Comments on: Daigle: Those Who Can, Teach

By: sait

sait — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:20:33 +0000

I disagree that rejection of religion is the key to tolerance. Christian teachings are often bastardized, but when you consider them outside of the emotional, fear-driven context, it becomes clear that these teachings offer the recipe for a good society. Our notions of community are rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Christianity is inherently reflexive, and this is a good thing when applied to the glbt community–it’s values are there to keep us from destroying ourselves and each other–whereas our enemies would derive great satisfaction from seeing us self-destruct. We need to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath-water when it comes to religion.

By: sait

sait — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:13:56 +0000

This issue is a double-edged sword within our community. There are two very different schools of thought in gay/lesbian politics. In many of our communities, it’s the radical queers who push the envelope who are given the kudos, while the more conservative among us are disparaged as “closeted” or “boring” or “selfish” and “not community-oriented.” The irony is that, though we may appear to be playing it “safe,” we are often the biggest threat to virulently homophobic, religious conservatives who desperately need to see us as being fundamentally different from themselves. Those of us who are most similar to them are the greatest threat to their belief systems, causing them a level of ideological dissonance that rattles them to the core. We, as a community seem to do ourselves a great disservice by presenting our most radical faces to the rest of society–exaggerating our difference/queerness, and securing our place on the fringe, where our haters would like to keep us (at a “safe distance” from their children). It’s our normality that draws criticism from within our community, as well as evokes fear and nervousness among those who wish to see us as grotesque stereotypes, monsters and predators, lurking in the shadows.

By: Jay Mancini

Jay Mancini — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:15:50 +0000

I am a 17 year old homosexual, and I live in the backwoods of Tennessee. I have read Kevins book and I see him as the perfect romodel. His book inspired me so much. I think these guys just need to leave him alone because he is the best person for the job. After hearing about Kevin I, and a group of my peers, participated in the Day of Silence. I have also begun to work on starting a GSA in my high school. I think that next to Harvey Milk, Kevin is the best thing for the Gay community.

By: Jake

Jake — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:08:28 +0000

Hey… has anybody gone to their webpage they show there? What happens if you put your email in there and click send. Do you get to “send a message” with your email? Or do they just take your email, plop it on a list and “send a message” to Obama. Cause if it’s the first one, let’s all be great big bastards and write a bunch of truth in there about how “These people are homophobes, they just want to cause trouble. Ignore all emails coming from this hate group, they’re a breed from the KKK’s ilk, ignore them” You know, awesome shit like that

By: A.T.

A.T. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:32:51 +0000

There seems to be a lot of hysteria about rejecting ‘God’ and religion, as if we only refrain from murder, rape and theft because the bible tells us not to.

I would argue, if you want to be good, rational, tolerant, and to defend against tyranny, the first step is to walk away from superstition. Religion is our first attempt at knowledge, and by definition, our worst attempt.

Look anywhere you like in the world, and those societies that top leagues in human rights, literacy, knowledge, standards of living, lack of crime – all tend to be mainly non-religious. Religion gives rise to dogma, inability to change opinions when confronted with the evidence (look at the number of people in America who think the Earth is about 6,000 years old); it is a bar to critical thinking, which cannot, ever, be done in a kneeling position.

The good news is that as USA Today’s survey showed, people – especially young people – are walking away from organized religon in their droves. They are driven away by precisely by the rhetoric of fanatics like Peter Sprigg and Tony Perkins. Non-believers are at least 16 percent of the population – possibly much more as most people when questioned say a religion, say something to tick a box.

It is for the moderate believers to make a greater stand for compassion and inclusiveness, and stop loving enemies for a change. Otherwise churches will end up as apartments, bars and disco venues, just like they do in the UK.

By: JERRY

JERRY — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:04:19 +0000

I totally agree…each of us much “do” whatever we can to “educate” some of these people. That is why I started Blogging…every voice counts. If I can open just one person’s mind up to at least listen to our position than that is a start. It is a pier upon which,if we all help,a bridge may be built between Gays and Straights.

By: Roger

Roger — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:15:15 +0000

@ Rick – Yeah, I got a chuckle out of that line as well. That’s quite an ironic statement for the FRC to make, isn’t it?

By: Aaron from Long Beach

Aaron from Long Beach — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:50:43 +0000

We really do need to figure out some way to fight these religious zealots better. I’m so tired of this line of theirs…

Can’t we as a collective minority sue collective religion for libel and slander?!

By: Rick

Rick — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:53:54 +0000

“His positions are extreme and narrow-minded, his rhetoric harsh and hate-filled, and his qualifications and ethical standards questionable at best.” -FRC

I had to laugh at that one.

By: Sara

Sara — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:29:31 +0000

Turn the whole country gay by Labor Day? We’re gonna need a lot more body glitter!