Thought the new year moved civilization forward, toward more compassion, mindfulness, and understanding? Headlines from this week demand we rethink how those in Connecticut view ourselves.
First, we have two examples of blaming a murder victim for his death. The Republican American headline reads:
In the rehashed version of the story published by the Courant, the title remained equally distasteful:
Words matter.
Headlines are first impressions and frame the story. The message here is not that the person who brutally murdered another is to blame, but that the victim’s alleged sexual advance triggered this. The headlines announce that a perceived or real advance is the cause, not someone’s homophobia.
Then, when we wonder what kind of climate would permit such crime and thoughtless use of language to describe it, we gain some answers by reading about compassion in sheep’s clothing,a program that claims to support gays and lesbians in the Catholic community, just so long as they actively deny a part of themselves that heterosexuals are permitted to explore by the same Church.
2012: gays and lesbians still treated as separate and unequal.
Tom
To be fair, the Church also frowns on “exploring” by straight people. Only thing allowed is conjugal relations w/o birth control. Everything else is just as verboten as gay activity. It’s just way easier to turn a blind eye to. Which they do. A lot.
Kerri Provost
Thanks for commenting. You nailed it.
Richard
Of course they turn a blind eye to it, the straights rule, Right!
As an out revolutionary queer I don’t give one rats butt what the catholic church says or does but this is messing with our people pure and simple. As they always have. Pity any gay person that is so under the thumb of superstition brought to the world by this immoral falsehood that he or she would submit to anything these folks say or do.
How in the world are they able to carry their baggage into this century still amazes me. Though I am no Stalinist I know one thing, old Joe had it right about churches.
Remember Queers everywhere the lessons of our own history,the lesson of Stonewall, when we are under attack, we stood up and fought back! QUEERS RIP OFF THE STRAIGHT JACKETS!! OUT FROM UNDER THE THUMB OF ANY CHURCH MEDDLING IN OUR LIVES!