Liberal Crozier
07-04-2006, 10:15 AM
When we were young, Canada Day was called Dominion Day. It speaks to the fact that we are a constitutional as opposed to a parliamentary monarchical democracy. It is much easier to celebrate Canada Day today !!
This is true regardless of the fact that international global corporate companies can require you to "live abroad" for a date and time certain...certain, that is, to return to full and absolute freedom.
Yes, it was not easy to celebrate Canada or Dominion Day decades ago, when adult, gay and out, you were subjected to "abnormal psychosexual diagnosis", physical and emotional abuse, and the total subjugation of your rights and privileges as a citizen and simple human being.
Yet, we did celebrate - even if the love was one-sided and not reciprocated. We did so because we believed in the promise of the Canadian experience, and the fact that our culture nurtured equality and a national ethos to lead the world in human rights.
Independence Day has not always been an easy celebration for the oppressed minorities of your country . Whether you are discussing the indigineous Peoples or the former African-American slave and Jim Crow victim, you are defining individuals who loved, fought and died for a nation who betrayed their most basic human rights.
LGBT Americans have been made the posterchild for a theocratic homophobic agenda, while the supposed allies and supporters in politics or faith systems betray the cause in either the courtroom, legislative venues, or in the mainline pew.
It is also a time when it is not easy or comfortable to be a Roman Catholic or Anglican LGBT Christian for obviously the same reasons - albeit with a theological patina that rings hollow to those gay-affirming Christians who know that bad biology, or bad social science, is also bad theology and not in keeping with loving your God and your neighbour as yourself - as well as in bearing false witness against same.
Whether you celebrated on July 1, or are celebrating today on July 4, the LGBT person's patriotism is that much more valuable, and holds more promise that those who, because of psychosexual orientation and birthright, enjoy all the rights and privileges of citizenship. And like the Aboriginal or First Peoples (aka Native Americans) or African Americans of decades past, there will be American GLBT citizens who will NEVER breathe the fresh air of complete equality and freedom on this side of the highway.
That, my friends, is true patriotism.....
This is true regardless of the fact that international global corporate companies can require you to "live abroad" for a date and time certain...certain, that is, to return to full and absolute freedom.
Yes, it was not easy to celebrate Canada or Dominion Day decades ago, when adult, gay and out, you were subjected to "abnormal psychosexual diagnosis", physical and emotional abuse, and the total subjugation of your rights and privileges as a citizen and simple human being.
Yet, we did celebrate - even if the love was one-sided and not reciprocated. We did so because we believed in the promise of the Canadian experience, and the fact that our culture nurtured equality and a national ethos to lead the world in human rights.
Independence Day has not always been an easy celebration for the oppressed minorities of your country . Whether you are discussing the indigineous Peoples or the former African-American slave and Jim Crow victim, you are defining individuals who loved, fought and died for a nation who betrayed their most basic human rights.
LGBT Americans have been made the posterchild for a theocratic homophobic agenda, while the supposed allies and supporters in politics or faith systems betray the cause in either the courtroom, legislative venues, or in the mainline pew.
It is also a time when it is not easy or comfortable to be a Roman Catholic or Anglican LGBT Christian for obviously the same reasons - albeit with a theological patina that rings hollow to those gay-affirming Christians who know that bad biology, or bad social science, is also bad theology and not in keeping with loving your God and your neighbour as yourself - as well as in bearing false witness against same.
Whether you celebrated on July 1, or are celebrating today on July 4, the LGBT person's patriotism is that much more valuable, and holds more promise that those who, because of psychosexual orientation and birthright, enjoy all the rights and privileges of citizenship. And like the Aboriginal or First Peoples (aka Native Americans) or African Americans of decades past, there will be American GLBT citizens who will NEVER breathe the fresh air of complete equality and freedom on this side of the highway.
That, my friends, is true patriotism.....