I am happy to say I finally finished my Kos diary yesterday about rehoming animals in this economic environment. If you know of someone (neighbor or friend) that must rehome their cats or dogs, please refer them here. It is long and perhaps boring for those that don't need the help, but for those that do, it may actually help them.
Animal diaries don't do very well at Kos, so I was very pleased that I did and make it to the top 16 for the day. Amazing, really.
*****
As you readers know, I was highly critical of VP candidate Palin. And for very good reason. Since the election, I just don't post on her name because, frankly, she is not news in the real non-MSM world. She has nothing to say worth writing about. Pretty simple.
Interestingly, some don't agree and with recent news stories suggesting that her Wasilla church was arson torched (the department says it is suspicious, so I don't really know if that means arson, or "suspicious"--two very different and distinct words), the universe of Palin has been (pardon the pun) ablaze. I have recieved over 125 Google news references on this in the last 36 hours.
The photo that you just can't miss here (with some nutcase holding some kind of weapon) seems to represent what I think of as an obviously mentally unhealthy pro-Palin supporter who writes, "You people know who you are and you're scum. Come to my door , church or neighborhood with that crap and you'll get this ...........what you deserve...." [sic]
Why do I bother with even writing about this? Because here is the prologue, in part:
Title of the blog piece: "Lunatic Libs or Gay Gestapo Torch Palin Church, Gone Too Far This Time"
And, the first line reads: "It's an absolute fact that members of one or both groups mentioned above are entirely responsible for this arson and while we're at it add the MSM and even SNL's Tina Fey in as accomplices for drumming up such unnecessary hatred for Palin and her family in this past election season so irresponsibly, all to help guarantee their Messiah would win the election."
Sheesh.
And this isn't the only piece, by any means, blaming the gay community for this supposed arson which is, of course, like blaming all whites for nutso Timmothy McVeigh. The difference is, however, that the lgbt community is already suffering under the hand of violence having done absolutely nothing other than being.
The reason for this linkage is the "pray the gay away" nonsense that Palin's church, an Assemblies of God church, sponsored in, I believe, September. That said, why not accuse wiccans? After all, Palin's church had a witch hunter come and pray the witches away. Or why not the Jews? The same church did have, in fact, a predatory anti-Jewish group welcomed into their sanctuary which caused many Jewish groups to issue statements on the matter.
Gay is the enemy of the day. The scapegoat now, as we all know.
I am sure the Wall Street debacle in its glory is all the fault of the lgbt community. And the auto workers? Absolutely. It's the fault of the lgbt community. It had nothing to do with bad decisions and bloated management. AIG? All those gays buying houses. Citibank? Once again, all those gays. Recent ice storms in Massachusetts? Yep, the gays. My broken dinner plate? The gays.
But, in reality, it says way more than that.
There is a saying that goes like this:
First they ignore you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they fight you.
Then you win.
And that, my friends, is where we are. We are at the 'fight you' stage and the next one is 'win'.
For those of us not gay, but strong community supporters, it is a time that we must really re-involve ourselves. Sure, there is no "gay vote" on the ballot next week or month. Maybe there are or are not Yuletide protests (if there are, please go!). But there is work to be done in supporting and networking with our friends and it doesn't stop because of the holidays. And it doesn't stop because the CA Supreme Court is mindbending over the issue.
There is the White Knot project. Something really easy to do, and an inexpensive way to personally get the word out to others, yourself. You can hand them out attached to flyers. You can use them as Christmas bows, with an explanatory note.
They are to be worn. They are to be seen.
Those of us committed to our friends--and strangers--lgbt, and to the concept of equal rights, don't need a "day" or "protest" event to help. I think it is incumbent upon us to BE and LIVE that concept and support.
Just as a thought, how many of you have written your Bishops to tell them what is on your mind or to our beloved ++Katherine?
If your diocese, as mine, is progressive on the issue, have you written to thank and support them?
What have you done in your church to support the issue? Have you had talks or discussions or???
And what have you done in your community? Even just in your neighborhood?
This is not just about who lgbt people "are", this is also about who WE straights are. It's about our willingness to take the reins and move people on the issue towards understanding. It's about asking people to stand with us for equal rights for our friends and family members and for those we do not know.
I am sending out a Christmas card this year with a white knot in it and a Christmas blessing for ALL people. Some may not speak to me again, and some may send me bad tidings and some will smile. I will know them by their fruits. The hardest one to send will be to my LDS neighbors who I love and adore as friends and who I know for a fact (looked it up on the donation site) donated to the yes on 8 campaign which made me so very sad. The "he" of the family is an elder in his ward. I have known them for two decades.
Won't you join me in making a statement at this time of year, the season of peace and love, in asking for what Christ himself came to stand for?
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