Post # 13 Kissing is WRONG!

Okay, one more rant for the night.  I just heard about this one.

Two women were ejected from a Baltimore Ravens game a few weeks ago because it was alleged that they had stolen beer from a concession stand.  Even after they had proved that they had paid for everything they had, and a police officer backed them up, the security guards still ejected them.  Then only reason given, according to the women, was that they were being obscene.   What were they doing?

They were kissing each other.

While they were waiting for their order of fries to be cooked, they stood away from the concession stand and had their arms around each other, and (per their story) occasionally kissed each other, as many other straight couples were doing.

I wasn’t there, so I don’t know what was happening or not happening.  But I do know this:  When gay couples are doing the same thing that straight couples are doing, people resent it.  A LOT!!

I tend to get lulled into a sense of complacency at times.  Just because things in my life are going well, and that all the people I know accept me and my values, then that’s what is happening everywhere.  That isn’t the case, and stories like these make me realize that it isn’t easy for everyone who isn’t me.  Hell, it isn’t that easy for people who live in my house!

And I wonder what it’s going to take for everyone to feel as secure as I do (at times) not only in my house, but in my state (where what I do is still against the law), and in my country, and on my planet.

Remember, Love is Louder!

Post # 12 Ellen vs Perez

On the Ellen show today, Perez Hilton promised to stop being mean-spirited and bullying on his web site.  It seemed to come as a surprise to him that anyone considered his work in those terms.  I’m adopting a wait-and-see attitude.  I don’t trust him, yet.

For those who don’t know him, he’s a gay man who about 7 or 8 years ago developed a web site to report on the world of celebrity.  What he actually did was gossip, out people who preferred to remain private, insult, belittle, and generally mislead with rumor, innuendo, and, sometimes, outright lies.  As you can tell, I’m not a fan.  I visited his web site once and vowed never again.

I AM a big fan of Ellen DeGeneres.  I think she is one classy lady who has met and overcome the challenges she’s faced with grace, wit, and charm.  She makes every single guest feel special and like family.  She didn’t make him feel that way.  (There is a link to the entire interview below if you’d like to watch it.)

Perez Hilton made it his job to decide who should be out whether or not that person wanted to be out, or whether or not that person was really gay.  He also made it his job to be as nasty as possible to anyone he didn’t like or who had the temerity to disagree with him.  He is the worst of Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons by a factor of ten.  He has the power of the media coupled with a foul mouth and sarcastic wit.

It was a fascinating juxtaposition to watch Ellen and Perez talk.  To watch her elegance and brand of humor facing his was enlightening.  He was totally outclassed, and it looked like he recognized it.  At one point he was trying to be glib and say that he wanted his web site to continue to be sassy, and she called him out about it, saying that it worried her because there was still the potential to be mean.

The reason I’m blogging about this is because we have two personalities here.  One is trying to solve the problem, and one actually helped create the problem.  Although it sounds small, I can’t help but wonder if PH is jumping on the bandwagon.  He said the reason he was changing was because he was surprised that so many people considered him a bully and part of the problem.  How could any reasonable person who was honest with themselves not know this?  How could anyone think that what he wrote could ever be taken in the spirit of “fun”?  I’m not saying that a person can’t be honest and say what they think.  That’s what I’m doing here, and what everyone blogger does.  But there are ways to do that without making the people you’re talking about feel insignificant.

So that’s why I say I’m going to wait and see.  Talk is cheap, action speaks.

Remember, Lover is Louder!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?=iUNaRg_AQ10

Post # 11 First Amendment Rights, Part 2

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.

In case anyone was asleep, the Supreme Court of the United States is adjudicating a case wherein the father of a fallen soldier is suing the Westboro Baptist Church for protesting at his son’s funeral.  Without going into how vile and reprehensible it is to protest any funeral, much less the funeral of a soldier who fell defending our country, there are some things I need to prepare everyone for.

Once, I thought that the only conclusion to be reached in this case was for the church.  They were exercising their right to freedom of speech, and the free exercise of their religion.  But there’s another clause in the amendment that causes the argument to go another direction.

Did they assemble peaceably?  Or was their intent to provoke or incite to riot?  In nearly every jurisdiction, the incitement to riot is not an excuse to actually riot, but that selfsame incitement is against the law.  So, the question then becomes, what did they intend to do?  What did this church hope to gain from this?  Did they act peaceably?   Did they act responsibly?

I could go into a huge discussion about how a church is “supposed” to act and what they’re “supposed” to believe and to preach.  That just comes down to opinion and how I was raised versus how they were raised.  It’s a no win discussion.

I’m going to follow this closely to see how it turns out.

Post # 10 Love is Louder

Love is Louder

When Hate shouts that the color of your skin matters

Remember that Love is Louder

When Hate cries that you’re too innocent to vote

Remember that Love is Louder

When Hate says that it’s really love but it hates

Remember that Love is Louder

When Hate says that who you love makes you wrong

Remember that Love is Louder

When Hate beats you down so you can no longer see up

Remember that Love is Louder

When Hate makes you want to give up and give in

Remember that Love is Louder

Love is Louder than all bullies

Love is Louder than all the quiet lonely nights

Love is Louder than all the hate

Love is Louder