Subscribe to Breaking NewsWithers: Hate never beats hate
Today is an easy post. If the speechifying of Carrie Prejean makes your head explode calling her a female dog is bad form (yes Ms. Hilton, I’m looking at you). Let’s say the political dirty trick of Marion Barry makes you want to slap your grandmother’s jowls (poor Grandma), resorting to language that would shock David Duke puts you in the same boat with the former Washington, D.C. mayor.
It’s easy really. Our oppression is not going to end by using the rhetoric of oppression. It doesn’t work that way. How can anyone yapping about gay liberation think that being sexist or racist is the way to go? The very “community” you say needs to be free is filled with women and people of color. Does your noise apply to those “community” members or does freedom only apply to people who look like you?
And yes Virginia. This principle is universal. Can the choir say the NAACP chapter in Cincinnati, Ohio?
If you must be racist or sexist (free country and all), don’t blame your backwardness on some idiotic comment by a person of color. Own your Klan status. There is nothing worse than someone who refuses to take responsibility for his/her thoughts. Coward is a good adjective here. “Ohhhhhh, I loved me some black people but the Prop 8 vote changed me into a Thomas Dixon acolyte.” Yeah, right. You were a racist twit before Prop 8 was even a dream.
Last thought of the day: don’t consider me part of your “community” if you are unable to drop your hatred. If you are black and homophobic we have nothing in common. If you are gay and racist, we are not fighting the same battle. Lastly if sexism is your thing, don’t talk to me.
It does seem kind of weird that a minority that is discriminated against can’t see how discriminating against others isn’t the answer. James, I especially liked your last thought of the day.
I distance myself from those that oppose gay rights. But as a blogger at a gay community, you should be more like :
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. ”
Martin Luther King Jr.
I appreciate this post. It is remarkably true – too many of our “kind” continue to view others through through the slant of our gender/race/economic strata/religion(or non)/etc.
If we want to finally reach the goal that America becomes a melting pot with respect for all and denigration of none, then we need to attempt to formulate that mentality in our own group.
Don’t get me wrong, James has potential, but too much time is spent whining and preaching (which comes across as condesending). When he can get past his ego, he writes just fine.
Chris Sullivan,
You should have stopped at:
James, You are nothing…
If you want to know why the black community voted so heavily in support for Prop 8, find a black church in your city and attend one or two services. If you are white you will be stared at (which is to be expected – nothing evil in that stare, just a surprised look) but just ignore the stares.
I say that having been raised in Watts which was 99.9% black at that time. My grandmother has us attend the closest church which just happended to be the Southside Bethany Baptist church. Bible thumpers?? You have no idea unless you have attended one of the services. “Sin and you’re going to hell.” The definition of “sin?” There are not enough hours in the day to list the things that were regarded as a sin. Closed and narrow minds? You must be kidding! When Noah’s Arc was spoken of they would NOT have been discussing the tv/movie series Noah’s Arc! (Anyone who has not seen either should – a great series and movie. Too bad there will not be a 3rd or 4th season.)
I doubt very much that the battle to win over the minds and hearts of the black community is going to be won. I would hope so, but I’m not taking any bets.
Withers
I don’t think it is racist to admit that we would have won Prop 8 if we would have focused some energy in the black community. Instead of whining everytime someone points this out, why don’t you tell us how you as an African-American are reaching out to the straight members of your community. Instead of in-fighting, we need to reach out to others and help them understand our lives.
Namezi – you can set your stopwatch for the “I’m just so clever” witicism with the smiley face. If his columns were in fact interesting, had anything new to say or weren’t so self-important, they might be worth reading beyond the amusement they bring.
Now, more than ever, gays need to come together with gays if we are ever going to gain equality in this country!
James, you’re right!!
James – you are nothing if not amusing. I enjoy your self-aggrandizing pontifications -it’s the only writing of yours that actually feels honest. Patronizing and somewhat tedious, but honest.
Withers, your posts are always so whinny and annoying. Why can’t you write something that is actually worth reading for once? And yes, I realise that you are going to reply back with some pathetic attempt at being clever, but it doesn’t really matter since I’m hardly going to check back and see what you wrote.
Kisses
James
This column is rich in iron. What man can speak of sexism? Please. Men wake up, gay or straight, offending women. You have no idea what oppression is unless you are a woman, lesbian or not.
Spot on!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the only thing all gay people have in common is being gay. This community is black, white, red, yellow, brown, and every other color under the sun. It is comprised of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, agnostics, atheists, and every other creed under the sun. We are racists, sexists, bigots of every shape and size. We are, outside of our sexual orientation and/or gender expression, the same as heterosexuals, especially in regard to our diversity of self and of opinion.
For whatever it’s worth, Mr. Withers, I feel your pain. I am as tired of being marginalized by my own community as I am of being marginalized by the body of the “straight” community. Taking responsibility for my thoughts is easy, but how do I (or anyone) encourage others to do the same?
For whatever it’s worth, I appreciate your efforts at what appears to be breaking down the walls of miscommunication, especially within the gay community. How is it feasible that we as a community can make social steps forward if we’re lying to ourselves and each other about the prejudices we hold?
One line from the Watchmen graphic novel still stands out to me to this day: “We were Nazis and homosexuals, but we all wanted the same thing.” Maybe this line is referencing fictional, costumed heroes and their sense of misplacement in the fight for justice, but I think it holds a deep meaning for the real world, as well. We might be bigots and queers, but we’re all in this world together.