Suppose, in California, enough signatures are gathered to put up a proposition saying that some guy named Bob can't wear a particular hawaiian shirt any more. Most people either don't know Bob, or do know him and think that the shirt is garish. Bob votes against it, because he likes his shirt, it's comfortable and reminds him of a fun vacation, but he has trouble even convincing his friends to vote his way. So the vote goes heavily in favor of this prop. Now it's California law, Bob can't wear that shirt any more, even though wearing it didn't harm anyone, and Bob is left wondering, why did the people get to vote on what shirt I wear?
Well, the people have spoken, and that's that. Even though most of them don't know Bob, wouldn't even recognize him if they rode a bus with him, they voted on his rights and now it's the law.
Yes, I realize this is ridiculous as far as analogies go. It's ridiculous for (at least) two reasons:
1. Californians don't get to vote on other people's fashion choices, although perhaps they should, because that would probably be considered too frivolous.
2. Homosexuality, unlike shirt selection, is not a choice that gets made every morning.
Well, we are fighting a war in California over shirts, and so far we are making some progress. What was amended to the California Constitution was again found to be unconstitutional. But now they are appealing again, with more money, that could have I don't know gone to charity...but no, they are going to tell us how we should think, act and dress. If Meg Whitman get's elected to Governor, "a major contributor" against our cause, God help us every one!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Though the "one's against us" don't know the half of it. As I browse through CL seeing ads for those who continue to have unsafe activities, physically hurting each other, demeaning each other, poisoning their bodies with chemicals, and advertising that they want more of this with seemingly no limits, what am I/We fighting for, and it really worth the effort if these people don't care? I am not trying to be the judge and jury here, but if all the rest would wake up, and take care of themselves and others, rather than thinking only of themselves in the moment...
Is Chivalry and Gallantry truly dead?
Well, one, heterosexual people engage in the same sorts of activities you describe. Arguably worse. They're much more likely to murder each other than we are.
ReplyDeleteSelf-destructive behavior has its roots in self-loathing, and gay self-loathing often has its roots in the struggle for acceptance. By this reasoning, the fight for equality, beginning with marriage equality, may turn out to be at least part of the solution to the behavior you find distressing within the gay community.
Obviously I don't look at the quote-unquote hetro section.
ReplyDeleteSeems there are many ads in the M4M areas from those who claim they are So-Str8 and looking for the same things gay men are, while still claiming to be 100% Hetro.
Since it seems the Gay Community starts out a bit more dysfunctional (at birth, growing up, being acceptance, loathed, hated etc.) than the rest, I would think many of us would be more prone to go off the deep end as it were.