Opinion Of The Day: June 19th, 1997

You've probably heard about the Southern Baptists boycotting Disney World because of Disney World's "Gay Friendly" policies. I've been listening to the various people calling into my local talk radio shows, and I've gotta tell ya, I haven't heard that much ignorance, self-righteousness, intolerance, fear, and hatred publicly displayed since the L.A. riots. Amazing. Let's cover a few quick points. These are in no particular order, and I'm just writing things down as I think of them.

• It is NOT ok to discriminate against someone based solely on their sexual preferences.
• It is also NOT ok to discriminate against someone based on their sexual practice if the practice is between consenting adults.
• "It's ok to discriminate against someone based on their conduct." This is a rough quotation of something said on the radio last night. The caller defined homosexuality as a "conduct", equating it to alcoholism. First, alcoholism is a disease. Homosexuality is not a disease; it is a sexual preference. You are not born an alcoholic, although you may be born with the potential to become an alcoholic. Homosexuals, like heterosexuals, are born that way. He also equated it to other conducts that we outlaw or at least don't condone. I suppose that would put it on the same level with stealing and murder. Homosexuality is not a crime either. When you drive a car drunk, you threaten the lives of others, and that is illegal. Homosexuality and homosexual practices threaten no one.
• Religious folks called in and quoted this or that or the other about how homosexuals weren't going to heaven. The funny part was, and the radio host was quick to point this out, these people were all "Christians", and yet it was Christ who taught that we are ALL equal in the eyes of God. He taught that you should love your enemies. He taught tolerance and love. He NEVER taught that it was ok to put someone else down for any reason. Christians beware of the trap your church is setting for you…
• Kudos to Disney World. Don't buckle under. Don't let these people sway you from recognizing a segment of the human race as just that -- Human. Treat everyone with dignity and respect. And while you're busy not discriminating against non-heterosexuals, don't discriminate against the Southern Baptists either. Be better than they are…

Members of Congress have proposed that the President submit a formal apology to the Blacks of America for the crimes of slavery committed up until 100 years ago by the whites of this nation. This is great! I don't know that it's going to change anyone's life right away, but I hope that it will change the tone of race relations in this country. What is incredible to me is that some of the folks in Capitol Hill, obviously the mentally impaired (Newt Gingrich), think that this is a waste of time. Yeah, and designing and minting a set of quarters that has each of the states' birds on the back is the best expenditure of your tax dollars. Give me a break. This is obviously long overdue. The President has an amazing power to alter the way people feel about themselves, others, and their country. Congress should shoo this bill right through, and Clinton should tender the apology immediately. There should be no argument, no hold up.

Now, of course, the next step is remuneration. People have been saying for a long time that, if the survivors of the Japanese families held in concentration camps here in the U.S. could get monetary reimbursement for damages, why can't survivors of the families of former slaves?

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