"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self." ~Cyril Connolly
I voted for Senator Barack Obama. I believe in his ideals about EQUALITY IN AMERICA. In his speech, he reaffirmed his steadfast commitments to equal rights for ALL -- not just for mainstream America, not just for heterosexuals, but for ALL. He stated in one of his speeches that he was running for president to build an America that lives up to our founding promise of EQUALITY FOR ALL – a promise that extends to our gay brothers and sisters as well. He further stated, and for this I really, really admire him and look up to him: It’s wrong to have millions of Americans living as second-class citizens in this nation... together we can bring about real change for all LGBT Americans. We can bring change for ALL Americans."
I was relating Barack's speech to tonight's topic about the Diversity Education Bill that touched many lives. It touched those whose lives have been impacted by hate crime. When a person becomes the target of hate crime because of their ethnicity or sexual orientation, this needs to be addressed and be seriously examined. Lawrence King, 15 years old, was fatally shot. One life ruined by hate crime. His killer, Brandon McInerney, 14 years old, will be tried as an adult, faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted, another life ruined.
Something is not working in our society. Somehow, we profess that we are religious people. We share our spirituality with others, and yet cannot accept the guy or gal next door because of their sexual orientation. Something needs to be done. And it needs to be done soon before any more life is wasted through ignorance! I hope that that are more sensible state lawmakers who will make sense out of this frightening ordeal. Young people need to become aware of these issues in our society, and help them open their eyes to understand what tolerance, diversity, and acceptance are about. They need guidance to be able to see and to be able to get out of the tunnel vision where all they see is what their biased parents taught them.
Sexual orientation is a very wrong reason to hurt someone. This is downright unjust! Violence has to stop. I believe that if there are sexual harassment laws against women, and racial and ethnic discriminations laws against minorities, there should be laws on harassment against gays and lesbians.
Having tolerance in our society is a good thing to have. But you know what is better? In my humble opinion, ACCEPTANCE is better. Isn't it that our Judeo-Christian beliefs molded us into this malleable clay where we are all supposed to obey to reach nirvana. Our religions said to love our neighbors, not to hate them because they're different, and definitely not to kill them because their sexual orientation is not like ours. When we learn to truly love one another and accept one another as what our religions teach us, only then will we be able to accept ALL human beings of ALL orientations. Only then we can call oppression by its name. And only then that we can put a stop to it. We need to stop the violence in all forms. Peace!
I dedicated these blog to my co-travelers in this mysterious journey...
- Marie Nell Bautista
- California, United States
- Hi, There! I hope you enjoy reading my website blogs. I really, really feel very humbled to share my thoughts with you. My goal is to write ideas on freedom, love, peace and compassion. If there is but one person who gets the depth and essence of the message of this website and my writings, perhaps my writings are not for naught. For preferences, I enjoy classical music, art, philosophy, and literature of all kinds, traveling around the world to see the changing scenarios and to simply enjoy life. I like learning different cultures and tasting various ethnic cuisines. These things, simple they may be, just like poetry, lift me up when my spirit is down in the dumps. I deeply believe in Our Awesome Creator, the Divine Power, the Higher Power of all the highest powers in the universe! Peace, Marie Nell
A single thought of gratitude raised to the heavens
is the most perfect prayer!
3 comments:
I was also thinking in my blog about how important it is to incorporate programs that teach tolerance in our schools. These programs provide support that might be unavailable anywhere else. What are politicians doing to prevent suicide rates among LGBT students? From what I heard in class there is some progress being made but not enough to prevent all hate crimes. Do you think Barak will change things or is he just trying to get elected?
For one thing, Senator Barack Obama believes in education. The school is the training ground for opening people's eyes when they have been closed by dogma, constructivism, religion, culture, and dictates of society.
He does not want to send another generation of American children to failing schools. I believe that he truly means what he says because he does not want that future for his daughters. He does not want that future for our children. He does not want that future for America. If you listened to his speech at the Barack Obama/Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa, November 10, 2007, he was so inspiring that I went to vote at the precint as the first voter to show up there! I believe that he can change things around for the better. I am for DIPLOMACY. He is for DIPLOMACY. So I believe he can do this. He voted straight "NO" on the war in Iraq and was totally against invading Iran. That is congruent to what I believe in. Invading other countries and killing their people does not solve our problems here. Two wrongs don't make a right.
I really like this whole message but what really stands out are 2 things: First, that it is ignorance that causes the hatred of those who are different. Sadly, it's just not an easy fix because there are so many people who have established their opinions based on relgion, upbringing, or other reasons and getting them to listen to an opposing view would be hard to do, and even if you did get through to them, it is unlikely you can change what they have believed their whole lives. I think things are getting better as for as acceptance goes but then again, living where we live we don't get the true picture of what's happening around our country. There are still many places that do not have the diversity we experience everyday and to people who live in a world where they only see others "like them", they still fear anyone who looks or acts differently. The other point you made is really great: we need acceptance of others, not just tolerance. Tolerance might be an improvement over overt dislike but until you are able to truly accept others, you aren't going to really have peace - you'll still have some sort of animosity or tension in that relationship. Everyone should be able to handle this, we're all capable right? Maybe in 50 years when all the "old timers" who promote their old school philosophies or memories of the "good ole days" of segregation and everyone "knowing their place", we'll bring about a new generation of accepting individuals. I hope I'm still around to see it!
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