Defending Tradition The Bigot’s Way
Defending traditional practices is and of itself nothing that warrants the label of bigotry or narrow mindedness. However, the defense of traditional practices that are steeped in prejudices and discrimination by the segregation from, or exclusion of, people who may think differently from traditional ways of thinking can be considered bigotry and narrow mindedness.
Case in point, a person can say that they believe that the traditional concept of marriage is where a man and a woman are joined together and their union is endorsed by some state government is perfectly understandable. But when someone says that the only form of marriage is the one where there is a man and a woman and same sex unions should never be recognized as marriage and should never enjoy the rights and benefits of being recognized by the state is something different. These people want to take their traditional way of thinking and mandate the imposition of their concepts on others. These people will work hard to pass laws that bar homosexual couples from being recognized by the state. This type of behavior is no longer a defense of the traditional way of thinking but an attack on the unorthodox.
Social conservatives see the mere existence of the unconventional as a threat to their way of life. It is pretty much a given when laws designed to illegalize homosexual marriage as the Defense of Marriage Act. The title of such a law rings of oxymoronic concepts like peacekeeper missiles and compassionate conservatism. And when the narrow mindedness of such regressive thinking is called out to the public, these über social conservatives want to pretend that they are the ones who are being unfairly harassed.
An attack on the traditional concept of marriage would be someone coming out of the woodwork and saying that the union of a man and a woman cannot be recognized. To tolerate such a union would be an attack against the very foundation of all that is unorthodox. But nobody is making such a blatant statement. However, such a decree would be the equivalent of the mindset of the conservative.
Some social conservatives are so ingrained with religious fervor that they actually believe that to tolerate people who so openly embrace their homosexuality is to openly invite the wrath of the Supreme Being. Such silly superstition ranks right up there with the island people who throw virgins into the loving arms of lava to appease the volcano gods. Now that we know a little bit more about the cause and affect of volcanic eruptions we know that throwing the young maiden into the lava was tantamount to community sanctioned murder.
The mere existence of something is not an attack on something else. It is when we put what we believe as the driving principle that guides our actions instead of depending on that which we see. To say that same sex marriages are bad for the community simply because we believe they are bad without any real evidence to support such a contention is classic bigotry. To judge other people as unworthy simply because they think differently from us is classic narrow mindedness.
The subject here is the traditional thinkers who want to use their right to free speech to infringe on the rights of their philosophical opponents. But the same is true to anyone who thinks people who simply have a different way of seeing the world are not entitled to the same rights. Denying people the right to marry because of their sexual orientation serves no real purpose other than to foster hate. Denying people the right to housing, employment or any of the things that we should be able to take for granted simply because they don’t fit our personal definition of right and wrong is wrong.
Make no mistake in what I’m trying to say. Everyone is entitled to their beliefs. People might believe that homosexuals should not be allowed to marry because it might be an affront to their religious beliefs. And if that’s true then those same people should believe that those homosexuals have to face whatever judgment awaits them in the hereafter. If homosexuals believed that people who practiced opposite unions were an insult to all that is holy then they are more than welcome to believe what they want as well. A mutual respect for each other despite our beliefs is the key to social harmony.
But it is when we put narrow minded beliefs of intolerance into narrow minded actions of intolerance that we start to become too big a bigot for our own good. For me to say that you don’t deserve what I have simply because you are different than me simply doesn’t work. Conversely, you shouldn’t be so quick to put me down as well. Despite all our different beliefs we should be able to mutually exist as equals.
Quick Notes 200911
Friday, November 27, 2009
Black Friday
Must be the day after Thanksgiving!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Sesame Street Thanksgiving
At least some of us will have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Gone On Vacation
The picture of somebody fishing has become the symbol of going on vacation. I’ll be gone for the next week. The closest I’ll come to fishing is buying a slab of salmon at the market. But you get my drift.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Healthcare Reform Takes Another Step
The Senate votes to send the healthcare reform to the full Senate for debate. Just one more step on this long road.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Television’s Biggest Diva Calls It Quits
Television’s biggest diva, Oprah, is calling it quits after twenty five years on the air. Long overdue if you ask me.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Happy Belated Birthday FireFox!
November 9th was FireFox’s fifth birthday!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Healthcare One Step Closer
Senator Harry Reid announces a major compromise last night in the Senate making healthcare reform an even closer possibility.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
President Obama In China
President Barack Obama can’t be seen too close to the black community lest he looks like he’s trying to be the president of the black community. I guess there’s no problem with him looking like he’s trying to be the president of China.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
GM Losses
GM reports a loss of one point two billion dollars. But GM officials say that that’s a good thing because it was expected to do even worse. If I lose a five dollar bill I’m pissed!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Lou Dobbs Quits CNN
With his conservative views it’s only a matter of time before Lou Dobbs winds up on FOX News.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Carrie Prejean Walks Off Larry King
Former Miss California Carrie Prejean threatens to walk off Larry King Live after she accused him for being inappropriate for asking the question why she agreed to a settlement with the Miss California USA pageant.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
John Allen Muhammad Executed
Sniper John Allen Muhammad was killed by lethal injection in a Virginia prison seven years after he masterminded the terrorism in and around the nation’s capital for three weeks.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Ida Makes Landfall Today
Tropical Storm Ida, moving north in the Gulf of Mexico, makes landfall today. Squalls ahead of this rare late season tropical storm blew in heavy rain late Monday all along the gulf coast.
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Berlin Wall Fell Twenty Years Ago
Berlin, Germany, and the world will celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down today.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
The Lone Republican
House of Representative Joseph Cao from New Orleans, Louisiana is the lone Republican to go on record supporting the health bill.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Healthcare Bill Passes the House
United States Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi celebrates with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer after a news conference about the House of Representatives vote approving a healthcare reform bill backing the biggest health policy changes in decades.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Fort Hood Shooting
Army psychiatrist Major Nidal Malik Hasan gunned down thirteen people and wounded thirty in a rampage at Fort Hood outside Killeen, Texas.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
The Yankees Win!
Congratulations to the New York Yankees for winning the Major League Baseball World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Now we can focus a little more attention on the little things like healthcare and the economy.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Conservatives Strike Back
Republican Chris Christie celebrates after unseating the incumbent Democratic Jon Corzine to become the next Governor of New Jersey. It appears that early rumors of the Republican’s demise were greatly exaggerated.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Ford Shows A Profit
Ford Motor Company says it made nearly one billion dollars in profit in the third quarter! Sounds like the company has made a seriously successful turnaround.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Rams Win!!!
The St. Louis Rams finally win! The Detroit Lions must really suck!
The Rams Win Their First Game Since October Of Last Year
After sixteen or seventeen games of nothing but having their ass handed to them on a silver platter, the Rams finally get a digit in the “win” column. The final score of 17-10 might sound a little more impressive then it actually was. But the Rams managed to eek out a win against the hapless Detroit Lions. Their losing streak as well as the threat of an absolutely winless season is past. They go into their bye week as winners. Hopefully they will get used to the feeling of winning and take that to their next game in two weeks.
