“I’m getting real sick and tired of seeing all the hate themed articles make the news and not the successes of gay rights.
I’m just sick of all the hate we harbor and why we can’t see everyone as equal.”
The above comment was posted in response to Friday’s brief article that reported American Family Association spokesman Bryan Fischer’s latest diatribe — Fischer has now decided that any LGBTQ person who speaks out against intolerance, bigotry, and lack of full citizenship is uttering hate speech.
Of course, earlier in the week, he also referred LGBT equality rights activists as “Nazis.”
From my perspective as a journalist, I too wish that there were more upbeat stories to report on the lives of LGBT citizens. Stories that illustrate narratives of successful lives lived, love, adventure, most of all celebrating the fulfillment of what it means to embrace humanity in a positive way, and okay, with maybe just a touch of being fabulous.
Sadly, until the realization hits home that being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender is little more than just another variant of the species, not unlike hair color, I fear that readers who desire of cheerful news, or at least natural disasters without “homosexual themes,” are going to continue to be greatly disappointed.
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A few days ago, Darryl Morris at LGBTQ Nation wrote about his fellow — young Arizonan, Caleb Laieski — whose taken up the proverbial sword for LGBTQ rights and is roaming the halls of Congress lobbying Senators and Representatives alike to pass legislation that will assist in combating the pandemic of bullying in America’s schools against LGBTQ kids.
A side note here folks: Young Caleb now has a Change.org petition he has started regarding the Student Non-Discrimination Act, and asks that all who care to stand with him sign it here.
What I find appalling about the article is the mere fact that it was necessary to write the bloody thing in the first place.
Oh yes, it’s a positive glowing piece about an outstanding young man, a 16-year-old no less, doing an absolutely amazing and courageous job to fight for his peers in schools — but that’s the point isn’t it?
Why should a 16-year-old even find it necessary to be compelled to fly to Washington to lobby adults to protect kids from bullying that is solely due to their sexual orientation or gender identity?
Stop to consider for a moment, the reality is that Caleb’s battle is also about hate.
Caleb was forced out of his high school in Surprise, Ariz., because of hateful statements made by persons like Fischer. He’s only 16 years old folks! This kid should be still in school, thinking about dating boys, having fun with his friends, going to the local mall, maybe working part-time, choosing his college or university to attend- in other words having a normal adolescence and childhood.
He should NOT be here in D.C. lobbying a bunch of whiny politicos for common sense laws that honestly should NOT even be necessary to consider in the first place. Nope, Caleb should be touring the Smithsonian instead.
There is the naked, unvarnished truth of all of this parade of hate news t– journalists like Darryl, myself, and our colleagues, cover the Bryan Fischer, Maggie Gallagher, Tony Perkins, Peter Sprigg, Linda Harvey and “Porno” Pete LaBarbera‘s of this society because it directly affects you and the Caleb’s of American society.
(Oh, and yes, that was a salacious jab at Peter LaBarbera, however, given his track record, he’s earned the title Porno Pete.)
Actually, the list of persons like the aforementioned, and in particular Fischer, whose diatribes triggered the comment, is also populated by politicians like former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who have incorporated qay bashing as a major component of their platforms in their campaigns for President.
Not to mention a parade of others, principally Republicans, that oppose any kind of equality for persons that are LGBTQ and in some extreme cases, also those who have a different faith such as Islam.
By the way, I know that some of you most likely clicked on the link to Santorum and ran right into the number one definition according to Google search results for his name — trust me, that was intentional on my part. Again, its all about the hate.
I too am sick of it — but I am obligated to cover this seemingly never ending storm of hate to keep the public, that’s you gentle readers, informed so as to maybe effect changes so that instead of being “news,” it merely becomes a part of history.
The never ending parade of ‘hate’ in the news: A sad reality