----------------------
(The overwrought reaction of the Left to the arrival of a handful of Westboro protesters in Bozeman is interesting to watch. The Westboro people are nobodies. Offensive, yes. Wrong, of course. Dangerous, maybe. Important, absolutely not. But they've gained a lot of press through their demonstrations. The Perpetually Offended Left pays them a lot of attention, which gains them visibility and power way beyond what they should have.
The only reason I can see that the Westboro people are continually played up is because they are useful whipping boys for the Leftist agenda. Leftists can point at them and say, "See, hate/racism/intolerance/evil is still alive and well in America. We need more laws!" As a result, we get more and more legislated [that is, legally forced] "tolerance."
It's a peculiar breed of "tolerance." Any deviation from the prescriptions and proscriptions is met with hysterical putdown. There is no room for diversity from those who are Diverse. Everyone must toe the line, no dissent, no variation, no independent thought.
Don't mistake me, I'm not defending the ideas of Westboro. Frankly, I'm not even defending their free speech rights. But I understand the root of their anger. No one likes to be told what they must believe or how they must conduct themselves. They have their beliefs, and though I don't like those beliefs, it does not mean they are invalid. But I'm not even suggesting that we should look for merit in them. My point is that they're not crazies simply because the hysterical Left disagrees with them.
Most people are not bigots. In fact, very few are. Most people really don't care what other people do in the privacy of their own bedrooms. Most people haven't got a hate agenda. Most people just want to live their lives and not be told they are intolerant simply because they don't dot every "I" and cross every "T" of the gay agenda.
The gay agenda is a shoutdown offensive. No matter how small the infraction, it is met with vociferous cat calls and character assassination. Most people will think twice before daring to open their mouths again if this is the price they pay.
The below editorial makes all the right noises for the Tolerant Ones. It casts all LGBTs as victims, literally injured by the piddly little Westboro protest. I certainly have sympathy for people who have been abused or mistreated, but I am not willing to assume that someone's speech can effect such automatic, lasting scars upon a whole class of people. I think they doth protest too much, and are simply looking for reasons to be offended.
The author does note that the protest isn't the issue, the LGBT agenda is the issue. But she probably says a little too much. Showing her hand, she writes, "Right here, right now in Bozeman, people are working on an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance to protect people from discrimination in employment, housing and when patronizing local businesses." Here is the problem with this. These people do not like choice. They do not like voluntary association. They don't like people having their own tastes, preferences, or convictions, especially if those convictions are religious.
They insist that people just shut up about these things. If you don't like it, they will bring the force of law to bear against you. They cannot tolerate the idea that people will make choices that vary from their own. They will expect you to do exactly what they say, no matter what your own preference is.
The thing is, I am sympathetic towards parts of the gay agenda. But this is anti-intellectual and anti-freedom.
-----------------------
By now most people in Bozeman, and many across Montana, are aware that the Westboro Baptist Church is bringing its hateful and hurtful anti-gay picket to Bozeman on Monday.
Their plan is to picket at Montana State University and at Bozeman High School. And many citizens who oppose their views are ready to counter-protest.
It’s always good to stand up publicly and denounce hate. While the Westboro Baptist Church has a First Amendment right to picket peacefully, we also have a responsibility to speak up for the people that church attacks with its message. We must support lesbian, gay and transgender people in Bozeman, across Montana and across the nation.
But the truth is that protesting the Westboro Baptists isn’t the most productive way to do that. There is a lot more positive work on LGBT rights that needs people in Bozeman and across the state to get behind it. Supporting work on nondiscrimination ordinances and relationship recognition matters much more to our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender family, friends and neighbors than shouting at a handful of out-of-state hate spreaders.
Right here, right now in Bozeman, people are working on an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance to protect people from discrimination in employment, housing and when patronizing local businesses. No one should be discriminated against simply for being who they are. Similar efforts are underway in Butte and Billings.
And the ACLU of Montana continues to press forward with its lawsuit to win legal protections in Montana for loving, committed same-sex couples. Signing the statement of support and talking to friends and relatives about the importance of making sure these couples can care for one another is vitally important. Three of the plaintiff couples in that lawsuit live in or near Bozeman.
My hope is that people don’t focus on the sideshow that Westboro Baptist is bringing to town and then forget all the other work for fairness once they foldup and go home.
It’s more productive to focus on the positive work going on in Montana. I urge people in Bozeman to put their energy behind ensuring passage of the nondiscrimination ordinance and supporting same-sex couples’ efforts to win legal recognition in Montana. You can find out more about these efforts and what you can do to help at FairIsFair-Montana.org.
Liz Welch is the LGBT advocacy coordinator for the ACLU of Montana. She lives in Helena.
It's a peculiar breed of "tolerance." Any deviation from the prescriptions and proscriptions is met with hysterical putdown. There is no room for diversity from those who are Diverse. Everyone must toe the line, no dissent, no variation, no independent thought.
Don't mistake me, I'm not defending the ideas of Westboro. Frankly, I'm not even defending their free speech rights. But I understand the root of their anger. No one likes to be told what they must believe or how they must conduct themselves. They have their beliefs, and though I don't like those beliefs, it does not mean they are invalid. But I'm not even suggesting that we should look for merit in them. My point is that they're not crazies simply because the hysterical Left disagrees with them.
Most people are not bigots. In fact, very few are. Most people really don't care what other people do in the privacy of their own bedrooms. Most people haven't got a hate agenda. Most people just want to live their lives and not be told they are intolerant simply because they don't dot every "I" and cross every "T" of the gay agenda.
The gay agenda is a shoutdown offensive. No matter how small the infraction, it is met with vociferous cat calls and character assassination. Most people will think twice before daring to open their mouths again if this is the price they pay.
The below editorial makes all the right noises for the Tolerant Ones. It casts all LGBTs as victims, literally injured by the piddly little Westboro protest. I certainly have sympathy for people who have been abused or mistreated, but I am not willing to assume that someone's speech can effect such automatic, lasting scars upon a whole class of people. I think they doth protest too much, and are simply looking for reasons to be offended.
The author does note that the protest isn't the issue, the LGBT agenda is the issue. But she probably says a little too much. Showing her hand, she writes, "Right here, right now in Bozeman, people are working on an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance to protect people from discrimination in employment, housing and when patronizing local businesses." Here is the problem with this. These people do not like choice. They do not like voluntary association. They don't like people having their own tastes, preferences, or convictions, especially if those convictions are religious.
They insist that people just shut up about these things. If you don't like it, they will bring the force of law to bear against you. They cannot tolerate the idea that people will make choices that vary from their own. They will expect you to do exactly what they say, no matter what your own preference is.
The thing is, I am sympathetic towards parts of the gay agenda. But this is anti-intellectual and anti-freedom.
-----------------------
By now most people in Bozeman, and many across Montana, are aware that the Westboro Baptist Church is bringing its hateful and hurtful anti-gay picket to Bozeman on Monday.
Their plan is to picket at Montana State University and at Bozeman High School. And many citizens who oppose their views are ready to counter-protest.
It’s always good to stand up publicly and denounce hate. While the Westboro Baptist Church has a First Amendment right to picket peacefully, we also have a responsibility to speak up for the people that church attacks with its message. We must support lesbian, gay and transgender people in Bozeman, across Montana and across the nation.
But the truth is that protesting the Westboro Baptists isn’t the most productive way to do that. There is a lot more positive work on LGBT rights that needs people in Bozeman and across the state to get behind it. Supporting work on nondiscrimination ordinances and relationship recognition matters much more to our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender family, friends and neighbors than shouting at a handful of out-of-state hate spreaders.
Right here, right now in Bozeman, people are working on an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance to protect people from discrimination in employment, housing and when patronizing local businesses. No one should be discriminated against simply for being who they are. Similar efforts are underway in Butte and Billings.
And the ACLU of Montana continues to press forward with its lawsuit to win legal protections in Montana for loving, committed same-sex couples. Signing the statement of support and talking to friends and relatives about the importance of making sure these couples can care for one another is vitally important. Three of the plaintiff couples in that lawsuit live in or near Bozeman.
My hope is that people don’t focus on the sideshow that Westboro Baptist is bringing to town and then forget all the other work for fairness once they foldup and go home.
It’s more productive to focus on the positive work going on in Montana. I urge people in Bozeman to put their energy behind ensuring passage of the nondiscrimination ordinance and supporting same-sex couples’ efforts to win legal recognition in Montana. You can find out more about these efforts and what you can do to help at FairIsFair-Montana.org.
Liz Welch is the LGBT advocacy coordinator for the ACLU of Montana. She lives in Helena.
No comments:
Post a Comment