The Thinking ‘Kat: Pride… and Prejudice
As June arrives, we also arrive into Pride Month. This is where various businesses pay lip-service to the LGBT community for a month, and the religious right foams at the mouth at the mere suggestion that the LGBT community should be treated as human beings. Of particular concern is how Pride will fare under the new MAGA regime, and there are already signs that it will be a horror story. Soatok, of Dhole Moments, shared a warning that demonstrates, in no uncertain terms, how dire even the supposed Land of the Free is for the LGBT community. To quote:
Imagining living under constant threats of having your house burned down for 2 years, because your neighbors hate that you and your spouse are both male.
Then, one day, they make good on the threats and burn your house down, forcing you to move away. You return to the charred remains to check your mail, only to notice the skull of one of your dogs and its harness displayed in full view. As you try to process your loss, a neighbor walks up shouting homophobic slurs.
And then he pulls a gun and fires at you both, killing your spouse.
This isn’t some apocryphal, tragic tale from the 20th Century during the early Gay Rights movement.
Astonishingly, local officials are attempting to play down the murder of Jonathan Joss, claiming there’s no evidence of a hate crime, despite the homophobic slurs the alleged killer shouted before opening fire, and despite the homophobic abuse Mr Joss, and his husband, Tristan, were subjected to for two years.
Whilst Trump and his administration try to erase directives concerning equality via opposition to DEI, real people on the ground are suffering as a result of institutional bigotry, and they also suffer because the bigots are emboldened. The bigots feel they can operate more openly, and when the police assert there’s no evidence of a hate crime, despite the evidence, it’s no wonder the bigots believe they can act more openly. The USA, which is supposed to be the Land of Opportunity, is rapidly becoming the land of opportunity only for heterosexual white Christian men.
How else can one explain such blatant displays of hatred? How else can one rationalise the awful things that happened to Jonathan and Tristan in the years leading to Jonathan’s murder?
The religious right often – and incorrectly – complains of indoctrination by the LGBT community, yet the indoctrination by religious conservatives has run so deep is virtually becoming policy in the USA. How else can we explain the erasure of equality for the LGBT community (which has never asked for ‘special rights’, despite what some idiots claim)? The religious right would have us believe equality for marginalised groups is somehow impeding their freedom, when the only ‘freedom’ they are losing is the freedom to interfere in the lives of others, and worse, the freedom to hinder the freedom of others. When worst comes to worst, the indoctrination against the LGBT community results in the sort of tragic, evil violence referenced earlier.
Sometimes people question whether or not Pride Month is necessary. The homophobic murder of Jonathan Joss should answer that.
Certain Americans have gone berserk with their hatred of anyone who is not a White xian heterosexual male. (I refuse to give their religion the honour of respect, as it deserves none!) When they believe that loving their neighbours has limits, any ki d of limit, they are practising a form of hatred unacceptable amongst people of honour and respect.
And with law enforcement not calling this crime what it so obviously is, a HATE CRIME, the enforcers themselves are breaking the law and should immediately be investigated as conspirators to the murder of Mr. Joss. For them I hope there is a Hell for them ho go to, because they certainly will not be going anywhere pleasant.
Sadly, the fanatics will never, ever change, hence why they are fanatics. That’s why we must never stop opposing them, and their hate.