, and come here not to just rant what they see as the only way to view things, but rather, the way they have always seen things, yet are willing to consider other perspectives. I have watched many of my beloved SF friends become agitated, angry, and personally offended by some of what has been written. THat saddens and angers me for them. And, I have felt personal hurt, on behalf of the LGBTQ community, and the youths and students that have no one to turn to as they try to make sense of how they feel and who they are. Those are the souls for whom these actions hope to help the most, I believe, those that do not yet know how to help themselves.
Without speaking too much for others here whom I have come to know and to cherish, I think many of us view any mistreatment of our fellow humans to be unthinkable and intolerable, and whatever can be done in a loving, nonviolent, manner, to open up our arms to our fellow humans, we should be doing so. I feel so encouraged and hopeful when new members come on board, and are willing to openly tell us their story, and are willing to hear ours with open ears and hearts. It hurts my heart when they are not.
I read this in an affirmation book by Melody Beattie today, and I believed it applied to the current climate on the forums:
"We can be honest with people without being mean. We can be diplomatic in whatever we need to say, at least most of the time. And we usually don't have to scream and shout. I have learned a little trick along the way. THe weaker and more vulnerable I feel, the more I holler and the meaner I react. The more truly powerful, clear, and centered I am, the quieter, gentler, and more loving I speak. The next time you feel threatened or start to scream and yell, stop yourself. Take a deep breath. Deliberately speak more softly than you normally would.
You can speak softly and still carry a great big stick."
Much love and peace to you all, Vanessa :love: :love: :love: