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Maybe my picture isnt clear enough, but both of these guys appear to be caucasion; besides their apparent anti-gay bigotry, who are they to speak for king and his family.
posted by Anonymous, at
2/10/2006 12:56 PM
Eventhough the time setting of Brokeback Mountian was in the early 60's,and Ennis'es fear of what could happen if word got out,well seems to me that even now with groups like Phelp's, and the recent attack at the puzzels lunge,shows we still have to be careful at times and know our suroundings, I'm not saying go back into the closet, I'm just saying keep eyes and ears open
"Another IED needs to be planted at the Westboro Baptist Church."
I wouldn't go as far as stooping to their level by enguaging in violent actions against them, because that would give them a license of sorts to commit acts of violence against us. What we should be doing though is picketing their churches and revivals to let the flocks know what their leaders really are - a bunch of money hungry and power hungry fear mongers. A taste of their own medicine to be exact.
When presented with undeniable facts about something, the evangelical leadership has demonstrated time and time again that they will quickly change their rhetoric verses loosing their credibility and more importantly the earning power of their ministries. A recient example of this is the myrids of Christian leaders who have jumped on the global warming bandwagon. I seriously doubt that evangelical leaders change on their own. Many ministries conduct extensive market research, and if there is a growing concensus among their flocks that counters what they are preaching, their tune will change accordingly to keep the dollars flowing in.
-- Unfortunately - Bernice King is anti-Gay and continues to be an outspoken critic of Gay Rights. She openly disagreed with her mother, that homosexuals should be "included in the Dream".
Bernice is no friend of the Gay community and does not follow in her father and mother's footsteps. She has lead anti-gay marches in Atlanta and continues to fight against us.
--
The one thing about the Rev Phelps and his gaggle of misfits ... at least we know where they stand on the issue - they make no bones about it.
I believe the Rev Phelps and his gang might be surprised to learn that they have actually helped Gay Rights by their outlandishly offensive protests ... they have probably made several folks rethink their blind hatred and bigotry after seeing this group in action.
I thought it odd that Julian Bond (NAACP) wasn't a featured orator at Coretta's funeral ... it wasn't until I read in this week's SOVO (Southern Voice) that his absence was in Protest at holding the funeral at New Birth Church.
Good For Julian!
I have to relay this story of my own experience in Atlanta several years ago. I was in a relationship with a young man whose father passed away while we were together - so of course I was by his side throughout. We informed his mother that we would be attending the funeral as a couple and of course she and the rest of his family had always accepted me in the family as one of their own - needless to say my partner had long since dealt with being out to his family.
Before the service I was introduced to the pastor of the church as the partner of a son of the deceased. It was obvious from that moment that he was *not open* and *accepting* of that concept and was taken aback by my being caucasian to boot. But I figured he would keep his thoughts on the matter to himself out of respect - boy was I shocked when during the eulogy he spoke of the sin of homosexuality and how the deceased was a *Real Man*, etc ... he made no bones about his references as he glared at my partner and I.
I stayed throughout the service - even though my instinct was to get up and walk out. My partner's mother apologized after the service ... but I told her it was nothing that she should apologize for ... and I have to tell you it was one of the most uncomfortable situations that I've ever experienced in my life.
I was angry that this minister used this man's funeral to berate his gay son and his partner openly and somewhat viciously during a funeral. Being from the South - I've attended African-American services before so I was used to the *answer-back* portion of the sermon ... but when this minister tore into his anti-gay rhetoric the crowd was especially verbal in their *answer-back* *Yes Lord's* and *Amens*.
Its taken me some time to put these feelings in perspective. I have always believed and worked toward Equality in the face of Diversity. It is still hard for me to accept that many younger people in the African-American community can be so anti-gay.
It still baffles me - because my own experiences while growing up in the South I found that most older African-America *women especially* had a no qualms with gays - they took a live and let live attitude toward others. I attribute this to their own experience of having dealt with the heinous discrimination and outright vicious attitudes that they encountered in their own lives.
I have posted more than once that I do not understand how any African-American can be anti-civil rights for homosexuals -- but when put in context it seems to come from the churches and my own experience left me little doubt that many are influenced by those like Bernice and Bishop Long -- and that pastor who lambasted homosexuals during my partners funeral.
My partner and I are no longer together - but this experience left me with a profound distaste for the likes of Bernice and Bishop Long's anti-gay rhetoric. I was pleased to see the Rev Sharpton taking a stand just recently trying to bridge the gap in the African-American churches on this very subject. But I'm afraid its become as much a wedge issue in this community as it is elsewhere now.
