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While the discussion of the past two nights has left me at times utterly bewildered, I feel that it is still worth the effort to try and get my point across, or at least to defend myself and my friends from the aggression and hate that has been directed our way.
Mr. B. made a comment earlier about undeniable truths, and about how we need to understand and live our lives within the scope of those truths. What Mr. B. perhaps does not understand is that for those who are gay, their homosexuality is an undeniable truth, and they have no choice but to live as such, no matter how biased and spiteful the world may be towards them.
B. L. said, "I don't feel that they need to go and shout it to the world just as heterosexuals don't go and shout it to the world either." Heterosexuality reverberates through most of our society. Relationships are portrayed on television as being almost entirely man-woman, however disproportionate this may be to reality. Politicians campaign on platforms of bigotry and malice toward homosexuals. Our society tolerates such charming epithets as 'faggot' and 'queer;' homosexuals have little choice but to embrace their sexuality and indeed shout it out to the world. It's a process of demanding the respect that is due to them as human beings, regardless of race, creed, religion, or sexual orientation.
Ms. L continued, ". . .however, they don't deserve special rights just because they're gay either." Nobody is asking for special rights, only the same rights that heterosexuals enjoy; nay, the same rights that are granted to all humans by the principle of 'natural rights,' a principle that essentially founded this country.
In a later post, Mr. B. said, ". . . how will those people get their adopted children to accept the lifestyle they have chose to pursue." Perchance, society could be more accepting of homosexuality, and a gay couple would not have to worry about their adopted child being taunted and beat up on the playground because his or her parents are gay. Perhaps the child would not have to ponder the glares and angry words thrown the way of his or he r parents as they walk in the park, or go shopping, or to the movies.
Mr. B went on to say, "How tradgic it would be to raise a child through spite because he never accepted your morals." Part of growing up is throwing away the morals that were given to you as a child and finding our own. Christianity does not teach this, but any christian who came from a non-christian home will tell you it is so. Part of being a teenager (a rather large part, I would hazard to say) is rejecting your parent's ideals, while you try to find your own. And you are assuming the child in question is adopted at a point in their life when they will have actually formed any sort of moral thesis. Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought most adoptions were made of young children.
Mr. B continued: "I guess raising a child involves similar risks with both alternatives, but I would think it to be exceedingly difficult for two parents of the same gender." Perhaps it would, perhaps not. I think raising a child is difficult for any parents, much less ones living in fear of religious fanatics like yourself. But just as there was a time when christians who were persecuted for their beliefs stood strong and stoic, there is a time (now) for homosexuals to hold a steadfast ground for who they are, and the rights they are entitled to as human beings, and as citizens of the United States. In future generations, such bravery might be applauded instead of spat upon.
L. W. said, "Tell me if you would not have even the slightest negative reaction in your heart, at all, if your son or daughter told you they were homosexual." As it has been stated before, most parents would have negative reaction, a reaction fearing for the safety of their child. And what would you yourself do? Would you throw your child onto the street, disown him or her? Do you think then that it would be an easy deed for your child to come open to you with their sexual orientation? Perhaps then it is not the simple choice between right and wrong (analogous to informing a cashier that they undercharged you) that you seem to think it is.
I guess there really isn't much left to discuss on this issue. We've heard all the arguments, each refuting the other's in his or her heart. We can argue sides all day. Mr. B. can quote his biblical sources while at the same time urging logic, reason, and tradition onto us (never mind that the bible explicitly condemns logic, reason, and tradition). Ms. E can be the moderate christian till the cows come home. Commissioner Johnstone can make incredibly ignorant statements and then run away with his tail between his legs (though I am sure he has found some say to frame it as a decision we mortals are too young and vapid to understand). The younger generation, comprised of myself, Ms. Thomas, Ms. Kratzer, Mr. Diamond, Mr. Kuhn, Mr. Friedrich, Mr. Santana, Ms. Gibbs, Mr. Lounsbury, and Mr. Koster (hope I didn't forget anyone), are the future. While our opinions are certainly not that of the majority, and clash at times even with ourselves, open-minds and acceptance are the stuff of the future, just as they have always been. The conformists, the traditionalists, the nay-sayers and the warble-wavers are, and always have been, obstructions to progress. This is not to say that we disregard tradition; that we place ourselves purposely outside of its encapsulation. Tradition is valuable, but it oversteps itself when one tries to use "the way things have always been" to govern the behavior of society. Tradition should not be confused with morality. Things have changed a lot since the beginning of time. I say that not to point out the obvious (that things have changed), but to bring to light what should be obvious: that though humanity has progressed, shifted, and changed through a myriad of cultures, laws, and landscapes, there are some tenets that have remained virtually unchanged. "Thou shalt not kill" is hardly a concept owing its origins to the Ten Commandments. Some things are simply intrinsic to human nature. Conservative christians like Mr. B. would have us believe that biblical mythology is to be equated with morality, and that morality is to be equated with tradition (and as such, progress should be put to a quick death), but this is not so. Tradition says you have a cake on your birthday; tradition says that you name your child after their grandparent. Tradition does not say to deny a person their human rights because of some facet of their being that does not agree with the majority of society. If tradition, as a historical measure, says anything, it should say to celebrate those differences, as they soon become more and more important, and increasingly common.
And, well, I think we would all do good to remember that love is the oldest tradition there is.