Thursday, May 26, 2011

ignorance is bliss

... or at least it is for the unaware, unconscious, uncouth and unenlightened.
Yesterday at work a group of employees in another department started holding forth at a volume hard to ignore. Their topic for the day was unbelievably uneducated opinions about religion and the rapture. I just sat there shaking my head. For two reasons. One, generally talking about religion in the secular workplace is a no-no. Two, I have never heard such wacky opinions about "the rapture." Understandably this was a popular topic after that guy mispronounced the "rapture and end of the world" last Saturday (of course, now that it did not come true, he has changed is date). But, I had to let it go because, unlike the kids in that department, the adults in my department had work to do and interventions to make.
Then today at work the same employees in that other department started loudly expressing their misinformed and misguided opinions about gay people as "fact." Some of the low-lights included: "people are gay as a result of their environment," and "I know there are a lot of kids that need homes but gays shouldn't adopt." My ire was a rising... especially compounded after yesterday. I could not believe that such ignorance is still so pervasive... especially among the under 30 crowd. (This group has also offered their toxic teachings on political party issues and abortion -- doesn't seem to just be an isolated incident or two).
Again, I had too much work to perform to attempt an intervention with those half dozen people in an attempt to enlighten and edify them. I did, however, let the management know that a group of employees were creating a "hostile work environment" with their bullhorn level discussions on loaded topics. We'll have to see what happens. 
To quote a line from one of my favorite movies: "morons, your bus is leaving!" Follow the arrow to escort the ignorance out of the building. 


 religion-and-politics
 gay-life
 politics
 same-sex-relationships

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

If there was a "hell no" button

14th amendment to the constitution:

"No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.


Minnesota is not the 1st State in the Union to attempt to write discrimination into their State Constitution. I am intrigued by this speech by the St. Rep. in the above video. But it would seem that his approach to this topic would be in the minority. (Especially since the MN. House did pass the bill). 

Voters in 28 states have approved constitutional amendments or initiatives that define marriage as "the union of a man and a woman." Has any political figure, or voter, in any of those 28 States read the quote at the beginning of this post from the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the USA?

The next clip is quite telling about what matters, in the end, when it comes to equality for all people in the USA. LGBT individuals are good enough to fight for our freedoms all over the world, but not good enough to deserve full and equal protection of the laws in America? If only there was a "hell no" button.



 religion-and-politics
 gay-life
 politics
 same-sex-relationships

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

We're Here - We're Queer...



"You know keeping people from saying the word 'gay' is not really going to keep people from being gay. Being Gay isn't like Beetlejuice -- if you say it out loud too many times, you're gay." Jon Stewart

That's just one humorous quote from Stewart's recent segment on The Daily Show covering a measure seeking to prohibit teaching discussion of homosexuality in schools.


 same-sex-relationships
 gay-life
 lgbt
 GLBT

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Questions for heterosexuals

A while back I ran across some very excellent questions crafted by Lindsey at *! [emphatic asterisk].
Seems like a good day to share these again.
These questions turn the tables on heterosexual friends, family, church members who so often expect homosexual individuals to explain their “lifestyle.”
Here are some of her questions: (read the entire post here)
  1. How long have you known you’re heterosexual?
  2. Why do you feel the need to behave in ways that reinforce negative heterosexual stereotypes?
  3. Why do you allow your heterosexuality to affect so much of your life?
  4. Must you really behave (or dress) in a way that flaunts your heterosexuality (or makes it so hard to ignore)?
  5. How did the people in your life react when they realized you are attracted to the opposite sex?
  6. Does the fact you’re a heterosexual make family events awkward?
  7. Does your church know that you’re heterosexual?
  8. Are you ever attracted to the same sex, maybe just a little?
  9. Don’t you ever wonder if you might be mistaken about your sexuality?
Contrary to the evidently popular belief, it is possible to be gay and Christian, or gay and a good sibling, wife, mother, daughter -- or gay-friendly and a good citizen, etc.

 gay-christians
 sexuality-and-spirituality
 glbtq-christians
 GLBT
 lgbt

Monday, May 2, 2011

Up in the air

My first post from 30,000 feet. Wonder what took the airlines so long to allow WiFi on flights? It's a money maker and keeps folks busy.
What a day. I woke up to this news. I did a double take of the TV at first, I am not sure I thought anyone would ever find Bin Laden (except of course all the camera men who taped his threatening TV messages).
Weird day to be flying. Although no one at the airports or on the planes really seemed to give much attention to the big news. Hmm...