A Rant
So this is bothering me. I hate it when you hear about situations after the fact and can do nothing about them because either you are not actually involved or are simply powerless to effect change.
I was talking to my mom and she was telling me about an encounter she had at her church group this morning. It is a small group of people, most of whom I have known my entire life or nearly as long as I can remember. So they were discussing the Catholic Charities situation in Boston and one of the older women in the group managed to divert the conversation and said that people choose to be gay. She also added that the cause of this is due to an overbearing mother and absent father. This woman was essentially saying people become gay due to bad parenting. My mother did eventually speak up and point out that we are a loving family with two very present parents and that she couldn't remember ever making a choice about whether to be straight or not. I believe this shut the woman up and she did apparently apologize afterwards saying "there are gay people in my family too but I think it's a choice." My mom was pissed about it as she should be, and I am enraged.
My parents are two of the most amazing people I have ever known. They have shown unconditional love and support more times than I can count and God knows they have had that love tried and tested far more extremely than most. As far as parents go they have gone above and beyond and I am sure could run circles around this woman. My parents didn't make me gay, but they are unequivocally the reason I am still alive.
My mom said that this woman was older, in her late 60's. I believe I have said it before but I firmly believe that age and ignorance are too frequently used as a defense of people with weak characters or worse, weak minds. I know an 85 year old woman who I often disagree with who thinks gay marriage should be legal. My own grandmother believes that too. Both have achieved wisdom and continue to think and adapt and stay young. They debate and discuss, there is a dialogue that happens when you talk to them, they hear you rather than dismissing you.
Those who say that people are just of a different generation permit them to stop thinking; give them license to stagnate. The minute you stop thinking, stop learning, you are old, and if you can't learn or open your mind to debates then you cease to be a productive member of the human family. If all you can do is parrot things you have been told and form no opinions of your own then I will not try to talk to you. I will simply step back and wait for you to pass on while I wait for someone with whom I can have a dialogue and thereby create new understanding and a better life for both of us.
I hope that by putting this out there in the ether I somehow manage to make a point, or make something right. But I guess that's what a journal is for, venting, so these thoughts don't have to bump around in your head quite as feverishly.
I was talking to my mom and she was telling me about an encounter she had at her church group this morning. It is a small group of people, most of whom I have known my entire life or nearly as long as I can remember. So they were discussing the Catholic Charities situation in Boston and one of the older women in the group managed to divert the conversation and said that people choose to be gay. She also added that the cause of this is due to an overbearing mother and absent father. This woman was essentially saying people become gay due to bad parenting. My mother did eventually speak up and point out that we are a loving family with two very present parents and that she couldn't remember ever making a choice about whether to be straight or not. I believe this shut the woman up and she did apparently apologize afterwards saying "there are gay people in my family too but I think it's a choice." My mom was pissed about it as she should be, and I am enraged.
My parents are two of the most amazing people I have ever known. They have shown unconditional love and support more times than I can count and God knows they have had that love tried and tested far more extremely than most. As far as parents go they have gone above and beyond and I am sure could run circles around this woman. My parents didn't make me gay, but they are unequivocally the reason I am still alive.
My mom said that this woman was older, in her late 60's. I believe I have said it before but I firmly believe that age and ignorance are too frequently used as a defense of people with weak characters or worse, weak minds. I know an 85 year old woman who I often disagree with who thinks gay marriage should be legal. My own grandmother believes that too. Both have achieved wisdom and continue to think and adapt and stay young. They debate and discuss, there is a dialogue that happens when you talk to them, they hear you rather than dismissing you.
Those who say that people are just of a different generation permit them to stop thinking; give them license to stagnate. The minute you stop thinking, stop learning, you are old, and if you can't learn or open your mind to debates then you cease to be a productive member of the human family. If all you can do is parrot things you have been told and form no opinions of your own then I will not try to talk to you. I will simply step back and wait for you to pass on while I wait for someone with whom I can have a dialogue and thereby create new understanding and a better life for both of us.
I hope that by putting this out there in the ether I somehow manage to make a point, or make something right. But I guess that's what a journal is for, venting, so these thoughts don't have to bump around in your head quite as feverishly.
posted by Chris at 1:21 AM
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