If BloggerJoe Jumped Off A Bridge Would You?
I’ve wanted to write this post for a long time. I originally was going to post about the Target boycott that’s gaining an amazing grass roots following among the GLBT community. And I’ll probably write about that soon. But for this post, I want to talk about the whole boycott issue.
I wanted to write about it because suddenly everyone in the community is talking about it. Whenever anyone shows any kind of opposition to the gay community, it’s an almost knee-jerk reaction. We have to boycott that person, or what that person stands for, or that person’s business. Pretty soon we won’t have any place to shop on either a national or local level.
I just read about a company in Baton Rouge which sells granite for counter tops, etc. whose owner asked a male couple if they were gay while they were in his store. When they confirmed it, he told them to leave, that this company didn’t serve “their kind” and didn’t agree their lifestyle. The couple left, but things escalated from there. I don’t want to go into details about it. Maybe in another post. However, reading all the comments left on the article, I noted that for the people in that area, it’s all about boycott. Bring the business to its knees. They’re calling on gay people from around the world to email this company with their own displeasure. The company has already had to shut down its FaceBook page due to the number of hits.
Boycotting a business or entity (political or professional) is a completely viable tool. The most famous (or infamous, depending on your viewpoint) in recent history took place in Alabama when a disgruntled populace refused to ride on the buses and brought the company to the brink of economic disaster. They won the right to sit wherever they chose, and set an example for the world to follow in becoming united behind a cause. Boycotting can be an amazingly effective way to get a point across in a voluntary, non-violent manner. It can be something very organized, or no real organization except something people want to do. Boycotting has a vast and varied history, mostly successful, throughout the world.
But is it the right answer to every problem facing the gay community? It was reported about six months ago that the GLBT community wields an economic club that managed to surprise us all, number over $780 billion (yes billion) in just the U.S. alone. If every gay person chose to withhold their portion of that club from any single business or entity, the impact would certainly be felt. On a national level, though, does Target deserve to be boycotted for donating to a political campaign which was local? Does a local granite seller deserve to be boycotted and castigated on a national level?
I don’t have an answer for those questions, except to say that I know what I’m going to do and why. I believe that’s the answer for anyone. They have to look at the issue(s) and decide for themselves. Because that’s one of the things that makes a boycott successful: the trait of people to jump on the bandwagon because so many others do it. It’s a basic human trait to do what other people are doing just because so many others are doing it.
What I would suggest that everyone do when presented with the option to boycott, or write a letter, or back a candidate, or anything else that will commit them to a cause, act, religion, or lifestyle, is get all the information you can. Make sure that the source of the information is one that you trust. Get both sides of the issue, and think long and hard about it. Then make the decision that’s right for you and your family.
It’s the only way to know when you “jump off the bridge” that you’re doing the right thing.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Post #4 - The Fallen Soldier
Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?
I think that anyone who protests at the funeral of a fallen soldier has obviously never ever had to endure the trauma of watching a loved one die. Period. I think that anyone who protests at the funeral of a fallen soldier should be punished in some way that I cannot as yet figure out, but that punishment should be immediate, harsh, and unrelenting. I think that anyone who protests at the funeral of a fallen soldier should be made to understand not the pain and sensibilities of the family who are burying their loved one, but also the pain and sensibilities of that person who fell defending their country, thereby giving all citizens the right to protest at their funeral. I think that anyone who protests at the funeral of a fallen soldier should be punished in some way that I have not yet envisioned, that will make them understand the pure sacrifice, the pure honor, the purity of the soul which has died in the defense of our country which allows the protests, so that the protests will end, and understanding and acceptance can start.
I honor that fallen soldier and their families and wish there was something more that I could do besides write in a silly blog.
I think that anyone who protests at the funeral of a fallen soldier has obviously never ever had to endure the trauma of watching a loved one die. Period. I think that anyone who protests at the funeral of a fallen soldier should be punished in some way that I cannot as yet figure out, but that punishment should be immediate, harsh, and unrelenting. I think that anyone who protests at the funeral of a fallen soldier should be made to understand not the pain and sensibilities of the family who are burying their loved one, but also the pain and sensibilities of that person who fell defending their country, thereby giving all citizens the right to protest at their funeral. I think that anyone who protests at the funeral of a fallen soldier should be punished in some way that I have not yet envisioned, that will make them understand the pure sacrifice, the pure honor, the purity of the soul which has died in the defense of our country which allows the protests, so that the protests will end, and understanding and acceptance can start.
I honor that fallen soldier and their families and wish there was something more that I could do besides write in a silly blog.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Post #3 - First Amendment Rights, pt 1
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The exact text for the first amendment to the constitution of the United States appears above. It is the first section of the Bill of Rights. These are rights guaranteed to all legal residents of the United States. If the purveyors of a mosque can get the funds, permits, and backing to erect a center or mosque or whatever else it’s going to be called near ground zero, they absolutely have that right. If a church in Florida wants to burn the holy book of another religion, they have that right. If the President of the United States follows a religion other than the one followed by the majority of American, that’s his right.
I don’t understand why everyone is getting so worked up over this.
The people who are responsible for the attacks on September 11, 2001 are not the people who are erecting a place of worship near ground zero. Can we please get a reality check here?
I recognize the sensitivities of the people involved. And I agree that putting up this mosque might be ill-advised. Fanning the flames of hatred is also ill-advised. Is anyone else as tired of this as I am?
Our country was founded on the basis of basic freedoms guaranteed to us through our constitution. It’s been a long journey to get those basic freedoms applied across the board to all people. We still have a ways to go. Let’s not make this harder than it has to be.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The exact text for the first amendment to the constitution of the United States appears above. It is the first section of the Bill of Rights. These are rights guaranteed to all legal residents of the United States. If the purveyors of a mosque can get the funds, permits, and backing to erect a center or mosque or whatever else it’s going to be called near ground zero, they absolutely have that right. If a church in Florida wants to burn the holy book of another religion, they have that right. If the President of the United States follows a religion other than the one followed by the majority of American, that’s his right.
I don’t understand why everyone is getting so worked up over this.
The people who are responsible for the attacks on September 11, 2001 are not the people who are erecting a place of worship near ground zero. Can we please get a reality check here?
I recognize the sensitivities of the people involved. And I agree that putting up this mosque might be ill-advised. Fanning the flames of hatred is also ill-advised. Is anyone else as tired of this as I am?
Our country was founded on the basis of basic freedoms guaranteed to us through our constitution. It’s been a long journey to get those basic freedoms applied across the board to all people. We still have a ways to go. Let’s not make this harder than it has to be.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Post # 2 - Dr. Laura Resigns!
In case anyone has missed it, Dr. Laura Schlessinger has decided to retire at the end of her current contract which expires in October. Her stated reason is that she wants to regain her first amendment rights. This stems from an incident from last week on her radio show wherein she used the “n-word” several times in speaking to a client. The gist of the conversation is that the woman caller was in a racially mixed marriage and objected to the bigotry exhibited by some of her husband’s friends. Dr. L told her not to be thin skinned and since she was in a racially mixed relationship that she should expect some of that kind of thing. Then Dr. L went on to inquire why it was acceptable for black people to use the “n-word” but not for other races to use it. Dr. L proceeded to say the word several times during the next few sentences. (A full transcript of the call can be obtained via a simple Google search.) I’m simplifying things for the purposes of this blog, but those are the salient points of the conversation. As you can imagine, reaction was mixed and violent.
I’m torn between two opinions on this one. My first response is to shout “GOOD!!!!” and “Don’t let the door slam your butt on the way out!” and “Let me help you clear your desk and carry the boxes.” (Remind me to tell you that story some day.) My second response is closer to hers. She should be allowed to say what she thinks without being nailed to the wall.
I used to listen to her radio talk show several years ago and while I didn’t agree with her politics or basic life philosophies, I did recognize that about 85% of the time she gave sensible advice to confused people. See, people have a choice in whether or not they call her, and whether or not they take her advice. She’s certain that the advice that she’s giving is correct, and has the credentials to back up what she’s saying, for the most part. So, in that respect, I have to sympathize with her.
Now it’s time for the other shoe to drop. She wants to regain her first amendment rights. Well, she never lost them. She has the right to say whatever she wants to, and she must also face the results of that right. Same as I have to, same as everyone has to. Also, it has long been argued in court that the freedom of speech does not give people the right to yell “Fire” in a crowded theatre. Incitement to riot is against the law. As an accredited doctor in a public forum, she has the responsibility to make certain to the best of her ability that what she is saying is true and not inflammatory. When she starts spouting her personal agenda and trying to apply it to the lives of other people, she should expect that some people are going to disagree and react.
In many ways, she’s an arrogant person. She honestly believes that she’s right about everything that she says and it leaves no room for discussion or for learning. That’s where I have the biggest problem with Dr. L and almost anyone else of that ilk. Arrogance won’t let you learn. And there’s no human being ever who knew everything there was to know.
Let me know what you think!
I’m torn between two opinions on this one. My first response is to shout “GOOD!!!!” and “Don’t let the door slam your butt on the way out!” and “Let me help you clear your desk and carry the boxes.” (Remind me to tell you that story some day.) My second response is closer to hers. She should be allowed to say what she thinks without being nailed to the wall.
I used to listen to her radio talk show several years ago and while I didn’t agree with her politics or basic life philosophies, I did recognize that about 85% of the time she gave sensible advice to confused people. See, people have a choice in whether or not they call her, and whether or not they take her advice. She’s certain that the advice that she’s giving is correct, and has the credentials to back up what she’s saying, for the most part. So, in that respect, I have to sympathize with her.
Now it’s time for the other shoe to drop. She wants to regain her first amendment rights. Well, she never lost them. She has the right to say whatever she wants to, and she must also face the results of that right. Same as I have to, same as everyone has to. Also, it has long been argued in court that the freedom of speech does not give people the right to yell “Fire” in a crowded theatre. Incitement to riot is against the law. As an accredited doctor in a public forum, she has the responsibility to make certain to the best of her ability that what she is saying is true and not inflammatory. When she starts spouting her personal agenda and trying to apply it to the lives of other people, she should expect that some people are going to disagree and react.
In many ways, she’s an arrogant person. She honestly believes that she’s right about everything that she says and it leaves no room for discussion or for learning. That’s where I have the biggest problem with Dr. L and almost anyone else of that ilk. Arrogance won’t let you learn. And there’s no human being ever who knew everything there was to know.
Let me know what you think!
Post #1: Introduction
Hi! My name is BloggerJoe. I live in the Northern VA area. Around here, we call it NOVA. Anytime you read NOVA in my blog, I'm talking about the area south of Washington, D.C. I actually live about thirty-five miles south of DC. I'm a gay man in my early 50's living with my partner of three years. I came out very late in life, but luckily managed to find my soul mate after only a couple of years of searching.
I am currently a writer by profession, although for most of my life I worked with computers. I've worked in many different venues from small retail establishments, to large retail establishments, to small military bases, to large government departments. I have been fortunate to be able to travel all over the world and learned many things in the process.
I grew up in a small town in the Arizona desert. It was probably the best place to grow up. We didn't lock our doors at night ever. I'm not certain that my family does even now. I was fairly religious as I was growing up, but that has evolved over time. I now consider myself very spiritual, but not very religious. I'm very nature-centered in my spiritual observances. And a heck of a lot more tolerant now than I was in my teens.
I have a huge list of "hobbies", areas of interest, but the three that are at the top are reading/writing, cooking, and bicycling. As I mentioned earlier, I live with two cocker spaniels. I've had a cocker spaniel in my life since I was in my late twenties. It all goes back to Disney's "Lady and the Tramp." If you follow my posts, you'll be hearing a lot about my guys. And probably see a picture or two. My dogs have taught me a lot of important things and these will be the subject of some of my posts later on.
My main purpose in this blog is to Speak Out. I came out very late in life, in my late 40s. It took me a couple of years to figure out the "lifestyle", but I've got a handle on things now. I have more time to Speak Out since I'm no longer the rat running after the cheese, and I find that I have things to say that are important to me. Some of it will be about religion; some of it will be about politics; some of it will be about relationships; but all of it will be about me and how I define myself.
I hope you come back for a visit. I hope to make this enjoyable. I want to hear from everyone about everything. This whole blog is about my opinion, and I hope you'll give me the benefit of yours.
Enjoy!
Couldn't resist. This is Jack and Dusty, otherwise known as Da Boys. Dusty is the golden one with his head on Jack's back legs. They are both rescue dogs from our local chapter of the cocker spaniel resuce league. This was taken just a few days ago during a thunderstorm. You can tell that they couldn't have cared less about what was going on outside.
I am currently a writer by profession, although for most of my life I worked with computers. I've worked in many different venues from small retail establishments, to large retail establishments, to small military bases, to large government departments. I have been fortunate to be able to travel all over the world and learned many things in the process.
I grew up in a small town in the Arizona desert. It was probably the best place to grow up. We didn't lock our doors at night ever. I'm not certain that my family does even now. I was fairly religious as I was growing up, but that has evolved over time. I now consider myself very spiritual, but not very religious. I'm very nature-centered in my spiritual observances. And a heck of a lot more tolerant now than I was in my teens.
I have a huge list of "hobbies", areas of interest, but the three that are at the top are reading/writing, cooking, and bicycling. As I mentioned earlier, I live with two cocker spaniels. I've had a cocker spaniel in my life since I was in my late twenties. It all goes back to Disney's "Lady and the Tramp." If you follow my posts, you'll be hearing a lot about my guys. And probably see a picture or two. My dogs have taught me a lot of important things and these will be the subject of some of my posts later on.
My main purpose in this blog is to Speak Out. I came out very late in life, in my late 40s. It took me a couple of years to figure out the "lifestyle", but I've got a handle on things now. I have more time to Speak Out since I'm no longer the rat running after the cheese, and I find that I have things to say that are important to me. Some of it will be about religion; some of it will be about politics; some of it will be about relationships; but all of it will be about me and how I define myself.
I hope you come back for a visit. I hope to make this enjoyable. I want to hear from everyone about everything. This whole blog is about my opinion, and I hope you'll give me the benefit of yours.
Enjoy!
Couldn't resist. This is Jack and Dusty, otherwise known as Da Boys. Dusty is the golden one with his head on Jack's back legs. They are both rescue dogs from our local chapter of the cocker spaniel resuce league. This was taken just a few days ago during a thunderstorm. You can tell that they couldn't have cared less about what was going on outside.
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