awediot
04-19-2006, 08:28 PM
Such a roller coaster is this desire to help the world improve, to ease the pain of the innocent, signify the pain of the not so innocent and bind the thoughts which lie. It is a delicate balance to keep your wishes high enough to lift spirits, but not so idealist as to be out of reach.
The acceptability of gays is a razor sharp, gut wrenchingly intense issue. To YOU. It is a trifle to most of the planet. The negative view of homosexuality does not exist in a vacuum and may be an unfortunate symptom of a much larger wound. It may be that it will heal only as a result of the body itself being cured. And that big damage, is said to be terminal and out of our hands.
It seems there are two battles being waged simultaneously, confusingly and the conflict is a detriment to both. On one hand, we fight purely for legal acceptance. To marry, adopt and pursue a quality of life where and how we want without unique hindrances designed just for us. This is a pragmatic struggle that can proceed regardless of whether we are understood or not. Those with power over us (and over everyone: police, employers, financiers, landlords, etc. etc...) may justifiably be forced to spread their capacity to control evenly, with out personal discrimination. In this area, I do not care if you think Jesus loves me or not, just don't fire me, or take my kids away or deny my application for X, THEN feel free to believe I am a pervert... This is where the struggle comes down to IF the government supports discrimination or not. Not whether a private organization has bigoted policies. First, give me my rights. Then we'll discuss right and wrong.
Which leads to the other hand... Of course we do not want to be viewed as perverts and a thing which merits protecting from. But this is a very different battle, with very different tactics. I would prefer those with the power see us as normal, loving adults and drop their divisive blinders on their own, out of a broader love. But my joy and fulfillment cannot depend on them doing so, nor can my motives for them to do so, hinge on the selfishness of my desire to be accepted. I hope they come around because it is freeing to them and those near them, not to validate myself. They cannot do that either way.
I think all involved here need to decide within themselves which war they fight with each confrontation. Both are valid but rarely mix. One has as little to do with "God" as is possible, and the other, as little to do with US.
The acceptability of gays is a razor sharp, gut wrenchingly intense issue. To YOU. It is a trifle to most of the planet. The negative view of homosexuality does not exist in a vacuum and may be an unfortunate symptom of a much larger wound. It may be that it will heal only as a result of the body itself being cured. And that big damage, is said to be terminal and out of our hands.
It seems there are two battles being waged simultaneously, confusingly and the conflict is a detriment to both. On one hand, we fight purely for legal acceptance. To marry, adopt and pursue a quality of life where and how we want without unique hindrances designed just for us. This is a pragmatic struggle that can proceed regardless of whether we are understood or not. Those with power over us (and over everyone: police, employers, financiers, landlords, etc. etc...) may justifiably be forced to spread their capacity to control evenly, with out personal discrimination. In this area, I do not care if you think Jesus loves me or not, just don't fire me, or take my kids away or deny my application for X, THEN feel free to believe I am a pervert... This is where the struggle comes down to IF the government supports discrimination or not. Not whether a private organization has bigoted policies. First, give me my rights. Then we'll discuss right and wrong.
Which leads to the other hand... Of course we do not want to be viewed as perverts and a thing which merits protecting from. But this is a very different battle, with very different tactics. I would prefer those with the power see us as normal, loving adults and drop their divisive blinders on their own, out of a broader love. But my joy and fulfillment cannot depend on them doing so, nor can my motives for them to do so, hinge on the selfishness of my desire to be accepted. I hope they come around because it is freeing to them and those near them, not to validate myself. They cannot do that either way.
I think all involved here need to decide within themselves which war they fight with each confrontation. Both are valid but rarely mix. One has as little to do with "God" as is possible, and the other, as little to do with US.