In case you haven’t yet noticed it’s that time of year again. Winter continues its slow crawl across Middle Tennessee flip-flopping from cold to warm and back again like John Kerry on the war. Our thoughts, once occupied with the debt and excess weight that we’ve amassed over the holidays, now turn to thoughts of love as Valentine’s Day draws near. And that’s what really counts, right…the thought?
Here’s a thought for you: Valentine’s Day is a farce. That’s right. You heard me. I’ll say it again just in case you missed it. Valentine’s Day is a farce…a joke…a hollow holiday compounded with interest if you happen to be gay or lesbian. Webster’s dictionary describes a farce as “A ludicrous, empty show; a mockery.” Nothing more fits that description than this supposed holiday celebrating love.
Remember when you were a school kid and Valentine’s Day came around? Everyone in the class would bring a big box of cards and sign their names to them to be passed out to every other kid in the class. Boys gave boys as well as girls their valentines so no one was left out and girls likewise. This tradition still endures in most schools today and teaches children Valentine’s Day is about love for everyone. All people are worthy of love. It’s a very sad thing then when these same children grow up and have to come face-to-face with the reality.
It’s bad enough for those people who manage, God forbid, to be single during this time of year. But what about those who have significant others? Try and come home on V-Day with good intentions and a peck on the cheek sans flowers, candy, card, etc. and see how much the thought counts with said other. Likely, you’ll be spending the rest of the day in the cold either literally, figuratively or both!
Think about how heavily the thought of love is shoved down our throats this time of year and weigh that against what gay people have been taught about their own love.
We have long been taught what we feel is wrong, a sin against nature and God—the very same God of love in the New Testament. We are told we must hide our love in order to be accepted. We must sneak around in shadows in order not to be discovered and persecuted. We must lead lives of quiet desperation lest everyone know we harbor the love that dare not speak its name. No matter how much we love someone of the same sex it is immoral and wrong. The lesson is clear: “You are unworthy of love, gay men and lesbians.”
Gay people have gone decades being accused of deviance and promiscuity. Now they decide to move away from that image by expressing the ultimate act of love and commitment between two people in our society and are denied that expression. In Tennessee and many other states that already have laws on the books prohibiting gay marriage, there is a movement being spearheaded by the religious right to further define marriage as being exclusively between a man and a woman.The lesson again is resoundingly clear: “Even you, committed gay partners are unworthy of love.”
Just last week the City Paper reported about a gay couple who tried to enroll their child into a local private academy. Out of parental love they wanted their child to attend a respected school where they would be brought up with the values the parents hold dear. The response from this supposedly Christian school: “You are sinners on your way to Hell and because of that your child cannot attend here.” So much for the love of Christ who famously said "Let the Children come to Me and do not prevent Them; for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as These.” The lesson is further reinforced: “No love for you children of gay parents. You are unworthy even of the love of Christ.”
What about those thousands of children who go un-adopted and unloved because gay people cannot dare have love in their hearts enough to raise a child of their own? We are told children are too impressionable to be around loving, committed gay parents. They may be converted to an unhealthy, immoral lifestyle were they exposed to these deviants who dare love outside the norm. The lesson is driven home: “No love for you either. You are unworthy of love unless it is from a straight couple.”
The only way Valentine’s Day can ever mean anything real to gay people is if this country wakes up from its stupor. We must stop bowing down in fear to these pseudo- Christian zealots who know just enough about their own religion to get them sent to Hell. We must start allowing everyone to love in the way that their heart—nay, their very being—dictates. We must realize that all people regardless of their sexual orientation are worthy of love. Only then will the lessons taught children in school by the mass giving of Valentine’s Day cards match up with the lessons of reality. Only then will love finally win the day.
Here’s a thought for you: Valentine’s Day is a farce. That’s right. You heard me. I’ll say it again just in case you missed it. Valentine’s Day is a farce…a joke…a hollow holiday compounded with interest if you happen to be gay or lesbian. Webster’s dictionary describes a farce as “A ludicrous, empty show; a mockery.” Nothing more fits that description than this supposed holiday celebrating love.
Remember when you were a school kid and Valentine’s Day came around? Everyone in the class would bring a big box of cards and sign their names to them to be passed out to every other kid in the class. Boys gave boys as well as girls their valentines so no one was left out and girls likewise. This tradition still endures in most schools today and teaches children Valentine’s Day is about love for everyone. All people are worthy of love. It’s a very sad thing then when these same children grow up and have to come face-to-face with the reality.
It’s bad enough for those people who manage, God forbid, to be single during this time of year. But what about those who have significant others? Try and come home on V-Day with good intentions and a peck on the cheek sans flowers, candy, card, etc. and see how much the thought counts with said other. Likely, you’ll be spending the rest of the day in the cold either literally, figuratively or both!
Think about how heavily the thought of love is shoved down our throats this time of year and weigh that against what gay people have been taught about their own love.
We have long been taught what we feel is wrong, a sin against nature and God—the very same God of love in the New Testament. We are told we must hide our love in order to be accepted. We must sneak around in shadows in order not to be discovered and persecuted. We must lead lives of quiet desperation lest everyone know we harbor the love that dare not speak its name. No matter how much we love someone of the same sex it is immoral and wrong. The lesson is clear: “You are unworthy of love, gay men and lesbians.”
Gay people have gone decades being accused of deviance and promiscuity. Now they decide to move away from that image by expressing the ultimate act of love and commitment between two people in our society and are denied that expression. In Tennessee and many other states that already have laws on the books prohibiting gay marriage, there is a movement being spearheaded by the religious right to further define marriage as being exclusively between a man and a woman.The lesson again is resoundingly clear: “Even you, committed gay partners are unworthy of love.”
Just last week the City Paper reported about a gay couple who tried to enroll their child into a local private academy. Out of parental love they wanted their child to attend a respected school where they would be brought up with the values the parents hold dear. The response from this supposedly Christian school: “You are sinners on your way to Hell and because of that your child cannot attend here.” So much for the love of Christ who famously said "Let the Children come to Me and do not prevent Them; for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as These.” The lesson is further reinforced: “No love for you children of gay parents. You are unworthy even of the love of Christ.”
What about those thousands of children who go un-adopted and unloved because gay people cannot dare have love in their hearts enough to raise a child of their own? We are told children are too impressionable to be around loving, committed gay parents. They may be converted to an unhealthy, immoral lifestyle were they exposed to these deviants who dare love outside the norm. The lesson is driven home: “No love for you either. You are unworthy of love unless it is from a straight couple.”
The only way Valentine’s Day can ever mean anything real to gay people is if this country wakes up from its stupor. We must stop bowing down in fear to these pseudo- Christian zealots who know just enough about their own religion to get them sent to Hell. We must start allowing everyone to love in the way that their heart—nay, their very being—dictates. We must realize that all people regardless of their sexual orientation are worthy of love. Only then will the lessons taught children in school by the mass giving of Valentine’s Day cards match up with the lessons of reality. Only then will love finally win the day.
posted by:
|
Nashville
|
