Troy Perry, Barry Obama—It IS "our time" and you/we minorities have the same problems

This is a sermon to Rev. Perry and President Obama about the religious bigots who attack both men and their supporters over their religious beliefs: Both are viewed by "religious leaders of the dominant religions as "other."

Rightwingers are questioning the religion of Obama, as they have questioned the "religion" of homosexuals, especially those who form separate churches, mainly the Metropolitan Community Church, and founder Perry.

Obama can't win, even more so than Christian homosexual Americans. If he is a Christian, as he is, it is said to not be the "right" church, and what is his church, etc. If he is accused of secretly being a Muslim, which he is not, then he is surely considered to be a "different" American. The same people pushing this agenda say the same thing about homosexual/glbt Christians. They find quotes, out of context, thus misusing their Bible or Koran, to condemn those whose sexuality or religion differs from theirs—just as those falsely "accused" of being homosexual or Muslim, are in a position of being wrong no matter how they answer—since even if they 'deny" being either, they then seem to be agreeing that being either is "bad."

The "issue" of the proposed mosque at "ground zero" in New York has confused the issue even more. But it is important to say that those who have compared the objection to building where the mosque/center would be to how "Christians" handled the KKK are right. The point is that those objecting (including this writer, but for obviously other reasons—I am homosexual and the Islamic people want to kill me). But we must never forget that, if we want "moderate" Muslims to speak out against the radical ones who want to destroy our nation and civilization, then we need to have "moderate' Christians speak out against extremists who want to take away the civil rights of minorities, including homosexual Americans. And the issue of the KKK is the best proof that in most of history "Christians did NOT do "What Jesus would do." The vast majority of "Christians" did not only NOT speak out against the KKK and White Citizens Councils, most of the members were "Christian" including preachers, cops, and politicians-some were all three. And moderate religious people have not spoken against the violence—verbal and physical—against homosexual Americans.

And the issue of same-sex marriage is the same as the issue of inter-racial marriage-which has to be admitted by Obama. The lies bigots used to oppose inter-racial marriage (protecting children of such marriages being a major point) are the same lies used to oppose same-sex marriage. It goes without saying that President Obama is proof that children of such marriages can do ok.

And the same arguments against homosexjuals serving openly in the Armed Forces were used to try to stop the racial integration of the military.

So I urge the two men to get together and answer the lies of bigots and show the vast majority of good American citizens that facts of the matter—truthiness—despite Stephen Colbert's fun with it—is NOT something a great nation can use as a guide.

Obama is the answer to the same sex and interracial marriage "discussions"

I believe in the years to come people will look back at this time as having ended what has for centuries been social issues of sexism and racism. And it will be President Obama who is the final answer.

The more ignorant black preachers quote the Bible incorrectly to fight same sex marriage, the more Obama proves them wrong. For ignorant white preachers have quoted that same Bible to not only approve of slavery, but until the 1960s to oppose interracial marriage. The more a few blacks complain about gays using "their" civil rights movement, the more clear it is that ALL civil rights movements are the same and work together.

I thought of this as I reread a book, Nebraska, by George Whitmore (wonder where he is today, the novel was published in 1987 but about events in 1956) and wondered if any young person reading it today would be able to “feel” the story. It is of a boy who feels guilty for having lied to another boy that his uncle had said he had sex with men, and this was later used to legally put the uncle in a mental institution after he was arrested for public sex and it was discovered that he had been kicked out of the navy, dishonorably, and loved another man.

Hopefully in a few years no one will have to deal with such a situation, and even today there are agencies to help someone in such a situation. I was kicked out of the army, so perhaps I could understand and feel the story even more than most people.

If few homosexuals can even “feel” such a situation, since they will never have such a terrible experience, either being rejected by or being kicked out by the military it is easy to understand why most Americans can not feel the problems homosexuals or people of other races, or religions, have, being in a minority.

This should have been discussed at The Task Force's Creating Change conference in Denver and the meeting of the “leaders” of the community/movement who met in Los Angeles to try to deal with the loss of Proposition 8. How do we let the aveage heterosexual person understand/feel the real issue when too many homosexuals don't even know the real issues.

How “gay” for some young leftwing homosexual to say, well, we shouldn't be in the military anyway, as if his or her choice should be forced on everyone, making them just like the rightwing bigots.

It may seem a reach, but this is exactly what an interracial couple dealt with when they fell in love. Interracial dating and marriage was opposed by the vast majority of white citizens and black citizens, and there are probably still a few people who oppose it. If they don’t want to marry someone of a different race, then they shouldn’t. But they have no right to make that choice for others. Yet they did, by law. And it was based on religion and the Bible was used to preach that such marriages were wrong.

One of the many “logical” arguments against interracial marriage was how it would hurt the children, who would be of mixed race and suffer rejection from both races.

Obama is the answer to that stupid argument. And if interracial marriage is now accepted, so should same sex marriage be accepted. And the children of same sex marriage are doing fine, just as Obama and many children from interracial marriages have.

But go back and read the terrible accusations, claims, sermons against interracial marriage even after the U S Supreme Court—making law as rightwingers always charge when they don't like a decision—ended laws against interracial marriage. The same lies are used against same sex marriage today, often by interracial black preachers.

Then let us figure out how we got from such evil beliefs to a President Obama. And see if that journey can lead to acceptance of same sex marriage.

Current issue (1-15-09) on Obama and the gay community and gay Tucson

To the Editor of WeHo News:

I think your article on Obama and his appointments and homosexuals and the military (DADT) issue is about right. It has balance, which many media places do not -expecting change overnight from one view and fearing the end of the world if homosexuals are "open" in another view-sounding much like that "segment" did when Truman integrated the military in 1948 (and just as that "segment" did when the U S Supreme Court killed laws against interracial marriage (Loving v Va?) not many years ago.

And the article on "gay" Tucson was good, but I do wonder why there was no mention of any gay center, or the gay newspaper-which is usually the first resource visitors should get when in a new town so that they will know of current events and businesses. And a visit to a glbt library/archive will give history of the area, which helps to appreciate how the area is today. And some homosexual tourists will want to know where a local gay-friendly church is. Some people may even plan a visit during Pride events if they know the dates in advance, which they can find if the newspaper is online. Or a when a gay film festival is, etc. These are the things that make a gay traveler different from a non-gay one, otherwise we only need the travel guides found in any book store for all tourists.

Trans laws in each state/RE: Daily Queer News Jan 7, 2009

Over the year I have seen a dozen or more Trans groups and I would like to know what efforts they are making, other than fussing at gay/lesbian publications and groups, to get laws changed and the public educated. I see no effort from the New Orleans group, which is too afraid to even be seen at the gay center. But the g/l communitythere was also slow in getting on our movement's work. They were satisfied with how they were "dealing" with the problems. Yet we see that New orleans, with the bet possible background has not solved its racial issues.

We have eased the path for other sexual communities. And we need to support them, but we have to focus on our issues that still need to be accomplished. I argue with a friend in CA who is handicapped,or he fusses if I use the wrong term, but I keep pointing out to him that it is not the g/l community's job to do their work-even though there is obviously an overlap, as there is with the black or women's movements. I would like to support a lot of causes, but I am realistic. I chose one. And will stay with it, even though most of what we actually wanted has been achieved.

As to the constant harping from some sections of our community about Obama, I wonder what they were doing when Bush 43 got elected. And I just happened to find a book by George Stephanopolus, or however you spell it and you will not be surprised to read the same issues with Clinton, which means that every issue we have today was faced with each previous administration. And the same people, for instance he describes the meeting with Jesse Jackson. But it is really very ignorant of all these new "gays" to keep fussing about the order of when some gay is involved with the Inauguration. Or Warren vs Robinson. Obama's one blessing is that he owes NO ONE anything, for no one group got him elected. And in fact Clinto made an error listenking to the "professional "gays." Obama can find very good homosexuals in Chicago who can give him good counsel. The ones who helped lose Prop 8 are sure not the ones he needs to guide him.

I'm hoping I can get to PFLAG tomorrow, to visit with oy et al and hear Rodney. But it would also be nice to "hear" from other people and groups in LA. The time is past when New Orleans can do whatever and ignore the rest of the state. And to have been involved with and then oppose a campaign of a Shreveport man (D.A.) for Representative, and not tell anhyone, is nonsense. This constant fear and contuining need for secrecy is what these "gays" thought was silly when Mattachine started, but it they who are wasting our energy by worryhing about what the rightwingers already know. How queer that our enemies-and this applies to our nation's work-that the terrorists know more about what we are doing than the American citizens. And several times we hear of some gay issue from the bigots' publications before we hear from our won media. Apparently some eliteist gays think we average queers need to be protected from the real world. So what we get in Prop 8. Will we ever learn?

Obama may be a 21st Century Lincoln; Lincoln pushed equality for black Americans, so will Obama push equality for homosexual Americans?

 Obama’s handling of the Warren issue could be the same as Lincoln’s handling of the slavery issue. He tried to dodge it, and worked up to the emancipation. History judges hijm by what he did, not by the journey he took on the way.

It is possible, not just because of all the fussing from the gay community and allies, but because the issue of homosexuals in the military is on the table, the denial of the right to marry, etc., that Obama will have to make a choice on the legal and moral basic rights of homosexual citizens. If he is truly the person a slight majority of voters believe and hope he is, including a majority of homosexual voters, but, sadly, a minority of black voters, he will sooner or later beforced, as other presidents have been on other civil rights issues, to support equal civil rights for all Americans, including homosexuals.

After adequate time, if he has not done what our Constitution and Bill of Rights direct him to do, then will be the time to find someone else who will do the right thing. (The first major step and evidence will be his appointments to the U S Supreme Court and to the Justice Department. AND, it is also the responsibility of the House and Senate to do what they should do, with or without the president.)

A startling thought would be if Obama fails the test of history, as Lincoln did not, it could be that the next president will be a Republican who WILL follow Lincoln’s journey.

ONE homosexual liberal Democrathas a message for Obama

Senator Obama, it could be that you have a conflict within your supporters over what may be the most important issue, national security.

And it could be that you are only hearing, for instance, the “gay” view from a small, elitist, professional “gays” crowd that do not represent the vast majority of homosexual voters.

I am a homosexual, liberal, Democrat, and I have common sense—I may only know what I read in the newspapers, but what I know is that where Islam controls, they are killing homosexuals.

Therefore, it is clear to me that I must support any war that keeps Sharia law from taking over, any place. I think too many “gays” only read the slick gay publications that ignore our issues and try to sell us expensive cars, clothing and cover only “gay entertainment,” most of which is by non-gays. I see little on the “gay” network (LOGO) that helps our community/movement-what I see are old movies.

I'm not saying you should not use these resources, but don't think you have reached the vast majority of homosexual voters, or our friends,neighbors, families, allies by reading the Advocate.

It is good to get same-sex marriage, but that will be of no value if we allow Muslims to take over our government and impose Sharia law. (Obviously that is true of extremist “Christians” too, including the “religious” preacher person from New Orleans that just lost a lawsuit in Wisconsin where he suggested, in some way, that listeners should shoot homosexuals.) But homosexuals, I say again, are being killed in Islamic countries.

To quibble over whether or not Iraq is worse off now than before is nonsense when we should not be bringing the troops home- the “heterosexual” troops (since our nation still fears homosexuals as much as Islamists so we are, in theory, not allowed to fight for our country even when we would suffer more under Islamic control than heterosexuals, although women would also)-but sending them to Afghanistan to actually fight the people who attacked us and are still in control makes discussion of when to withdraw, etc., irrelevant.

How to stop sending our money to enemies like Saudi Arabia (for oil) I can't help you with. But I tell you security may hurt you if you only listen to those who want you to be an idealist and ignore
reality.

Something these young “gays,” making lots of money running gay organizations don't know is that our community/movement has succeeded beyond our wildest imagination, because our pioneers did NOT work for money or power but for their beliefs in change within the system and from one secret organization we grew each decade. What these young people—as young people in all civil rights struggles—need to remember is they started from where we brought them, taking risks they don't have to. Which, come to think of it, is true of all Americans, who benefit from what the founders of this nation, and subsequent citizens have done to bring us to where we are today as we celebrate another 4th of July.

Obama and Rev. Wright

I want to say something about life in regard indirectly to the issue of Obama’s former preacher, (Wright) who seems to be more important to our media than any other issue in the decision as to who is best qualified to be the next president.

From what I’ve heard, most of what Wright has said about our nation’s history is true. I can testify to it, as I grew up in Louisiana. It is not relevant if Wright himself did not suffer in such segregation or poverty, although most people in the depression era did.

What Obama is saying, correctly, is that while that was the past, the present is different. Again, I as a homosexual citizen can testify to that, partly because I have worked to make the change happen, and the progress has been made with little support from the majority of homosexuals (in fact with opposition from many closeted queers)and under all presidents, governors, etc.
And this is true for black Americans, again, with not much help from a lot of black citizens, many of whom did NOT support Dr. King, et al.

The current media frenzy over elites calling people bitter is important for a reason most people do not understand. If the right-wingers are sure our nation needs to stop the spread of Islam, because of the fanaticism of the Taliban types, they should, as Wright suggests, seek to know where this fanaticism comes from. And ironically last week’s Newsweek discusses just this topic. It asks if a small town in Africa, Libya I think, has sent at least 10 men to die for the Islamists, why? Is it religion? Poverty? Lack of hope for the future?

That may be what Obama suggests is the question we must ask about Americans in small town which have lost their main source of income, as factories and jobs move to other countries. Have they sought refuge in religion? Do they see any future for their families? Who do they blame for their situation? Immigrants? Blacks? Homosexuals? Democrats?

Who do they think will help them if they become president? They will get no answers from the media.

What they get from the media is talking heads, with no more information or knowledge than the viewer, and with agendas, such as seeking more viewers to make more money from advertisers. So they play up irrelevant issues such as asking religious questions from politicians instead of what things they will do to make our nation better for us all.

If the average American voter thinks it is more important to know what Obama, Clinton and McCain believe about some religious doctrines, then our nation is lost, and all the sacrifices from the founding and through world wars, etc, has been wasted by this generation, which lives better than any generation in history, because of what previous generations of Americans did.

And the worst part is that such attitudes make these Americans exactly like the poor Africans who supply the Taliban with suicide bombers. And perhaps for the same reasons, religious beliefs and lack of knowledge of the real world.

Obama’s Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago

I only worry that it is the Clinton’s who are bringing up this. I think in a sense he had to be “vetted,” but I would not like to think of them as bigots. I do wonder who put out the videos.

But I also, as in the case of the New York governor, want to know the rest of the story—in his case who are the OTHER clients, if he is #9? It is devious and wrong to only attack him, even though, like Senator Craig, it couldn’t have happened to a more “deserving” person.

In Obama’s church issue, I am not that surprised—even though it is out of character for a United Church of Christ church to be so bigoted, even for people who have suffered. My point and I think it is a major one for intelligent people is what is the opposite. A little bit of the “opposite” comes with McCain’s “friends” such as Hagee, or if Focus on the Family supports him, or Pat Robertson. Pat said the same thing this black preacher said—and he was “covered” for it by the media a little bit, most taking him as a joke, which can not be done for Obama’s preacher.

But having grown up in the racially segregated south and heard the sermons of white preachers in the Baptist, Methodist (remember George Wallace? He was a Methodist), who aid terrible, un-Christian things such as God does not approve of blacks and whites living together. It was preachers who supported the KKK and what would you expect from a black preacher who was honest if he didn’t say, or she, that Hillary had not experienced being arrested for “driving while black? or of being discriminated against everyday of her life.

I would think that at 75, having gone through how many presidential campaigns I would have some knowledge, but I don’t. But I do have confidence that perhaps we need to finally go through this issue. It is only complicated with the darn fact that a woman is the other choice. Dam it—we go all this time and here we bring up a woman and a black at the same time? Who is charge here??? But we need to expose bigots, where ever they are, just as I, as a homosexual, need to know my enemies. But the media, as exampled last night on Obama’s interview with someone also “accused” of being gay, and the interviewer pushed things that made him seem antagonistic to Obama.

I have wondered not how Obama got to be what he is—his speeches etc got him there and Geraldine is a racist to say what she said, considering that SHE got where she is by affirmative action because she was a woman, because Obama’s race has not helped him, the question is, a legitimate one, if it will hurt him.

Isn’t it a wonderful irony that here the attempt to attack him as being a secret Muslim, which didn’t work, has now been changed-speaking of change-and he is being attacked because his “Christian” church is racist. Wonder if the people asking this have ever attacked white churches in the south for being racist?

I do think that ONLY people who questioned Romney on HIS Mormon religion have standing to question Obama. While it is wrong to attack either one of them on this aspect, at least such people are being “equal.”

As I think we all worry, we must not say that everyone who wants Hillary is a racist. It is another irony that the couple that has been considered very NON racist, the Clintons, now seem to be defending themselves as being the ones secretly pushing racist attacks on Obama.

We do live in interesting times. I do consider this campaign to be not that bad-and our nation is making progress. I can be sure of that as a homosexual-life for me today is 90% better than it would have been if we had not worked to change the laws and educated the public, etc. And perhaps Obama and his supporters will be recorded in history as doing this for the race issue. I don’t think that Jesse Jackson and his type did-this is not the same work as ML King—this is politics. I am of course in favor of taking away the tax-exemption of every church that pushes a candidate or tries to change laws, such as the anti-gay marriage laws. that will shut them up, and they are the ones who are usually anti-gay, anti-black, anti-everything.

I do wonder if this Pew Report is accurate, it says that churches are losing members—across the board. And even if people are not leaving religion, they are shopping around, changing churches as often as they change cars or houses, jobs, etc. A good American free enterprise system at work.