Letters to the Editor
PoodlePlay
Published Letters: 180 Editor's Choice: 6
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More Mist for the Grill
[Read the article: Who's afraid of the big bad gay marriage amendment?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Hi, all-
**Warning- long rambling insomniac stream-of-conciousness follows..**
The speciousness of the "Gay Marriage Debate" has been well-articulated my others already, far more eloquently than I could have done. So now what?
One of the many reasons why the GOP came to power was their ability to see a vacuum forming in the so-called "heartland" as the Democrats started to abandon their traditional populist working-class base. Hey, it happened, no need to agonize about what happened in the past, because we all make mistakes, but...
There is another vacuum forming in the same place, as the pendulum swings the other way- one that progressives ignore at their own peril, as the present incarnation of the GOP is falling rapidly out-of-favor with heartlanders.
Just as an aside- I am a birthright liberal, born, raised and living still in NY. Fortunately, for my sanity, most of my business travel takes me deep into "fly-over" country. Over time, as I met and spent more and more time amongst these people, it has become clear to me that most folks just want to make a living, support their families, and live their lives. I say "fortunately for my sanity" because I hear lots (and I do mean lots) of folks being openly vocal for their disdain of this current administration, and of the Idiot-in-chief, in particular. Big surprise, since Heartlanders, 1. Have a long tradition of military service with honor, fearing for their kids, friends and family serving in Iraq, and 2. Many highly skilled tradespeople who used to make good livings have been reduced to crappy service jobs as the manufacturing infrastructure of this country is sold to the Third World. Belive me, these people know what time it is.
Just as fortunately for my sanity, is that there are lots and lots of "good Christian folk" who read, understand, and try to live the true teachings of Jesus (you know, "That which you do unto the least of them, you do also unto me" and the like). These folks are uncomfortable, if not downright disgusted by the very vocal minority of frothing ultra-right wing religionists who have pretty much managed to define what a "good Christian" should be in our popular conciousness.
These same folks, however, are just as (perhaps more so) offended by snooty, dismissive attitudes towards their chosen faith by certain elements of the left.
(By the way, I am also a devout Unitarian Universalist, and it pains me to see how many of my fellow congregants are openly hostile to the concept of Christianity, precisely as a result of morons like Falwell, Robertson, etc.)
So here is the opportunity, and our great hope. Forget about the fringes. Trust that there are Christians and other people of faith who are trying to do the right thing. Embrace them, welcome them, and most importantly, listen to them and include them. Why? because there are lots and lots and lots of them, they hunger to be heard and validated, and they can help progressive causes. They used to be our base, remember? Time to welcome them back home.
The idea is to give this group of Christians an alternative, NOT simply dismissing them by tarring them with the same brush (the brush that Falwell & Co. so richly deserve). What was that thing about Babies and Bathwater, again?
Not so easy, I know. In my younger days, (I came of age in the 70's) I had no use for religion, especially Christianity, since the most visible ones at the time were cultish Christian "Pod People." Too bad for me, I knew nothing of many very hard-working, progressive (and dare I even say, liberal)Christians doing good works and fighting for peace and social justice in the world.
I say this, as a Gay man, with a straight face- oh yeah- did I forget to mention that, too?
Listen, I know many Christians are uncomfortable with the idea of homosexuality, but I have no problem with "hate the sin and love the sinner." Besides, some don't even see it as a sin. I know plenty of Gay Christians, too! Lots of these folks, after all, love their gay family members. Sure, there are aggressively hostile bigots, too- but Christians have no monopoly on homophobia. Besides, there are more than enough good folks who can be reached.
There is hope for the Heartlander, the Christian to find a voice in the progressive movement. It's really up to the Democratic leadership to take a deep breath, and jump right in and find more ways to connect with these folks. At the same time, it could only help my fellow "Latte-Drinking, Fancy-Pants Urban Coastal Blue-State Lib'ruls" to do the same. You don't have to go to Church, just recognize their humanity. You might even learn something.
That's all, Folks!
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George Carlin said it best...
[Read the article: Ask the pilot]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"Airline Security is nothing more than an elaborate charade designed to make White People feel good."
-A Freaquey Flier