"And an angel came to the woman and told her she would bear a child."
That's not a direct Biblical quote, but it is paraphrased. If you think I am referring to Mary being visited by an angel, I am not, I am referring to Abraham's wife Sarah. She was told by one of the three angels that visited them she would have a child. She laughed!
The same story happens again the the opening of the new testament when Elisabeth and Zechariah are visited by Gabriel and told they will have a child, John.
The same story happens again in Luke when another angel tells Mary she will have a son, Jesus.
So what gives? Three identical stories with the names and times changed, yet essentially they are all the same.
Well, I am not a Biblical scholar, and never attended Divinity School, but here's my take on it:
Each of these births was seen as an important milestone. Their story is told through a familiar lens of an older well-known story. This is not to shroud history, but to reveal the truths behind the tale. They are great myths that pass along knowledge and wisdom through generations. They are not historically accurate.
Just like the slaughter of the innocents in the New Testament, there is a matching story in the Old Testament. Moses is hidden in the bull rushes to avoid being slaughtered by Pharaoh in Egypt. Likewise, Joseph and Mary flee to Egypt to avoid having Jesus killed by Herod.
Why? Because it was important to show that Jesus was of the same caliber and even greater than Moses, who "came out of Egypt". That story was very familiar to all Jews who heard it and they would no doubt have gotten the comparison.
Did it happen? There is no historical evidence for Herod slaughtering children, but that wasn't the point of the story. It was a literary device to get Jesus into Egypt, so he could later emerge with the importance needed to convey who he was.
Wise men? They most likely never existed, but their presence in the story shows once again, and this time to Roman citizens how important Jesus was. His birth narrative is not historical fact, but another literary device to infer his importance. It is filled with truth, but very few facts.
Does this mean I am not a Christian? Absolutely not. As a follower of Jesus, I find these stories meaningful and worth retelling again and again, but without understanding the "why" of these tales, they easily become just a bunch of fictional stories.
As Bishop John Shelby Spong noted in his book, "Liberating the Gospels" these tales are best viewed as "midrash". It is a Jewish tradition of retelling a story with new characters to show their real importance and to connect with a new audience.
So take some time and really read the Christmas stories again and don't look for facts, but instead seek the truth they convey.
Merry Christmas.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Human Rights - Family Rights
In case you missed it, December 10 was UN Human Rights Day. It is something we as LGBT Americans should
take to heart.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a wonderful
document. It is intended to assure freedom
and justice and a voice for all people. The United States along with 48 other
countries signed the declaration in 1948 and it has become the standard by
which human rights are judged.
One of the key provisions in this historic document is the
provision that the family is a “natural and fundamental group unit of society
and is entitled to protection by society and the State.” Interestingly enough,
the UN declined to give a definition of the term “family”. They did this because they saw as early as
1948 that families were defined in different ways by different cultures. They went on to specify that, ““in giving
full effect to the recognition of family in the context of (International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights) article 23, it is important to accept
the concept of the various forms of family…”
In other words, our families are ours to define. For LGBT Americans that is really
important. Now that the Supreme Court is
taking up DOMA and the California Proposition 8 case, it means more than
ever.
The reality of same-sex marriage is this, until there is a
federal law that assures recognition of marriages from all states, same-sex or
not, a marriage license is pretty much just a nice piece of paper. The union and its rights will be good only in
the state where it was signed. In other words
your family may be OK is Washington State, but in Texas you are just a couple
of friends.
For family arrangements beyond the hetero-normative model,
it gets even more difficult. In the leather
community for example, there are lots of families consisting of 2-3 or more
individuals who are in a relationship with each other that they consider a
family. It is not unusual for a leather “Daddy” to
have a couple of “boys” in his or her household. (For the uninitiated the title of “Daddy” has nothing to do with
parenting. It is a role as well as an
honorific and it can apply to a man or woman.
Likewise, the idea of “boys” or “bois” or “girls” has nothing to do with
minors, these are roles assumed by leatherfolk and are terms of affection and
position within the leather family structure.)
These leather families are often as tight knit and valid as any blood-related
family and in many cases more so.
If the UN Declaration is to be believed, even these very
non-traditional families have a right to exist and be recognized, because the
reality of families in the US is this, only 20% of households consist of
married husbands and wives with children. The Norman Rockwall family unit is a myth, and
it is time we began understanding just how varied families in our country are.
Same-sex marriage will be a step toward this recognition,
but it will still leave millions of American’s out.
It will take a lot of work and a lot of education to fulfill
the goals of the UN Declaration in the 21st Century. It will take families of all types making
their case for recognition. It will be
uncomfortable for some people but if we are to take human rights seriously we
have to understand that all families, deserve respect and rights.
So next time you hear of the problems of human rights, don’t
automatically assume it is a third-world issue.
As LGBT Americans we still live as second class citizens who are denied
the right to form legally recognized families of our own.
The War On Christmas has been over for more than 100 years!
I am so tired of the fake War on Christmas that Fox News continues to foist on the uneducated viewers of it's alleged news.
If we want to celebrate a "traditional American Christmas" like our founding fathers, then we should go to work on Christmas Day just like any other day. In fact when the pilgrims came to America, they did not celebrate Christmas, it was considered too decadent. The holiday was actually outlawed in Boston until 1681 and was punishable by a fine. After the Revolution, congress was even in session in 1789 on Christmas day.
It remained a little noticed holiday until it was made a federal holiday in 1870.
So to the Fox idiots, Merry Christmas, the War on Christmas was won on June 26, 1870 when Congress passed the law making it a federal holiday. Now go out and SHOP!
If we want to celebrate a "traditional American Christmas" like our founding fathers, then we should go to work on Christmas Day just like any other day. In fact when the pilgrims came to America, they did not celebrate Christmas, it was considered too decadent. The holiday was actually outlawed in Boston until 1681 and was punishable by a fine. After the Revolution, congress was even in session in 1789 on Christmas day.
It remained a little noticed holiday until it was made a federal holiday in 1870.
So to the Fox idiots, Merry Christmas, the War on Christmas was won on June 26, 1870 when Congress passed the law making it a federal holiday. Now go out and SHOP!
Friday, December 14, 2012
More Holiday Gun Violence
As if the mall shooting wasn't enough, now a gunman entered an elementary school in Newton, Connecticut and opened fire. Details are sketchy, but there are victims and the shooter is dead.
Happy friggin Holidays!
There isn't a war on Christmas, but apparently there is a Christmas War. Time for serious gun control in this crazy country!
Happy friggin Holidays!
There isn't a war on Christmas, but apparently there is a Christmas War. Time for serious gun control in this crazy country!
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Happy Holidays! Another Shooting!
A lone gunman walked into a busy mall near Portland, Oregon and opened fire. He was carrying a high-powered assault rifle and began shooting people at random, creating chaos which ended with two victims dead as well as the shooter himself who took his own life.
Merry Fucking Christmas!
Now, isn't it about time we had that discussion of gun control in our country or are we just keep going to let crazy people have guns? Additionally, are we going to admit that being armed does not equal being safe. There is a right to carry concealed arms in Oregon, yet no one "defended" him or herself against the shooter.
Even police called to the scene did not shoot back, fearing accidentally killing more innocent bystanders. That is why having a gun is not "protection". even a skilled marksman would have a high probability of causing unintended deaths or injuries trying to defend against a wacko shooter like this.
Why do we continue to bow down to the National Rifle Association and the gun lobby whenever the idea of actually trying to control the number and availability of guns in this country? Because politicians are cowards. They are afraid of actually having to argue in favor of a civilized policy regarding handguns and assault rifles. They are afraid of having to tell the truth, guns do kill people.
Do I sound angry? Oh hell yes. Year after year assault rifles and handguns spread death and destruction across our country and yet we refuse to even discuss it. It's time to stop pretending that this is an issue of right to protection and self defense and call it what it is, a well orchestrated effort on behalf of gun manufacturers to keep selling armaments intended for the military to civilians. It's not about the Second Amendment, it's about cash. So let's stop the charade and get down to brass tacks. Time for a comprehensive gun policy in the US that is sane and sensible.
Merry Fucking Christmas!
Now, isn't it about time we had that discussion of gun control in our country or are we just keep going to let crazy people have guns? Additionally, are we going to admit that being armed does not equal being safe. There is a right to carry concealed arms in Oregon, yet no one "defended" him or herself against the shooter.
Even police called to the scene did not shoot back, fearing accidentally killing more innocent bystanders. That is why having a gun is not "protection". even a skilled marksman would have a high probability of causing unintended deaths or injuries trying to defend against a wacko shooter like this.
Why do we continue to bow down to the National Rifle Association and the gun lobby whenever the idea of actually trying to control the number and availability of guns in this country? Because politicians are cowards. They are afraid of actually having to argue in favor of a civilized policy regarding handguns and assault rifles. They are afraid of having to tell the truth, guns do kill people.
Do I sound angry? Oh hell yes. Year after year assault rifles and handguns spread death and destruction across our country and yet we refuse to even discuss it. It's time to stop pretending that this is an issue of right to protection and self defense and call it what it is, a well orchestrated effort on behalf of gun manufacturers to keep selling armaments intended for the military to civilians. It's not about the Second Amendment, it's about cash. So let's stop the charade and get down to brass tacks. Time for a comprehensive gun policy in the US that is sane and sensible.
Friday, December 07, 2012
December 7 - Still Lives in Infamy
Seventy one years ago on a lovely December morning, Japanese bombers launched from aircraft carriers made a devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. That attack has often been credited with awakening the American public to the state of chaos in the world and ushering us into World War II.
That historical point will be debated for another 71 years most likely, but the impact of the attack has never been in question. America suddenly realized we couldn't sit by while the world waged war, isolationism was no longer an option.
9/11 is often likened to Pearl Harbor and with some good reasons. On that day, America realized we were not immune from terrorists and isolationism was not an option. The big difference was the enemy. In WWII the Axis powers were sovereign countries, bent on taking territory and expanding their power. On 9/11 a handful of very dedicated fanatics got the attention of the world with a couple of box cutters and a well executed plan.
Both these tragedies shook our country from it's complacency. In the case of Pearl Harbor it threw us into one of the worst wars in human history, and in the case of 9/11 it threw us into the longest war in US history.
It is a good day to remember the men and women who lost their lives that day in December 1941 and the generation whose valor and sacrifice defeated a tyranny the world has not seen since.
Few who were at Pearl Harbor are still alive, but their story will never be forgotten.
Take a moment to remember.
That historical point will be debated for another 71 years most likely, but the impact of the attack has never been in question. America suddenly realized we couldn't sit by while the world waged war, isolationism was no longer an option.
9/11 is often likened to Pearl Harbor and with some good reasons. On that day, America realized we were not immune from terrorists and isolationism was not an option. The big difference was the enemy. In WWII the Axis powers were sovereign countries, bent on taking territory and expanding their power. On 9/11 a handful of very dedicated fanatics got the attention of the world with a couple of box cutters and a well executed plan.
Both these tragedies shook our country from it's complacency. In the case of Pearl Harbor it threw us into one of the worst wars in human history, and in the case of 9/11 it threw us into the longest war in US history.
It is a good day to remember the men and women who lost their lives that day in December 1941 and the generation whose valor and sacrifice defeated a tyranny the world has not seen since.
Few who were at Pearl Harbor are still alive, but their story will never be forgotten.
Take a moment to remember.
Monday, November 26, 2012
The Next Bush
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to worrying about everyday problems, a new and very ugly one sprouts up. It's another Bush! George Prescott Bush to be exact.
He is a Republican dream candidate too. A vet, a conservative and with brown skin! Son of Jeb Bush and his wife Columba Garnica Bush George P. Bush has registered as a political candidate in Texas for 2014.
Once again the GOP is grooming a candidate for the White House. Bush with his non-artificial skin color and Mexican-American heritage is just what the GOP is looking for. He is targeting the office of Land Commissioner first, a good place to make connections with wealthy and at 36 years of age, he has a long career ahead of him.
The biggest problem is his past. Back in 1994 he broke into his former girlfriends home, had a confrontation with her father and tore up their front lawn by spinning his car in circles on it. As The Smoking Gun says, he is the "creepy" Bush. Naturally, the family did not press charges but the police report gives details.
Now, your job, as a thinking adult with at least some leanings toward the left, is to make sure this creep never gets elected. Your vote and your work will be needed to nip this Bush in the bud at the ballot box in 2014!
He is a Republican dream candidate too. A vet, a conservative and with brown skin! Son of Jeb Bush and his wife Columba Garnica Bush George P. Bush has registered as a political candidate in Texas for 2014.
Once again the GOP is grooming a candidate for the White House. Bush with his non-artificial skin color and Mexican-American heritage is just what the GOP is looking for. He is targeting the office of Land Commissioner first, a good place to make connections with wealthy and at 36 years of age, he has a long career ahead of him.
The biggest problem is his past. Back in 1994 he broke into his former girlfriends home, had a confrontation with her father and tore up their front lawn by spinning his car in circles on it. As The Smoking Gun says, he is the "creepy" Bush. Naturally, the family did not press charges but the police report gives details.
Now, your job, as a thinking adult with at least some leanings toward the left, is to make sure this creep never gets elected. Your vote and your work will be needed to nip this Bush in the bud at the ballot box in 2014!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Back in the dark ages when I was a child, the only person I ever knew of who was transgender was Christine Jorgensen an American GI who underwent what was then called "sex-change" surgery in 1952. Christine was a media sensation in the 1950's and was often the brunt of off-color jokes in the press and on TV.
Later in my "disco days" I met several drag queens who were actually transgender. At the time that term was unknown and the unfortunate "she-male" was the monicker used. It didn't take long before I was friends with several male-to female transgender folk. By that time the word was starting to gain traction and "transexual" and "transgender" entered my vocabulary.
I didn't know any female to male trans folk, or at least I thought I didn't. I did know quite a few very butch dykes, and several who preferred to be addressed as "sir". The leather community at that time was still developing some of the traditions we hold today, so few people were called "Sir" unless they were from the Renaissance Fair.
Later I met a good friend who was a cute butch dyke. She always gave off a masculine vibe, even to the point that when she was at the local leather bar, she got hit on my guys who didn't know her true sex. I soon learned that she had decided to transition, and my education into gender really began.
Now, I know dozens of transgender people both transmen and transwomen and each has a different story to tell about their transition. All have fascinating stories to tell of their journey and how they finally made peace with their gender identity.
I urge you to not be afraid to ask your friends who are transgender to tell you their story. You will learn a great deal about the resilience of the human spirit and how it affected their lives. If they are like many of my trans friends, there will be both heartache and happiness in their tale. It is a struggle much like the one gay and lesbian people go through when we realize our sexuality is different from many of our peers. It is a story you need to hear.
So on this day when we remember the hundreds of transgender people who are killed every year as a result of prejudice, hatred and misunderstanding, hearing the stories of your friends struggles will give you a better perspective.
Later in my "disco days" I met several drag queens who were actually transgender. At the time that term was unknown and the unfortunate "she-male" was the monicker used. It didn't take long before I was friends with several male-to female transgender folk. By that time the word was starting to gain traction and "transexual" and "transgender" entered my vocabulary.
I didn't know any female to male trans folk, or at least I thought I didn't. I did know quite a few very butch dykes, and several who preferred to be addressed as "sir". The leather community at that time was still developing some of the traditions we hold today, so few people were called "Sir" unless they were from the Renaissance Fair.
Later I met a good friend who was a cute butch dyke. She always gave off a masculine vibe, even to the point that when she was at the local leather bar, she got hit on my guys who didn't know her true sex. I soon learned that she had decided to transition, and my education into gender really began.
Now, I know dozens of transgender people both transmen and transwomen and each has a different story to tell about their transition. All have fascinating stories to tell of their journey and how they finally made peace with their gender identity.
I urge you to not be afraid to ask your friends who are transgender to tell you their story. You will learn a great deal about the resilience of the human spirit and how it affected their lives. If they are like many of my trans friends, there will be both heartache and happiness in their tale. It is a struggle much like the one gay and lesbian people go through when we realize our sexuality is different from many of our peers. It is a story you need to hear.
So on this day when we remember the hundreds of transgender people who are killed every year as a result of prejudice, hatred and misunderstanding, hearing the stories of your friends struggles will give you a better perspective.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Bill O'Reilly Explains It All for You - The End of America
Hyperbole is the stock and trade of most of the right-wing talking heads. Whatever they dislike is always catastrophic and disastrous. For example, "same-sex marriage will end traditional marriage as an institution". Let's look at that closer. Right now 9 states have same-sex marriage. Add to that the District of Columbia and you have 10 and yet in all those states opposite sex people continue to marry and divorce. Their families are unaffected by the gay and lesbian couples who have chosen to marry and life goes on.
So given the penchant for exaggeration it's no surprise that Bill O'Reilly has pronounced "traditional America" dead, or at least on life support. His reasoning is that the "secular progressives" are bent on destroying the American way of life.
First off, he doesn't clearly define what this mythical traditional America is. He does go on to indict "secular progressives' as libertines who will gleefully abort fetuses and pass out drugs, but as to the traditions, he is silent.
My suspicion is the term "secular progressive" is a trial balloon. He and the other pundits are coordinating their efforts to find another boogieman to scare their viewers with. Apparently "the gays" are no longer effective enough. The fact that he calls Obama a "poster boy for secular progressives" gives me a clue to the new talking points for the right-wing.
What he fails to say by not giving examples of "traditional America" is that he really means 'white America". He blames the loss of the election on voters who want "free stuff" (that is code terms for welfare queens) and not on the GOP's inability to connect with the majority of the country.
Again, he is deferring the blame when it lies directly with him and his ilk. The far-right has alienated everyone but the most staunchly conservative, especially on social issues. It is a party of white men and the wives who slavishly follow their husbands political beliefs. It is a party of rich businessmen who manipulate politicians to their will. It is a party of people who watch too much Fox News and there is the root of the problem. It is a part out of touch with reality.
O'Reilly's vision of "traditional" America is a country that existed only for a few years in the 1950's. The "nuclear family" living in the suburbs. A time when white America prospered and everyone else was a second class citizen. Guess what? Not that way any more. It's time to adjust and embrace the diversity of our wonderful country or be left in the dust bin of history. I suspect O'Reilly will be quite at home there, amid the wreckage of the GOP he helped to destroy.
So given the penchant for exaggeration it's no surprise that Bill O'Reilly has pronounced "traditional America" dead, or at least on life support. His reasoning is that the "secular progressives" are bent on destroying the American way of life.
First off, he doesn't clearly define what this mythical traditional America is. He does go on to indict "secular progressives' as libertines who will gleefully abort fetuses and pass out drugs, but as to the traditions, he is silent.
My suspicion is the term "secular progressive" is a trial balloon. He and the other pundits are coordinating their efforts to find another boogieman to scare their viewers with. Apparently "the gays" are no longer effective enough. The fact that he calls Obama a "poster boy for secular progressives" gives me a clue to the new talking points for the right-wing.
What he fails to say by not giving examples of "traditional America" is that he really means 'white America". He blames the loss of the election on voters who want "free stuff" (that is code terms for welfare queens) and not on the GOP's inability to connect with the majority of the country.
Again, he is deferring the blame when it lies directly with him and his ilk. The far-right has alienated everyone but the most staunchly conservative, especially on social issues. It is a party of white men and the wives who slavishly follow their husbands political beliefs. It is a party of rich businessmen who manipulate politicians to their will. It is a party of people who watch too much Fox News and there is the root of the problem. It is a part out of touch with reality.
O'Reilly's vision of "traditional" America is a country that existed only for a few years in the 1950's. The "nuclear family" living in the suburbs. A time when white America prospered and everyone else was a second class citizen. Guess what? Not that way any more. It's time to adjust and embrace the diversity of our wonderful country or be left in the dust bin of history. I suspect O'Reilly will be quite at home there, amid the wreckage of the GOP he helped to destroy.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Why Mitt Romney Lost the Election?
Today the Wall Street Journal, now a News Corp/Fox News clone bemoaned Romney's loss and explained it this way:
"...lack of money earlier this year stalled his campaign."
This is one of the most self-serving excuses I have ever heard. Romney was awash in money from day one. His personal wealth could assure that he never ran low on funds, and for a media outlet to come up with this excuse sounds like a plea for more ad dollars. "Yes, just spend more, and much of it on advertising in our paper, and you will win next time."
What a bunch of malarkey!
Romney lost because he was not in touch with the changing American demographic. He lost despite millions and millions of dollars spent on unrelenting TV and newspaper ads. He lost because he is so unlike most American's the common man just couldn't connect with him.
The country is no longer a bunch of middle-aged white guys, it is a rainbow of races and sexes, and the GOP message doesn't work any more.
Mitt tried to get empathetic but ended up looking just plain pathetic. When he was at the Daytona 500, he tried to appeal to NASCAR fans by proclaiming that he had friends who owned NASCAR teams. Here's the truth Mitt, that resonates with the 0.1% and not the rest of us poor suckers out here.
I could go on with gaff after gaff, but why bother. Mitt Romney will soon be back working with his dressage horses and his political career will be forgotten. Good riddance.
"...lack of money earlier this year stalled his campaign."
This is one of the most self-serving excuses I have ever heard. Romney was awash in money from day one. His personal wealth could assure that he never ran low on funds, and for a media outlet to come up with this excuse sounds like a plea for more ad dollars. "Yes, just spend more, and much of it on advertising in our paper, and you will win next time."
What a bunch of malarkey!
Romney lost because he was not in touch with the changing American demographic. He lost despite millions and millions of dollars spent on unrelenting TV and newspaper ads. He lost because he is so unlike most American's the common man just couldn't connect with him.
The country is no longer a bunch of middle-aged white guys, it is a rainbow of races and sexes, and the GOP message doesn't work any more.
Mitt tried to get empathetic but ended up looking just plain pathetic. When he was at the Daytona 500, he tried to appeal to NASCAR fans by proclaiming that he had friends who owned NASCAR teams. Here's the truth Mitt, that resonates with the 0.1% and not the rest of us poor suckers out here.
I could go on with gaff after gaff, but why bother. Mitt Romney will soon be back working with his dressage horses and his political career will be forgotten. Good riddance.
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
United States of Tokers?
Colorado and Washington State both passed initiatives to legalize marijuana. This is pretty historic stuff since in other states the battle still rages over medicinal uses of the drug. Additionally, the federal government still considers pot a controlled substance and it's verboten in all 50 states, even for medical use, but some states chose to ignore that.
What I think is happening is that people are realizing that marijuana is no more dangerous than America's drug-of-choice, alcohol. In fact, it might be less dangerous since few if any deaths have occurred from pot-overdose unless you count the ensuing obesity from eating too many brownies.
The main barrier against pot becoming legal is the private sector. Private prisons, a growing phenomena, are filled to the rafters with people arrested for using or dealing marijuana, and without the criminalization of that drug they will lose money. I suspect law enforcement folks would welcome the decriminalization since it would free them up to do other things, and the gangs who deal the drug would suddenly become obsolete.
I am a tea-bottler and haven't used any mind altering substance, save caffeine since 1986, but I have lots of friends who do and as far as I can tell, few of them have become hardened criminals. I think the old saw about Marijuana being a gateway drug only holds true as long as users are forced underground. It may be time we reexamined our attitudes toward cannabis and found some middle ground. Meanwhile, if you live in Colorado or Washington, don't break out the bongs yet.
What I think is happening is that people are realizing that marijuana is no more dangerous than America's drug-of-choice, alcohol. In fact, it might be less dangerous since few if any deaths have occurred from pot-overdose unless you count the ensuing obesity from eating too many brownies.
The main barrier against pot becoming legal is the private sector. Private prisons, a growing phenomena, are filled to the rafters with people arrested for using or dealing marijuana, and without the criminalization of that drug they will lose money. I suspect law enforcement folks would welcome the decriminalization since it would free them up to do other things, and the gangs who deal the drug would suddenly become obsolete.
I am a tea-bottler and haven't used any mind altering substance, save caffeine since 1986, but I have lots of friends who do and as far as I can tell, few of them have become hardened criminals. I think the old saw about Marijuana being a gateway drug only holds true as long as users are forced underground. It may be time we reexamined our attitudes toward cannabis and found some middle ground. Meanwhile, if you live in Colorado or Washington, don't break out the bongs yet.
The Cross in the Closet - Worth a Read
The closet is a dangerous place.
For LGBT folk who have kept their sexual orientation a secret, the effects are myriad, and most people who come out remember the process vividly. It can be a time of turmoil, liberation and sometimes alienation, but it is a rite of passage that is essential to many LGBT people’s life stories. That is why the title “The Cross in the Closet” intrigued me and more importantly, the subtitle “One Man’s Abominable Quest to find Jesus in the Margins.”
Provocative stuff? Yes, but not as provocative as the premise of the book. The author, a straight man, lived for a year as a gay man, coming out to his family, friends and colleagues. He wanted to see what it was like to be identified as gay. That got my attention.
When I found the author, Timothy Kurek, was a student at Liberty University, the notorious hard-line fundamentalist college founded by Jerry Falwell, I was more intrigued. Kurek realized that his characterizations of LGBT people were troubling and he wanted to know the truth.
The story might seem familiar to those of us who grew up during the Civil Rights struggle. White journalist John Howard Griffin sought a greater understanding of the realities of being black in America, so he underwent treatments to turn his skin dark and he immersed himself in the African American community. His landmark book, Black Like Me is still in circulation and is a unique window into the times.
Kurek in his own way immerses himself in the LGBT community, starting in his home town of Nashville, Tennessee, where he comes out to his family and friends with predictable results. Fireworks.
His life is turned upside down as he finds out the reality of living as a self-identified gay man. Only a close friend and a gay man he befriended while hanging out at a Karaoke Bar know his secret. The gay friend agrees to act as his boyfriend to both tutor him in “how to be gay” and to act as a foil for any unwanted sexual advances.
Now for the reader who is looking for dirt, you won’t find any in this book. What you will find is a very interesting perspective of a man who is a “closet straight” for a year. What you will also find is a touching and deeply personal story of how a fundamentalist Christian deals with a crisis of faith.
Kurek finds that the demonized image of the LGBT community was as much a myth as the idea that all Christians are closed-minded and judgmental. He makes his way into the LGBT community in Nashville and finds that there are a good number of LGBT Christians there, something he never expected to find.
Not surprising is the abundance of “church speak” Kurek uses. Remember he comes from a deep background of Bible quoting education, so there are lots of references to Biblical passages and principals, but don’t let that put you off. During his year Kurek gains insights into not just the LGBT community, but to his own faith and what it means to follow Jesus.
By the end of the book, he has not only had a change of heart regarding what it means to be gay, but he finds a deeper understanding of what it means to be straight as well.
Overall, this is destined to be a book that will be quoted for years to come. Kurek’s journey of discovery resonates in ways that are unexpected and profound. It is an epic tale as he meets some amazing and wonderful characters including Christian activist Dr. Mel White and the far-right firebrand, Shirley Phelps, (yes that Phelps of Westboro Baptist Church).
Kurek eventually comes back out of his self-imposed closet, and again the results are profound, but this time in ways he never imagined. The Cross in the Closet changed how I looked at fundamentalist Christians perhaps as much as they way Kurek might have once looked at gay men.
For LGBT folk who have kept their sexual orientation a secret, the effects are myriad, and most people who come out remember the process vividly. It can be a time of turmoil, liberation and sometimes alienation, but it is a rite of passage that is essential to many LGBT people’s life stories. That is why the title “The Cross in the Closet” intrigued me and more importantly, the subtitle “One Man’s Abominable Quest to find Jesus in the Margins.”
Provocative stuff? Yes, but not as provocative as the premise of the book. The author, a straight man, lived for a year as a gay man, coming out to his family, friends and colleagues. He wanted to see what it was like to be identified as gay. That got my attention.
When I found the author, Timothy Kurek, was a student at Liberty University, the notorious hard-line fundamentalist college founded by Jerry Falwell, I was more intrigued. Kurek realized that his characterizations of LGBT people were troubling and he wanted to know the truth.
The story might seem familiar to those of us who grew up during the Civil Rights struggle. White journalist John Howard Griffin sought a greater understanding of the realities of being black in America, so he underwent treatments to turn his skin dark and he immersed himself in the African American community. His landmark book, Black Like Me is still in circulation and is a unique window into the times.
Kurek in his own way immerses himself in the LGBT community, starting in his home town of Nashville, Tennessee, where he comes out to his family and friends with predictable results. Fireworks.
His life is turned upside down as he finds out the reality of living as a self-identified gay man. Only a close friend and a gay man he befriended while hanging out at a Karaoke Bar know his secret. The gay friend agrees to act as his boyfriend to both tutor him in “how to be gay” and to act as a foil for any unwanted sexual advances.
Now for the reader who is looking for dirt, you won’t find any in this book. What you will find is a very interesting perspective of a man who is a “closet straight” for a year. What you will also find is a touching and deeply personal story of how a fundamentalist Christian deals with a crisis of faith.
Kurek finds that the demonized image of the LGBT community was as much a myth as the idea that all Christians are closed-minded and judgmental. He makes his way into the LGBT community in Nashville and finds that there are a good number of LGBT Christians there, something he never expected to find.
Not surprising is the abundance of “church speak” Kurek uses. Remember he comes from a deep background of Bible quoting education, so there are lots of references to Biblical passages and principals, but don’t let that put you off. During his year Kurek gains insights into not just the LGBT community, but to his own faith and what it means to follow Jesus.
By the end of the book, he has not only had a change of heart regarding what it means to be gay, but he finds a deeper understanding of what it means to be straight as well.
Overall, this is destined to be a book that will be quoted for years to come. Kurek’s journey of discovery resonates in ways that are unexpected and profound. It is an epic tale as he meets some amazing and wonderful characters including Christian activist Dr. Mel White and the far-right firebrand, Shirley Phelps, (yes that Phelps of Westboro Baptist Church).
Kurek eventually comes back out of his self-imposed closet, and again the results are profound, but this time in ways he never imagined. The Cross in the Closet changed how I looked at fundamentalist Christians perhaps as much as they way Kurek might have once looked at gay men.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Romney- Liar with no Shame
I used to think Mitt Romney was lying because his handlers and advisers gave him trumped up talking points, but now I believe it is a pathology. His latest whopper was his assertion that Chrysler was closing all the Jeep plants in the US and shipping them to China.
It's a lie.
A big lie.
So big that Chrysler PR people jumped on it as fast as the press did. They are not closing plants in the US, they are expanding into China so they can sell more Jeeps there! It's a success story that Romney has twisted and tried to turn into a failure. It is another example of how he apparently cannot or will not tell the truth, when it doesn't serve his purposes. He is even putting it in a TV ad even though the press, Chrysler and the United Auto Workers say it's not in any way true.
This is a symptom of the desperate campaign Romney is running. It is also a good example of the kind of president he would make. We don't need a pathological liar as president, we had that once with George W. Bush and nobody wants to go through that again.
It's a lie.
A big lie.
So big that Chrysler PR people jumped on it as fast as the press did. They are not closing plants in the US, they are expanding into China so they can sell more Jeeps there! It's a success story that Romney has twisted and tried to turn into a failure. It is another example of how he apparently cannot or will not tell the truth, when it doesn't serve his purposes. He is even putting it in a TV ad even though the press, Chrysler and the United Auto Workers say it's not in any way true.
This is a symptom of the desperate campaign Romney is running. It is also a good example of the kind of president he would make. We don't need a pathological liar as president, we had that once with George W. Bush and nobody wants to go through that again.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
The Sincerity of Mitt Romney is Obvious in His Spray Tan
As almost everyone noted, Mitt Romney is really a chameleon. In his notorious appearance in front of a Hispanic audience on Univision back in September drew a lot of criticism that he was doing "brown face". His complexion mysteriously grew paler in recent appearances but the fact remains that he is getting the spray tan treatment to look less New England pasty.
Now it's no secret that people on TV use makeup, but the whole spray tan thing raises what I think is a character issue. Mitt is trying to present a hip-healthy appearance that will appeal to younger voters, and it is not who he really is. It's a symptom of his chameleon-like personality that adapts to what ever audience he is playing to. Dark tan for Hispanic, whiter for the Mid-West. \
Much like his position on policies, he shifts constantly leaving the Salt Lake Tribune to wonder "which Romney is running for President". They, a Utah conservative publication endorsed Obama!
The whole thing reveals Romney as the ultimate political animal, willing to do anything and say anything to get elected. That is not what America needs from any party.
Now it's no secret that people on TV use makeup, but the whole spray tan thing raises what I think is a character issue. Mitt is trying to present a hip-healthy appearance that will appeal to younger voters, and it is not who he really is. It's a symptom of his chameleon-like personality that adapts to what ever audience he is playing to. Dark tan for Hispanic, whiter for the Mid-West. \
Much like his position on policies, he shifts constantly leaving the Salt Lake Tribune to wonder "which Romney is running for President". They, a Utah conservative publication endorsed Obama!
The whole thing reveals Romney as the ultimate political animal, willing to do anything and say anything to get elected. That is not what America needs from any party.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Time to Get Serious. Romney Would be a Disaster for LGBT People.
Romney has already promised to do so much on his mythical "day one" of his presidency it seems silly, but don't laugh too hard. One of his promises is to reverse DADT. You can bet the rest of that would include rolling back any rights LGBT people have won in the past four years.
The idea that LGBT people would vote for Romney is beyond my understanding, but I guess some people can successfully live in "cognitive dissonance" and not go crazy, for a while. My problem is apathy.
I see a lot of folks parroting what the right-wing media has been saying through back channels about the Obama presidency. They have pushed the framing that Obama hasn't delivered on his pledges to LGBT people during his first 4 years in office. That is simply not true.
Here are the advances made during the administration:
And there is a lot more. The point is we have so much to lose in this election and everything to gain. Romney wants to turn back the clock on LGBT rights. Get out and vote to elect President Obama for a second term!
Seriously.
The idea that LGBT people would vote for Romney is beyond my understanding, but I guess some people can successfully live in "cognitive dissonance" and not go crazy, for a while. My problem is apathy.
I see a lot of folks parroting what the right-wing media has been saying through back channels about the Obama presidency. They have pushed the framing that Obama hasn't delivered on his pledges to LGBT people during his first 4 years in office. That is simply not true.
Here are the advances made during the administration:
- Federal Goivernment extends tax benefits to same -sex partners of federal employees.
- Awarded the Medal of Freedom to Harvey Milk and Billie Jean King.
- Banned discrimination in federal workplaces based on gender identity.
- Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in 2009.
- Lifted ban on people with HIV/AIDS from entering the country
- The repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".
- Hosted first White House conference to prevent bullying.
- Support for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.
- Support for a transgender-inclusive Employment Nondiscrimination Act.
- Secretary Clinton's speech last December in recognition of International Human Rights Day in which she stated the importance of advancing LGBT rights.
And there is a lot more. The point is we have so much to lose in this election and everything to gain. Romney wants to turn back the clock on LGBT rights. Get out and vote to elect President Obama for a second term!
Seriously.
Friday, October 12, 2012
The Pope Calls Gays "Defective".
This story is a bit old, a week or so, but I just couldn't let it go without a comment.
Pope Benedict XVI offered these harsh words as not only a man of the cloth, but the purported keeper of the keys to the kingdom of heaven in an last week. He said we LGBT people are, “a concept of human nature that has proven defective.”
Is the Pope saying that LGBT people are just a concept, or is he saying God blew it and we are a mistake of creation?
Either way, these just don’t sound like words that should emanate from the Vicar of Christ.
He went on to say that the church needs to, “promote those values that permit the full development of the human person.” The clear implication of that statement when taken in context of the whole message is that gays and lesbians are somehow not fully developed.
Let that sink in a little and then consider that he was speaking to a conference of French bishops. That country is poised to pass legislation allowing same-sex couples to marry. His admonition that, “Marriage and the family are institutions that must be promoted and defended from every possible misrepresentation of their true nature, since whatever is injurious to them is in fact injurious to human coexistence as such.”
Add to that his previous statement that same-sex marriages would “ undermine the family threaten human dignity and the future of humanity itself,” and I am starting to believe he is more likely channeling Maggie Gallagher rather than Jesus.
Aside from the obvious hypocrisy of this kind of proclamation coming from an organization that is rife with scandals, the what jumped out at me was the phrase about “undermining the family”. That struck me because family is very important to me and it is to every citizen. Family is so important that the UN Declaration of Human Rights enumerates the right to family as one of its guiding principles and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights goes even further.
Rightly, this covenant, which is signed by almost every major industrialized nation including the US does not give a definition of family. In fact it purposefully eschews a definition in General Comment 19 on Article 23, “The Committee notes that the concept of the family may differ in some respects from State to State, and even from region to region within a State, and that it is therefore not possible to give the concept a standard definition.”
You see, my family is vastly different from the mythical “nuclear family” of a heterosexual man and woman, and 2.5 children. The fact is few families (only 20% according to the US Census) fall into that mold, so I have to ask what family the Pope is worried about us “defective” people undermining?
I have a right to the kind of family I define and so do you. Whether it is two women, two men, a single parent, or a group of three or more people raising their children, or any combination with or without children, your family is yours to define. And guess what? This is not a new idea.
Pope Benedict needs to open his scriptures and recall the words of Jesus when he asks “who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” In that passage, (Mathew 12:48-49) Jesus goes on to point to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.” His definition of family was based on anything but the nuclear model.
I find it very odd that a Pope who is infamous for being a very conservative thinker, has trouble using a definition of family that is over 2000 years old. I can only wonder if he was shown the kind of family Jesus spoke of would he find them “defective” as well?
For me, I will ignore the words of the man in the red shoes and be content to cherish my family, my partner, my extended family, and our relationship in all its richness. It is not only the United Nations that tells me I can enjoy the kind of family I define, but human nature, and as such it is no mistake or defect, it is my family and that is a concept I can live with.
Pope Benedict XVI offered these harsh words as not only a man of the cloth, but the purported keeper of the keys to the kingdom of heaven in an last week. He said we LGBT people are, “a concept of human nature that has proven defective.”
Is the Pope saying that LGBT people are just a concept, or is he saying God blew it and we are a mistake of creation?
Either way, these just don’t sound like words that should emanate from the Vicar of Christ.
He went on to say that the church needs to, “promote those values that permit the full development of the human person.” The clear implication of that statement when taken in context of the whole message is that gays and lesbians are somehow not fully developed.
Let that sink in a little and then consider that he was speaking to a conference of French bishops. That country is poised to pass legislation allowing same-sex couples to marry. His admonition that, “Marriage and the family are institutions that must be promoted and defended from every possible misrepresentation of their true nature, since whatever is injurious to them is in fact injurious to human coexistence as such.”
Add to that his previous statement that same-sex marriages would “ undermine the family threaten human dignity and the future of humanity itself,” and I am starting to believe he is more likely channeling Maggie Gallagher rather than Jesus.
Aside from the obvious hypocrisy of this kind of proclamation coming from an organization that is rife with scandals, the what jumped out at me was the phrase about “undermining the family”. That struck me because family is very important to me and it is to every citizen. Family is so important that the UN Declaration of Human Rights enumerates the right to family as one of its guiding principles and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights goes even further.
Rightly, this covenant, which is signed by almost every major industrialized nation including the US does not give a definition of family. In fact it purposefully eschews a definition in General Comment 19 on Article 23, “The Committee notes that the concept of the family may differ in some respects from State to State, and even from region to region within a State, and that it is therefore not possible to give the concept a standard definition.”
You see, my family is vastly different from the mythical “nuclear family” of a heterosexual man and woman, and 2.5 children. The fact is few families (only 20% according to the US Census) fall into that mold, so I have to ask what family the Pope is worried about us “defective” people undermining?
I have a right to the kind of family I define and so do you. Whether it is two women, two men, a single parent, or a group of three or more people raising their children, or any combination with or without children, your family is yours to define. And guess what? This is not a new idea.
Pope Benedict needs to open his scriptures and recall the words of Jesus when he asks “who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” In that passage, (Mathew 12:48-49) Jesus goes on to point to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.” His definition of family was based on anything but the nuclear model.
I find it very odd that a Pope who is infamous for being a very conservative thinker, has trouble using a definition of family that is over 2000 years old. I can only wonder if he was shown the kind of family Jesus spoke of would he find them “defective” as well?
For me, I will ignore the words of the man in the red shoes and be content to cherish my family, my partner, my extended family, and our relationship in all its richness. It is not only the United Nations that tells me I can enjoy the kind of family I define, but human nature, and as such it is no mistake or defect, it is my family and that is a concept I can live with.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Pro-Life Republican Presures Mistress into Abortion.
These kinds of stories are getting so prevalent they almost aren't news...almost.
This one is a doozy. Seems the Pro-life, family values guy, Scott DesJarlais, a Tea Party Republican no less had an affair. He is a doctor and against ethical guidelines, he had an affair with a patient, adding more scandal to the story!
Then when she got pregnant, something a doctor should have known how to prevent, he tried to pressure her into an abortion for the sake of his marriage. Funny, I would think someone concerned with the state of his marriage would not have had an affair, unless that was the arrangement he had with his wife.
This is not a new charge. It surfaced in 2010 during his campaign against his Democratic opponent, Rep. Lincoln Davis. The new part of this is the transcript taken from court documents that really show what this guy is made of.
According to Huffington Post who released the transcripts, the following little family-values discussion took place on the phone:
More here.
This one is a doozy. Seems the Pro-life, family values guy, Scott DesJarlais, a Tea Party Republican no less had an affair. He is a doctor and against ethical guidelines, he had an affair with a patient, adding more scandal to the story!
Then when she got pregnant, something a doctor should have known how to prevent, he tried to pressure her into an abortion for the sake of his marriage. Funny, I would think someone concerned with the state of his marriage would not have had an affair, unless that was the arrangement he had with his wife.
This is not a new charge. It surfaced in 2010 during his campaign against his Democratic opponent, Rep. Lincoln Davis. The new part of this is the transcript taken from court documents that really show what this guy is made of.
According to Huffington Post who released the transcripts, the following little family-values discussion took place on the phone:
"You told me you'd have an abortion, and now we're getting too far along without one," DesJarlais tells the woman at one point in the call while negotiating with her over whether he'll reveal her identity to his wife. They then discuss whether he will accompany her to a procedure to end the sort of life the congressman now describes as "sacred."Nice stuff, what Family Values are made of eh?
"You told me you would have time to go with me and everything," the woman complains.
"I said, if I could, I would, didn't I? And I will try," DesJarlais says. "If I can [find] time, you're saying you still will?"
More here.
Thursday, October 04, 2012
October 14, 1979
October 14, 1979 was a memorable day for me. I rose around 6:30am and grabbed breakfast then left the hotel I was staying in and headed over to the National Mall. Me and the rest of the Texas delegation were starting to gather there, sipping coffee and trying to warm up in the cool Washington, DC morning. I was grateful I had brought my leather motorcycle jacket on the trip.
The Texas delegation joined groups from all 50 states and Puerto Rico for the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. Estimates range from 75,000 to 150,000 people showed up that day to march down Pennsylvania Ave past the White house and then rally in front of the Washington Monument.
There was a heady exuberance that permeated the atmosphere that day. We felt less like a bunch of individuals and more like a movement than at any time I could remember. There was a fellowship that gave us courage and we raised our voices and fists as we chanted, “OUT OF THE CLOSET AND INTO THE STREET!” Not very original, but it was a full throated chant that came from our collective hearts.
The event was part protest and part party. Not surprising, since we were all from out of town and for many on the first visit to our nation’s capital. We laughed, skipped and danced our way to the monument where a stage was set up for the rally and what a rally it was!
Robin Tyler, a very funny lesbian comedienne and activist hosted the festivities and there were of course bands and musicians. But there were also serious speakers. One of the memorable ones was the poet Allen Ginsburg. His reading was forgettable, but his presence was impossible to forget.
As the afternoon passed on, and the rally ended, we toddled off to recover at the hotel and then to explore the nightlife of DC. I say we, since I was staying with several Dallas friends at the Holiday Inn. Included in that group were Bill Nelson and Terry Tebedo as well as my friend Marc Lerro and Don Baker, Al Caulkin and others from the Dallas Gay Political Caucus.
We had worked for months putting together our group and raising funds for the march. Selling buttons, t-shirts and doing fund raisers at local clubs and bars. We even chartered a full plane for the flight on the now defunct Trans Texas Airways.
Why this trip down memory lane? Well I think it is mainly to remind myself that I have been working for equal rights for LGBT people for a long time and as we are actually seeing progress such as the repeal of DADT and the possibility of ENDA on the horizon, I needed a boost. We can’t give up and we must move forward. And that includes not letting a Republican get into the White House who threatens to turn back the clock for all of us.
Vote, and vote a straight (no pun intended) Democratic ticket. We need to take back the House and maintain the Senate if we are going to see this through to the resolution we sought 33 years ago.
The Texas delegation joined groups from all 50 states and Puerto Rico for the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. Estimates range from 75,000 to 150,000 people showed up that day to march down Pennsylvania Ave past the White house and then rally in front of the Washington Monument.
There was a heady exuberance that permeated the atmosphere that day. We felt less like a bunch of individuals and more like a movement than at any time I could remember. There was a fellowship that gave us courage and we raised our voices and fists as we chanted, “OUT OF THE CLOSET AND INTO THE STREET!” Not very original, but it was a full throated chant that came from our collective hearts.
The event was part protest and part party. Not surprising, since we were all from out of town and for many on the first visit to our nation’s capital. We laughed, skipped and danced our way to the monument where a stage was set up for the rally and what a rally it was!
Robin Tyler, a very funny lesbian comedienne and activist hosted the festivities and there were of course bands and musicians. But there were also serious speakers. One of the memorable ones was the poet Allen Ginsburg. His reading was forgettable, but his presence was impossible to forget.
As the afternoon passed on, and the rally ended, we toddled off to recover at the hotel and then to explore the nightlife of DC. I say we, since I was staying with several Dallas friends at the Holiday Inn. Included in that group were Bill Nelson and Terry Tebedo as well as my friend Marc Lerro and Don Baker, Al Caulkin and others from the Dallas Gay Political Caucus.
We had worked for months putting together our group and raising funds for the march. Selling buttons, t-shirts and doing fund raisers at local clubs and bars. We even chartered a full plane for the flight on the now defunct Trans Texas Airways.
Why this trip down memory lane? Well I think it is mainly to remind myself that I have been working for equal rights for LGBT people for a long time and as we are actually seeing progress such as the repeal of DADT and the possibility of ENDA on the horizon, I needed a boost. We can’t give up and we must move forward. And that includes not letting a Republican get into the White House who threatens to turn back the clock for all of us.
Vote, and vote a straight (no pun intended) Democratic ticket. We need to take back the House and maintain the Senate if we are going to see this through to the resolution we sought 33 years ago.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
The Importance of a Being a Statistic
If the blog post title didn't stop you, good, because this isn't going to be a dry rant about margins of error or interval variations, it is about blood. About the blood spilled that is never recorded in the government statistics that measure violence and crime against specific minorities.
If you recall the debate prior to the passage of the James Byrd Hate Crimes Bill here in Texas you will understand. Even the Texas Legislature, one of the most mentally challenged bodies in the country understood that there was a level of violence and prejudice that qualified s a "hate crime". What they did not or refused to understand was that specific groups needed to be enumerated for protection. In Texas that argument centered on including LGBT people in a group that would qualify. As obvious as that seems, without the specific inclusion, LGBT Texans would have been left out of hate crimes statistics. Now the dry field of statistics seems more interesting doesn't it?
This brings me to the story of another group who has long been left out of the statistics that tell the true story of hate and discrimination in this country. You might not even be aware of them, except for the way they dress.
If you recall the debate prior to the passage of the James Byrd Hate Crimes Bill here in Texas you will understand. Even the Texas Legislature, one of the most mentally challenged bodies in the country understood that there was a level of violence and prejudice that qualified s a "hate crime". What they did not or refused to understand was that specific groups needed to be enumerated for protection. In Texas that argument centered on including LGBT people in a group that would qualify. As obvious as that seems, without the specific inclusion, LGBT Texans would have been left out of hate crimes statistics. Now the dry field of statistics seems more interesting doesn't it?
This brings me to the story of another group who has long been left out of the statistics that tell the true story of hate and discrimination in this country. You might not even be aware of them, except for the way they dress.
That man who runs the Indian restaurant down the street isn't wearing a turban for atmosphere, he is Sikh and the turban is a symbol of his faith, much like a yarmulke is to orthodox Jews. It is a turban like that which may have drawn the attention of a white supremacist who entered a Sikh temple in Wisconsin and murdered six innocent worshipers.
Those victims deaths have been invisible to the statistical analysis that computes hate crimes in the US. Though the horrific crime made international news, it is invisible to the legislation that was designed to specifically protect against that kind of crime. Why? Because there is no check box for Sikh on the reporting form. Because of that Sikhs are lumped into "other" or mistakenly into "Muslim" which has no relation to their religion save for a turban.
That statistic is why relatives of the victims testified before Congress this week. As one man put it, "Senators, I came here today to ask the government to give my mother the dignity of being a statistic.” He went on to say that without recognizing the problem it will be hard to solve it. As a member of a group who was forced into invisibility for so many years, I can identify.
More here on ThinkProgress.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Film or Fire Bomb? Anti-Islam Video Insights Violence
NOTE: My story here was based on reports on both CBS News and the Wall Street Journal, now it turns out they might have had it very wrong. Mr. Bacile may be the pseudonym of Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, a professed Coptic Christian.
According to a CNN report:
"A production staff member who worked on the film told CNN that he believed the filmmaker was a Coptic Christian. The production staff member, who did not want to be identified, said when the two spoke on the phone during production, the filmmaker said he was in Alexandria, Egypt, raising money for the film. There has been a long history of animosity between Muslims and the minority Copts in Egypt."
My assumptions about motives are still valid. I strongly believe whoever made this piece of crap knew exactly how it would be received. The fact that the film is no where to be seen, makes me wonder if it exists at all. The trailer may be the only thing that was made, and given the dicey history of the alleged producer who was convicted in 2009 of bank fraud.
As details emerge I will attempt to get them straight. The original post is still below. Again it looks like the producer was not Jewish and I apologize to anyone taking offense, I was only going by what several news reports said.
More soon.
_____________________________________________________
I have made one or two films in my time, plus lots of documentaries, industrial films and commercials, but nothing I have ever driver people to commit murder. That honor goes to an Israeli real estate developer turned filmmaker, Sam Bacile. Mr. Bacile is now in hiding by the way.
His little venture into the cinema is sighted as the cause of the killings at the American Embassy in Lybia, and after watching the trailer for it I am frankly not surprised there has not been more violence.
The movie "Innocence of Muslims" is a two hour propaganda piece filled with incendiary insults and really bad acting. The script would seem to be written by someone stringing together every insulting remark they could find or make up about the Prophet Muhammad. The fact that this outrageous video was financed entirely by Jewish money is both telling and frightening. The backers either didn't know how crass the piece was going to be, or they were abundantly aware that this film had only one purpose, and that was to incite violence.
The movie itself, according to a CBS report played only once to a mostly empty theater in LA. It's the crudely cut trailer that has caused the problem. Amateur actors portray Muhammad as a con man and philanderer with a gaggle of stooges who follow his instructions which include child molestation and murder.
Considering that even the depiction of the Prophet is against Islamic teachings only an idiot would think this video would not cause trouble. Personally I don't believe Sam Bacile is an idiot, he is much worse.
Now before you go getting your panties in a wad about free speech, this is not about free speech. Say what you will as an individual, no problem, just be prepared for the consequences. My problem is this film is tantamount to yelling "fire" in a crowded theater. The person who does it knows it will cause problems.
Bacile had to know that his hatchet job would only lead to protests and worse. It was designed to do exactly what it did, and by design the results are wildly out of proportion to the offense, but such is the atmosphere in the Middle-East. That part of the world is going through a lot of growing pains as countries shake off dictatorships and try to move toward democracy. Quite frankly, I believe that is exactly what Bacile doesn't want.
As long as he can point to the predominately Islamic countries and say, "look how oppressive and dangerous they are", he can be assured of support for Israel. If those places that previously were ruled by anti-Israeli despots become democracies, then Israel will have to deal with them on equal footing and that would be a threat. Israel may soon face it's own Arab Spring as the Palestinians finally get tired of negotiations that lead nowhere and move to regain their power and their capital city.
What better way to keep the community of nations on Israel's side than to have these emerging democracies descend into religious fervor and violence?
OK, so maybe it isn't a conspiracy. Maybe it's just a stupid idea that got in front of the wrong audience. If you buy that you and Mr. Bacile are both living in parts unknown.
Note: I have watched the trailer and will not link it to my blog. It is utter crap and it's purpose is crystal clear.
According to a CNN report:
"A production staff member who worked on the film told CNN that he believed the filmmaker was a Coptic Christian. The production staff member, who did not want to be identified, said when the two spoke on the phone during production, the filmmaker said he was in Alexandria, Egypt, raising money for the film. There has been a long history of animosity between Muslims and the minority Copts in Egypt."
My assumptions about motives are still valid. I strongly believe whoever made this piece of crap knew exactly how it would be received. The fact that the film is no where to be seen, makes me wonder if it exists at all. The trailer may be the only thing that was made, and given the dicey history of the alleged producer who was convicted in 2009 of bank fraud.
As details emerge I will attempt to get them straight. The original post is still below. Again it looks like the producer was not Jewish and I apologize to anyone taking offense, I was only going by what several news reports said.
More soon.
_____________________________________________________
I have made one or two films in my time, plus lots of documentaries, industrial films and commercials, but nothing I have ever driver people to commit murder. That honor goes to an Israeli real estate developer turned filmmaker, Sam Bacile. Mr. Bacile is now in hiding by the way.
His little venture into the cinema is sighted as the cause of the killings at the American Embassy in Lybia, and after watching the trailer for it I am frankly not surprised there has not been more violence.
The movie "Innocence of Muslims" is a two hour propaganda piece filled with incendiary insults and really bad acting. The script would seem to be written by someone stringing together every insulting remark they could find or make up about the Prophet Muhammad. The fact that this outrageous video was financed entirely by Jewish money is both telling and frightening. The backers either didn't know how crass the piece was going to be, or they were abundantly aware that this film had only one purpose, and that was to incite violence.
The movie itself, according to a CBS report played only once to a mostly empty theater in LA. It's the crudely cut trailer that has caused the problem. Amateur actors portray Muhammad as a con man and philanderer with a gaggle of stooges who follow his instructions which include child molestation and murder.
Considering that even the depiction of the Prophet is against Islamic teachings only an idiot would think this video would not cause trouble. Personally I don't believe Sam Bacile is an idiot, he is much worse.
Now before you go getting your panties in a wad about free speech, this is not about free speech. Say what you will as an individual, no problem, just be prepared for the consequences. My problem is this film is tantamount to yelling "fire" in a crowded theater. The person who does it knows it will cause problems.
Bacile had to know that his hatchet job would only lead to protests and worse. It was designed to do exactly what it did, and by design the results are wildly out of proportion to the offense, but such is the atmosphere in the Middle-East. That part of the world is going through a lot of growing pains as countries shake off dictatorships and try to move toward democracy. Quite frankly, I believe that is exactly what Bacile doesn't want.
As long as he can point to the predominately Islamic countries and say, "look how oppressive and dangerous they are", he can be assured of support for Israel. If those places that previously were ruled by anti-Israeli despots become democracies, then Israel will have to deal with them on equal footing and that would be a threat. Israel may soon face it's own Arab Spring as the Palestinians finally get tired of negotiations that lead nowhere and move to regain their power and their capital city.
What better way to keep the community of nations on Israel's side than to have these emerging democracies descend into religious fervor and violence?
OK, so maybe it isn't a conspiracy. Maybe it's just a stupid idea that got in front of the wrong audience. If you buy that you and Mr. Bacile are both living in parts unknown.
Note: I have watched the trailer and will not link it to my blog. It is utter crap and it's purpose is crystal clear.
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