Hello Friends,
I was just perusing "The Price of Hate", a blog I link to via Billy Lucas's shoes picture. I was watching a video there, specifically this story: http://thepriceofhate.blogspot.com/2010/11/aiden-rivera-schaeff.html and I began to think on not only the price of hate, as the blog title mentions, but the manner in which the focus and source of hate seems to be changing. And, it all stemmed from the vid in which Ava said "no one seemed to care" that this wonderful young man had become so desperate to escape the hate that he chose suicide.
Politicians were typically known for not wishing to alienate any group lest they lose whatever votes could come from that group. Lately, things sure seem to be changing. And, I wonder if this change is not so much due to the politician, or the people he is trying to persuade to vote for him. One thing that has really stood out over the last three years: there are a whole lot of people who see President Obama first and foremost as a black man in the White House and feel a great deal of offense at this. I heard a joke the other day that Air Force One now has curb feelers and spinners. I thought what would be funny is for the President to embrace these jokes and do just that, but too many wouldn't get the joke.
Another form of hate that is blatant, and yet hidden in the "focus on the family" bullshit, is the DOMA and other such prejudiced rants. To blame the gay community for the downgrade of America seems to place a great deal of power in the hands of a fairly outcast group. As an adult, struggling with my own "ok'ness", this has been felt. I cannot imagine the manner in which the teens deal with it. For that matter, perhaps better.
So, here we are, an America of the Free, as long as you are hetero christian. The funny thing is, the phrase "yearning to be free..." seems to have no impact on how some will treat others in their own bid to express thier "freedom", including the institutionalized and politicized prejudice and bondage of those that don't fall into lockstep with their same vision of "freedom".
So, for the record, you republicans and tea baggers: you aren't fooling God. Stop the hate in His name.
4 comments:
Hello Randy
With all due respect, I think you missed two adjectives in those who seem to believe themselves to be the ones worthy of the freedom of 'The Land of the Free' - white, male, hetero christian. Free to be like us, or else to live a life of servitude, or even be killed, if you're anything different.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B
Hi Sammy;
You certainly do detail the way in which our country seems to have been behaving. Between the Native peoples, the slaves. A sad testimonial.
Thank you for the imput.
randy.
Acceptance... acceptably... acceptableness... unacceptable...
These words all mean different things to me, but they all have the same root meaning to me. Do I like me, and do I like you. How much do I like me, how much do I like you.
The problem becomes when you give others, or they take the power from you, to decide each of those.
It then becomes, how much do they like me, and how much should I like them.
Young people learn early the values in the second, and rarely the values in the first of these paragraphs.
Adults such as myself have to come to a point where I like myself so much, comfortable where I am at int he universe , that the question never becomes, "how much do they like me"
I am a nearly 50 yr old gay man, with a rather bulging middle and graying hair. I don't run as fast as I use to , and I tend to like more comfortable things now, but I really like me. Not in a prideful way, but as some one who is happy to be me. I work each day to be a little better, a little smarter, and a lot more compassionate. I work a very little on being healthier, and enjoy the meals and times with friends. If I could change who I am, I wouldn't. I like me, and I think me is a rather nice guy.
Once I reached that point, hating anyone else became more than wrong, but almost impossible. I saw people in a new light, and I found I look at people as ...people. Each with their own faults and each with their own greatness. Each was ...like me. I have my faults, and I do somethings really well. It followed if I wanted to be forgiven, shouldn't I forgive. If I wanted to have others be nice to me, shouldn't I be nice to EVERYONE no matter how they start with me.
Hugs to all. Randy you sure do have a way of making us think. Thanks. Hugs Scottie
Thank you, Scottie;
And thank you for your insight. As I was reading your comment, I thought for a moment about proselytizing, and how the two largest religions, and the two most apt to do so, can't get along but both are willing, demanding even, to tell everyone how we should live.
In such, many of the things that you outline as being needful and healthy for you are only given lip service all too often.
As an aside, I've grown and am starting to really like myself and my life. Accepting who we are is the first step. Being told who we are doesn't help, it only causes a person to compare and contrast what he's told with what he feels. And, since I find that I like me more, as you mentioned, I find that I like other people more as well. Go figure, huh. Maybe now we know the trouble these haters are having?
Many hugs;
randy.
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