I am sad today and heartbroken over the inhumanity being perpetrated by 'Christians', purportedly out of 'love'. You are all probably aware of the death of transgendered teen Leelah Alcorn in December. Leelah's suicide by walking in front of a speeding 18 wheeler was the direct result of her parents refusal to accept and love Leelah without reservation because of their 'strongly held religious beliefs'. The first person that Leelah came out to was her best friend Abby Jones. Even in death, Leelah's parents continued to pile indignity upon indignity. They refused to accept Leelah's death as a suicide, continually referring to her with male pronouns, and blame anyone but themselves for the death of their 'son'. Leelah was meant to be buried at the Northeast Church of Christ in Cincinnati, but transgender activists who wanted to pay their respects found a note on the door saying it had been moved to a small, private service. What is more sad than anything is Abby's mother, Danielle Pieper-Jones, who said her daughter did not until know about the ceremony on 2 January until after the event. Leelah's mother even 'called and blamed her for everything that got posted online even though Leelah's page was public.' This series of events is the perfect example of religious hypocrisy caused by fear and homophobia. The parents are more fearful of their public image than capable of loving their own child unconditionally. I have experienced this myself and I am very familiar with the pain Leelah felt which led to her death. May she rest in peace.
Then there is the story of Vanessa Collier, a married Lesbian raising two children with her wife who died an accidental death. A funeral service was planned at New Hope Ministries in Denver. Like at my Mother's funeral, a beautiful slide show depicting the events in Vanessa's life was prepared to be shown during the visitation and service. Moments prior to the funeral, the video slideshow was reviewed by church officials. The church asked for the video to be edited and the image of Collier’s proposal to her wife be removed from the video before the service could go forward. Collier’s family refused to remove the photos from the memorial video. Pastor Ray Chavez said the memorial could not continue as long as pictures of Collier and her wife were going to be displayed. He said there could be no indication that Collier was gay. The funeral was canceled Saturday by the church 15 minutes after its scheduled start time, despite an open casket in place and about 170 mourners in attendance. The funeral was moved across the street and proceeded at Newcomer Funeral Home.
About four dozen supporters gathered outside of the church on Tuesday afternoon in protest, chanting “Give us an apology!” and “Shame on Pastor Ray!” Security guards were stationed in front of the building to ensure none of the marchers made their way onto the property. “You will not find Jesus at New Hope but you will find hypocrisy,” said a sign carried at the demonstration. “Indignity in death,” read another. Indignity indeed. It is a sad shame that religions based on the unconditional love of a higher power than ourselves for us continually fail to display that love and acceptance but preach hate and exclusion. No one should be disrespected in death, especially by those who by design are supposed to love us unconditionally. Parents and Preachers, some of them should never be allowed to have any contact much less influence in a child's life. Too sad that that is not always the case, just goes to show you how much work is left to do.
We have talked about Parents and Preachers, now let's talk about Politicians who are rife with Stupidity as well as Hypocrisy and Homophobia. Legislators in Texas has only just convened, but there are already three different bills proposed that are designed specifically to help people discriminate against LGBT people. As previously reported, one would allow businesses to use their religious beliefs as justification for violating nondiscrimination protections, another would punish clerks for issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples should marriage equality become law, and now lawmakers are discussing a possible third bill that would actually prohibit Texas municipalities from even extending LGBT protections in the first place.
The Texas Observer reports:
I want to assure Mr Welch and the rest of his ilk who are so ate up with homophobia that their hypocrisy is the only action available to them. Republican legislators in Texas are stupid enough to try and enshrine hypocrisy, homophobia and stupidity in state law. Is it wrong of me to wish death and dismemberment to them all? Yes, but all our lives would be so much bettor if Parents, Preachers and Politicians were not stuck in the Stone Age. We are winning the battle but we still have a long way to go.
You Musical Moment for today features The Spanish Guitar in Renaissance and Baroque Music with a beautiful interpretive recording by Jose Miguel Moreno. Over on my tumblr you will find exquisite French Baroque music played by the great lutenist Michael Schaeffer.
Below the play list is this week's edition of Wet Wednesday with lithesome lads prancing on the playa or soaping it up in the shower, all of whom are just sexy as hell. Speaking of sexy as hell, check out Tommy, Your Hottie of the Day! over on my tumblr. Thanks for the visit and listening to me rant. See you again soon. Until next time as always, Enjoy!
Then there is the story of Vanessa Collier, a married Lesbian raising two children with her wife who died an accidental death. A funeral service was planned at New Hope Ministries in Denver. Like at my Mother's funeral, a beautiful slide show depicting the events in Vanessa's life was prepared to be shown during the visitation and service. Moments prior to the funeral, the video slideshow was reviewed by church officials. The church asked for the video to be edited and the image of Collier’s proposal to her wife be removed from the video before the service could go forward. Collier’s family refused to remove the photos from the memorial video. Pastor Ray Chavez said the memorial could not continue as long as pictures of Collier and her wife were going to be displayed. He said there could be no indication that Collier was gay. The funeral was canceled Saturday by the church 15 minutes after its scheduled start time, despite an open casket in place and about 170 mourners in attendance. The funeral was moved across the street and proceeded at Newcomer Funeral Home.
About four dozen supporters gathered outside of the church on Tuesday afternoon in protest, chanting “Give us an apology!” and “Shame on Pastor Ray!” Security guards were stationed in front of the building to ensure none of the marchers made their way onto the property. “You will not find Jesus at New Hope but you will find hypocrisy,” said a sign carried at the demonstration. “Indignity in death,” read another. Indignity indeed. It is a sad shame that religions based on the unconditional love of a higher power than ourselves for us continually fail to display that love and acceptance but preach hate and exclusion. No one should be disrespected in death, especially by those who by design are supposed to love us unconditionally. Parents and Preachers, some of them should never be allowed to have any contact much less influence in a child's life. Too sad that that is not always the case, just goes to show you how much work is left to do.
We have talked about Parents and Preachers, now let's talk about Politicians who are rife with Stupidity as well as Hypocrisy and Homophobia. Legislators in Texas has only just convened, but there are already three different bills proposed that are designed specifically to help people discriminate against LGBT people. As previously reported, one would allow businesses to use their religious beliefs as justification for violating nondiscrimination protections, another would punish clerks for issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples should marriage equality become law, and now lawmakers are discussing a possible third bill that would actually prohibit Texas municipalities from even extending LGBT protections in the first place.
The Texas Observer reports:
Texas Pastor Council Executive Director David Welch, whose group is leading efforts to repeal equal rights ordinances in Plano and Houston, told the Observer the legislation would prohibit political subdivisions of the state from adding classes to nondiscrimination ordinances that aren’t protected under Texas or federal law—neither of which covers LGBT people.
“It should be a uniform standard statewide, and cities can’t just arbitrarily create new classes that criminalize a whole segment of the majority of the population,” Welch said. “It’s just self-evident that they’re going to try to do it city by city. We’re dealing with a broad public policy that creates criminal punishments. That’s a pretty serious issue, and when it’s based on a special agenda by a small, tiny fragment of the population … that’s a legitimate need and reason for the state Legislature to act.”
“Hopefully this time in Texas the response will be more immediate, and I hope the legislators listen to the business community and do not do something that’s going to really hurt the Texas economy,” Minter said.
It’s been widely speculated that Plano passed its equal rights ordinance in response to Toyota’s decision to relocate a major facility to the city, after the company’s employees expressed concern about the lack of LGBT protections in Texas. Plano-based Frito-Lay also sent a letter to the City Council in support of the equal rights ordinance.
But Welch dismissed the argument that efforts to undo local nondiscrimination ordinances will hurt business, calling it “a red herring.” He said one of the engines of Texas’ strong economy is its “family-friendly” climate.
“We’re not going to let corporations, Toyota or anybody else, come in and dictate to the community what our standards are going to be on a moral level and religious level,” Welch said. “Companies like Frito-Lay had better take thought of who their customers are before they start trying to step up and ramrod these things though, because we will remember.”
I want to assure Mr Welch and the rest of his ilk who are so ate up with homophobia that their hypocrisy is the only action available to them. Republican legislators in Texas are stupid enough to try and enshrine hypocrisy, homophobia and stupidity in state law. Is it wrong of me to wish death and dismemberment to them all? Yes, but all our lives would be so much bettor if Parents, Preachers and Politicians were not stuck in the Stone Age. We are winning the battle but we still have a long way to go.
You Musical Moment for today features The Spanish Guitar in Renaissance and Baroque Music with a beautiful interpretive recording by Jose Miguel Moreno. Over on my tumblr you will find exquisite French Baroque music played by the great lutenist Michael Schaeffer.
Below the play list is this week's edition of Wet Wednesday with lithesome lads prancing on the playa or soaping it up in the shower, all of whom are just sexy as hell. Speaking of sexy as hell, check out Tommy, Your Hottie of the Day! over on my tumblr. Thanks for the visit and listening to me rant. See you again soon. Until next time as always, Enjoy!
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