Posted by TheBlackList on April 28, 2009 at 1:38pm
by Gwen Richardson
For several years, I have observed the growing influence of gay activists, unsure of their true intentions. Their tactics initially piqued my interest about 15 years ago, when they began comparing their historical plight with that of African Americans. This comparison was absurd on its face and I wondered how they could have the temerity to make such a claim.
After all, African Americans are the descendants of millions of Black Africans who were brought to these shores in chains, dehumanized and sold as chattel for 250 years with no rights whatsoever, then subjected to another hundred years of, at best, second class citizenship. Homosexuals have suffered no intergenerational discrimination, have never been denied the right to vote or own property, and can disguise their sexual preference for a lifetime, if necessary. Comparing the history of gays to that of African Americans is like comparing the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre to the Holocaust.
Yet, the claims of gay lobbyists that their rights are somehow linked to the freedom struggle of African Americans have slowly taken root in many sectors. They have even adopted some of the language of the Movement, referring to their cause as a struggle for "civil rights," and charging that those who oppose their crusade are either motivated by hate or are simply bigots.
But, after years of close observation, I have now uncovered the true intentions of gay activists: To silence, demote or excommunicate any individual who dares to disagree with the unbridled promotion of homosexuality and gay marriage.
The reason I use the term "uncovered" is that it is often difficult to determine gay activists' true intentions since, from the beginning, most have been less than honest about their goals or the facts. In addition to their co-opting the Civil Rights Movement as an extension of the gay cause, let us examine some of the other falsehoods they have advanced over the past decade.
Ten years ago, gay activists claimed they had no interest in pursuing gay marriage. They asserted that all they wanted was equal protection under the law, hospital visitation rights and the right to transfer property in the event of a death -- all of which I support. It is now obvious that their goal all along was the advancement of gay marriage. How else can one explain the methodical way in which they have worked to change marriage laws in small, liberal states initially, and later in as many other states as possible.
Gay activists also falsely claim that all homosexuals are born that way, with a so-called "gay gene." Not only has there been no conclusive scientific evidence to support such a claim, but a number of openly gay writers have, in their memoirs, suggested that childhood sexual molestation might be the root cause of their resultant homosexuality.
Roy Simmons, a former NFL player, wrote in his autobiography, Out of Bounds: Coming Out of Sexual Abuse, Addiction and My Life of Lies in the NFL Closet, that he was raped at age 10. New York Times bestselling author E. Lynn Harris was molested as an adolescent, as was Donnie McClurkin, an award-winning gospel artist. McClurkin has since renounced his homosexual lifestyle, has a wife and is a committed family man and minister.
While letting these and other young men's sexual predators off the hook, gay activists refuse to even acknowledge that such victims exist because their existence is proof that the so-called "gay gene" theory is flawed. Child psychologists agree that children who are sexually molested, whether at the hands of someone of the same sex or the opposite sex, are almost certain to have sexual identity problems as adults.
Then there is the element of experimentation with homosexuality. Actress Anne Heche, another victim of childhood molestation, dated men early in her adult life. In 1997, Heche publicly announced she was gay and that she was intimately involved with comedian Ellen DeGeneres. Three years later, she went back to dating men and, shortly thereafter, married Coley Laffoon, whom she divorced in 2007. Heche still dates men and recently gave birth to a baby boy fathered by actor James Tupper.
Sexual experimentation among adolescents is commonplace and, even if it does occur with members of the same sex, it is more a function of childhood curiosity than sexual orientation. If teenagers are told that sexual experimentation with someone of the same gender is the equivalent of some sort of "orientation," they may accept that verdict even though most would naturally adapt to a heterosexual existence once they matured.
Another falsehood told by gay lobbyists is that the Bible does not address the issue of homosexuality. This cleverly-crafted claim often succeeds because gay activists realize that few people actually read the Bible in depth, even those who are regular churchgoers. It is true that the word "homosexual" does not appear in the Bible for obvious reasons (the word was not in use at the time that the Bible was written). However, both the Old and New Testaments discuss sexual acts between those of the same gender and, in every instance, these acts are described in negative terms; in other words, these are acts in which believers are admonished not to engage.
One reason why gay lobbyists have been so successful in their quest to silence the public is that their amen corner, the mainstream media, has completely abdicated its role as an independent observer and has now become an ardent cheerleader for their cause. Watch any so-called debate on the topic of gay marriage on programs like MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, CNN's Larry King Live or Anderson Cooper 360 and it is obvious there is a tag team with the host and the gay marriage advocate on one side, and the supporter of traditional marriage on the other. Many reporters and commentators automatically label anyone who is opposed to gay marriage as "homophobic." Frank Rich of the New York Times wrote a recent column in which he described those against gay marriage as "spreading the poisons of bigotry and fear."
In fact, anyone who gets in gay advocates' way is subject to public ridicule, demotion or ostracism, and there have been a number of recent victims. Miss California, Carrie Prejean, was reportedly denied the Miss U.S.A. crown in this year's pageant because she honestly answered a direct question about gay marriage, indicating that she believed marriage should be between a man and a woman. Perez Hilton, one of the pageant's judges who is himself gay, called Prejean a "dumb bitch" for her support of traditional marriage, as if the nationwide legalization of gay marriage is a foregone conclusion. In fact, a recent CNN poll showed that 55 percent of Americans oppose gay marriage, so Prejean's stance is clearly within the mainstream of public opinion.
Earlier this month, former NFL Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy withdrew his name from consideration for President Obama's advisory council on faith-based groups following pressure from gay activists. Dungy, it seems, had the audacity to endorse a ban on same-sex marriage in Indiana. And Pastor Rick Warren, who delivered the invocation at Obama's inauguration, has been hounded by gay groups ever since to the point that he now appears to be confused about his own stance regarding gay marriage.
Our hypersexual culture has already led to an increase in teen and pre-teen sexual activity, sexually transmitted diseases, child pornography, child abandonment, pedophilia and the posting of nude images of themselves on the Internet by adolescents. The jury is still out on the long-term effects of popular culture's promotion of homosexuality on children and teens. I suspect that, unfortunately, the end result will be an increase in homosexual behavior. As with advertising, an individual who is repeatedly exposed to visual images is more likely to adopt the behavior he/she sees.
Perez Hilton may have telegraphed gay lobbyists' next move when, during an April 21st interview on CNN's Larry King Live, he said that gay groups don't want to force churches to endorse or perform gay marriages. As I have learned over the years, one has to take gay lobbyists' pronouncements regarding actions they are not pursuing with a grain of salt. Translation: This is our next target.
Be on the lookout in the near future for gay activists' challenges to churches' tax exempt status for refusing to denounce their religious beliefs. Any religious leaders who are tapped for high-profile government positions will be subjected to a gay rights litmus test. Remember that the true goal is not equal rights; the ultimate objective is to bully, intimidate, subdue and control all opposition.
Gwen Richardson is an author and entrepreneur based in Houston, Texas.
Contact Info:
Gwen Richardson
e-mail: grichardson@cushcity.com
Distributed through BlackPR.com and BlackNews.comNOTE: Permission is hereby granted for all U.S. domestic and international media outlets to print this commentary in its entirety, as long as credit is given to the above author.
You need to be a member of TheBlackList Pub to add comments!
KWASI'S RESPONSE AT THE END....
====================================================
From: Gwen Richardson
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 12:23 PM
To:
Subject: re: True Intentions of Gay Activists Now Revealed - An Abhorrent Anti-Gay Article
Since you responded in a supportive way to the column I wrote recently, I thought you might want to read a response I received from someone in the gay community. I received many responses, but this one was very detailed and highlights some of the distortions promoted by gay activists. The writer (Renee Pollock) also sent a copy to Blacknews.com.
Be blessed and Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers out there!
Gwen Richardson
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: renee pollock ]
Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 11:17 AM
To: support@blacknews.com;
Subject: True Intentions of Gay Activists Now Revealed - An Abhorrent Anti-Gay Article
I was very disappointed to read this article in what I thought was an upstanding, socially progressive online website of the Black community. Not only is it homophobic, un-scholarly, and hostile, but degrading to the reader. I am a gay, black lesbian Christian, and I was ashamed for the blatant ignorance that Gwen Richardson had the gall to display. I have studied psychology, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and also philosophy, an intellectual in my own right, and this article was abhorrent to me on the basis that the author's claims are in fact based on fear, bigotry, and the desire to claim she has the "inside scoop" on what's really going on in the gay movement - which she does not. Most gay people do not want to wreak havoc on the lives of conservative Christians, the Black community, and the world at large. We simply want to live knowing that our needs here in America will be faced with openness, honesty, and understanding. We want to be able to love who we love, exist independently, have families, and be able to live securely with our needs met, as does everyone. We do not seek to destroy society through underhanded efforts - we want to feel and know that "all men and women are created equal", and that we are not the scapegoats for frustrated people who do not understand us and make no attempt to do so, or to accept us.
The fact that the writer portrayed gays in a unfavorable light at the very least and as wounded souls seeking to hurt others at the very most is almost laughable to me. I have studied child psychology, with an eye on such topics as sexual abuse as the author spoke of, but I can say that through my knowledge of the DSM-IV-TR Revised and the DSM-V and a host of other research I have done, what occurred in childhood can have an effect on one's identity later, but that these are not to be used to make homosexuals look "sick". Lots of heterosexual people have been abused sexually, and not all gay people were abused. This statement can stand alone. In fact the sexual abuse victims who are gay the writer spoke of is a minority, so to claim this as a supporting element in her article makes Gwen look somewhat ridiculous at the most and uneducated at the least.
Add to this the fact that I am also a Biblical scholar and have much with which to enlighten Gwen, or others who feel as she does, having read and loved the Bible intensely, holding it up to research and seeking to obtain the truth from it, understanding that God does not condemn homosexuality - to do so would mean that he condemned the creatures he created, which God does not do.
As a black woman, I can see how gays claiming their struggle is equatable with that of the Black Civil Rights Movement may be disturbing, but I would reason that this statement was made on the basis that gays are virtually the last minority party in our present day that needs the rights that Blacks fought for. Although racism is still a factor and will always be in all social relations in America, this statement was not intended to say that the gay struggle is the Black struggle - just that they are similar.
When the writer stated that gay activists have "true intentions", I was personally offended. Firstly, anyone that feels they are being slighted, discriminated against, physically and emotionally harmed by others all because of some facet of their identity is justified in seeking recourse. Secondly, if Blacks had only won the right to vote, but not to sponsor others or be citizens, then wouldn't we still be fighting for it? I say this to say that the fact that the needs of gays has changed over the years - from just needing visitation rights to now needing to be married reflects the fact that we are no longer willing to settle for a pittance. If Blacks could only work menial jobs as servants after the Civil War, it soon became evident after a while that Blacks are people of dignity and the more they realize this, the more they see that their needs should fit the scope of their dreams, and they are worthy of every right that a White man has. The goals of the gay rights movement is not to thwart the face and focus of America, but to stand up and demand what is rightfully ours - the rights of love, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
There is much more I can say about this article, but I will end here. I have spoken my peace and stood up for what I believe to be right. As a Christian, I live my life with the understanding that God loves every human being, regardless of sexual orientation, skin color, or any other classification we use to differentiate and divide ourselves, and he does not discriminate due to any one of these things.
In future, I'd appreciate it if I saw a more open-minded and scholarly stance on such topics, as an article such as this only serves to alienate gay Blacks, and perpetuate the myth that Blacks are backward people devoid of understanding. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
-R.P.
====================
KWASI RESPONDED:
Ms. Richardson,
Thanks for being OUT there.
I am struck and dumb-founded by Renee Pollock's seeming proclivity to censor the media and to paint the media - "...socially progressive online website of the Black community." with the same brush with which she is claiming the group she represent is painted.
Does she and get the irony?
This is why my website and newsletter is called TheBlackList.
It is not The Black List nor the Blacklist but TheBlackList - a play on both.
TheBlackList points to the tendency of our people to stifle debate and divergent points-of-view.
We blacklist others among us while protesting being blacklisted.
A cynical use of Black, I say. (smile).
I will limit my comments just this.
Thanks for being a conversation for freedom as a possibility.
Im going to jump right into this discussion, because in my book I am discussing this whole thing on homosexuals. It's the white homosexuals that rise up the many issues of homosexuals having rights, homosexuals getting legally married, homosexuals having children, homosexuals in politics, homosexuals in the armed services, homosexual this and homosexual that. It's the trickery of the white race. They make it sound real nice, to be a homosexual. Just like they made slavery, The Jim Crow Era, The Willie Lynch Syndrome, and their religion sound real nice, when it is really bad for another race of people, who were robbed of our name, robbed of our religion, robbed of our history, our culture, our God, now we (Black, Negroes, and niggas), walk around losing our minds. Didn't the white man speak, with fork tounge. Why are we still tripping for what they do, anyway? They twist EVERYTHING UP, that's their duty to DESTROY AND CONQUER, including being Black and gay. I feel sorry for my brothers and sisters who are bent out of shape, being gay, or on the down low, and accepting what it is, especially how white folks put it. IT'S ALL LIES! WAKE UP! Naturally, white people, world wide are homosexuals, check their filthy history. Unfortunately, Black people became the followers of this destruction, this genocide, just look around you, I did. Peace.
Systems of oppression (namely, white supremacy, capitalism, male supremacy, heterosexism) are always interconnected, in much the same way as prison bars are connected to provide an impenetrable barrier to freedom for those unfortunate enough to find themselves incarcerated.
All of the above-named oppressive systems have three characteristics in common: generalization, dehumanization and destruction.
a) Generalization
"N*ggers are (fill in the damaging racial stereotype of your choosing).” “I’m not surprised that a Black person committed that crime. After all, that’s just the way they are.” The idea here is that the targeted group is framed as being homogeneous and that no diversity can be found therein.
b) Dehumanization
This is very closely related to the above.
"These b*tches ain't nuthin! I find ‘em, finger ‘em, f**k ‘em an’ forget ‘em!!" “Women just aren’t suited for leadership. They’re too flighty and emotional. Besides, God made us first, not them. The Bible says this, so women need to submit and accept their place.” The idea here is that you effectively remove the oppressed group from the protected space granted to the privileged group (in this case, men). The intention of the preceding stances is to set the stage for the lethal action to be taken in the final stage.
c) Destruction
Having successfully lumped together and ritualistically debased the oppressed group, the privileged group now has all of its ideological weapons in place to explain away all manner of violence against the group identified as inferior.
We see an outstanding example of this in that way that the western imperialist powers have chosen to blame Afrika for its suffering, while conveniently ignoring their active and continuing participation in the atrocities of colonialism, resource rape, the promulgation of psychologically debilitating cultural propaganda and enforced cultural amnesia. Upon this blood-spattered earth, one can erect the racist histiography (as a result of the utilization of steps (a) and (b)) that makes the movement toward violence against the oppressed group in question inevitable. It is also unsurprising that when the oppressed rally together to champion their right to exist, those whose sense of themselves is predicated upon the dehumanization of said oppressed group are passionate and vociferous in their condemnations.
This happened (and still happens) with women, poor people, peoples of colour and now gays and lesbians.
We are walking on dangerous ground when we begin to employ the ideological framework that made possible - and continues to make possible, I might add - the devastation of our Black present and the erasure of our Black tomorrows.
To put it bluntly, the minute we start to sound like racist white folks (using appeals to religion and natural order to justify our bigoted perspective), we are in effect sowing the seeds for the collapse of any united move to crush white supremacy. Generalization, dehumanization and destruction - these are the tools of the oppressors.
Leave their tools in their hands if you are truly serious about constructing a revolutionary and liberatory movement amongst Afrikans in the united states and beyond.
At this point, it would be prudent to reflect upon the words of Audre Lorde, the late master essayist, poet and relentlessly progressive human being: “Master's tools will never dismantle master's house.”
Peace Baba,
I agree and I would fight to prevent the dehumanizing or oppression of any group, however, it is the stealth used to indoctrinate and force acceptance. Not being satisfied with simply people tolerating behaviors that are foreign but to go so far as to LABEL other people who disagree, when asked their opinion of the "lifestyle". My concern is not for adults who make conscious decisions in who they choose as sexual mates but for children who are lured into this "lifestyle". I think Gwen made a great point when she stated "The jury is still out on the long-term effects of popular culture's promotion of homosexuality on children and teens. I suspect that, unfortunately, the end result will be an increase in homosexual behavior. As with advertising, an individual who is repeatedly exposed to visual images is more likely to adopt the behavior he/she sees." Of which I agree, working in a school district, I see it happening right before my eyes with the opening of "gay schools" under the guise of stopping "bullying". It is amazing.
Gwen
This was an amazing article. I knew it would trigger emotions. But one cannot deny the methodical way that you presented the EVIDENCE here and how much sense it makes. Pure FACT. It only goes to show us, especially Black people, how it works when people are organized to promote their own agendas. It also shows that BELIEF is stronger than FACT, by one of the responses here. Gays Black, Whiite, Latino, Asian, etc, will join that band wagon, even though there is racism and discrimination WITHIN THE GROUP. The Immigrant issues is another one to look at. iIt doesn't matter what Spanish speaking country they are from, they will all fight together on the immigration issue. Good Job.
There is no such thing as being born homosexual or gay.Homosexuality is not a 50/50 thing. Quite the contrary. Homosexuality is still practiced by less than 5 % of the world's populations and most are Caucasians For this behavior originated in Europe (Greece and Rome). Were it as you say, we'd be boardering upon extinction. There is a ton of evidence to prove that this type of behavior is learned and chosen by those who choose to practice it. In addition, there is a host of diseases associated with this type of behavior, such as: a higher degree of STD's, such as syphilis, gonorrhea, clymidia etc. among homosexuals then there are among heterosexuals; a much larger percentage of promiscuity among homosexuals, as there are far less long term relationships among homosexuals (both males and females)- their relationships last less than 5 years . Noted Gay author Gabriel Rotello notes the perspective of many gays that "Gay liberation was founded ...on a sexual brotherhood of promiscuity."; a far greater percentage of suicides among homosexuals, even in Nations such as The Netherlands, where it is far more accepted. The anus wasn't meant for penetration with a penis. The anus is a exit only orifice, unlike the vagina, which is designed for penetration by the penis. Nature knew what she was doing when she designed these two organs. Another thing to consider is this: homosexuals can't reproduce homosexual behavior, unless they recruit our children. As to the Bible, there are at least two passages that prohibit this type of behavior (1) Leviticus 20:13 and Romans 1:27&32.Moreover, homosexuality was forced upon our people upon our kidnapping and enslavement-our Maafa. Homosexuality is not a a part of our ancient Afrikan culture. This is a new phenomenon that has been introduced into our cultuure thru brainwashing in the media (movies, tv, radio, music videos, interviews with "stars", who agree with and have accepted this behavior and/or practice it, themselves), child abuse, rape, etc. But don't believe me. Google " The 1972 Gay Rights Platform" and see for yourselves. There is much more I could touch on, but these are the facts. Finally, homosexuality is not going to bring Black people closer towards liberation, not at all. The only thing that homosexuals will fight for is the right to pratice homosexuality and spread this behavior to our children, and nothing more. And quite as it's kept, I am not homophobic. I am not afraid of homosexuals. phobic means to afraid of something, person, etc. I am afraid of no one. Ma'at Hetepu, Olatunji Mwamba
An addition to my last post. I will add that in bringing up the Bible, I only brought it up because someone had already done so in this discussion. As to Nature, there is something to the laws of Nature, whether or not one wants to accept this or not. The Moon effects women, in that the different cycles of the moon (lunar) is what brings about a women's menstrual cycle. The Moon also effects the tides in the oceans. We, as Hue-man beings are interconnected to one another, and to other life forms on this planet. If we don't overstand history and how it effects us, we are lost. The late Dr. Clarke said it this way. "The events which transpired 5,000 years ago; five years ago or five minutes ago, have determined what will happen five minutes from now; five yers from now or 5,000 years from now. All history is a current event.". We still don't overstand that that we are not like Caucasians, or Chinese, or Arabs. Each group of people has their own way of viewing the world, transmitting their ideas, beliefs, spiritual ideas, etc. down to their progeny, and each new generation overstands their place in it. This is why culture is so important. Every people has their own culture, and so do Afrikan people. It's what makes us who we are. We are in this situation to a large degree because we are trying to adopt someone else's culture and ideas to our problems. We don't view the world or our place in it, the same that Caucasians do. We are an authentic Afrikan people, whether we accept this or not. I'd like to ask everyone who is reading this, if they have read the book entitled, "War On The Horizon : Black Resistance to the white Sex-Assualt" by The Irritated Genie of Soufeese (of PKV). This is an excellent book on this subject, one that is extremely detailed and documented, historically, culturally, and scientifically. I highly recommend it . How many of us are aware of NAAMBLA ( The North Amercian Man Boy Love Association) ? They are coming after our children, y'all. But don't believ me do the research before you say I'm wrong. Also, please everyone google "The 1972 Gay Rights Platform", you'll see what I mean. Within their platform it says they want to remove all criminal laws governing the age of sexual consent. Why would they want to do this unless they are coming after our children. In this discussion, the most important issue is scientific proof, which is what I've offered. Ma'at Hetepu, Olatunji Mwamba
Kudo's on the publicizing of your research on gays relative to the Black Struggle in America. As a social scientist of human geography I have also coined this movement as "The Gay Movement That Inadvertently Minimized The Black Struggle For Civil Rights." When we look at this scientifically and based on unadulterated facts and data do we not find that black's benefitted by a miniscule measure from civil rights but the largest benefactors were both white women and the gay populous? This served in-part to curb the impact of equality and inclusion of blacks into mainstream American processes in a covert (C.I.A) manner in my findings. Much the same as a full circle from the Institution of Slavery itself whereas the slaves were not freed for humanitarian reasons as advertised but to save the sovereignty of the United States of America and it's economy. In closing, I conclude that the same covert tactics are yet alive and well in today's society and have been cleverly masked to deceive the untrained and innocently ignorant eye and ear. Many citizens and non-citizens choose the ignorant state-of-mind when it comes to anything that includes the utterance of Black, African-American, and/or Race. I regretfully say that many who fall into the latter category are us blacks.
My advice, "Beware! Look all around yourselves and test the waters before you step into them. This is no longer just about race! Remain vigilant and watchful. If you yourself cannot do what is prescribed, then support someone who can in any way that you can."
A very humorous but true saying goes something like this,"When the AXE went back into the woods some of the trees looked up and shouted out to all, 'DO NOT BE AFRAID! THE HANDLE IS ONE OF US.'" Does this not make sense to the feeble mindset?
A Contribution of OutReach Ministries, USA...written by Min. W.D. Patterson
Disclaimer:
This is not to be twisted and misconstrued in any way, manner, form, or fashion as is done systematically and historically by the oppressor (white-owned press) to be inferred as a hate statement, but rather a statement in recognition of the truth based on soon to be published scientific data and facts viewed through a culturally-sensitive lens and compiled by mostly white government entitys and agencies across the nation. Many of these same agencies have adopted human resource policies to hire women and gays over blacks after Affirmative Action was reversed in Florida, Texas, California, and Washington States.
https://theblacklist.net/
Replies
====================================================
From: Gwen Richardson
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2009 12:23 PM
To:
Subject: re: True Intentions of Gay Activists Now Revealed - An Abhorrent Anti-Gay Article
Since you responded in a supportive way to the column I wrote recently, I thought you might want to read a response I received from someone in the gay community. I received many responses, but this one was very detailed and highlights some of the distortions promoted by gay activists. The writer (Renee Pollock) also sent a copy to Blacknews.com.
Be blessed and Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers out there!
Gwen Richardson
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: renee pollock ]
Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 11:17 AM
To: support@blacknews.com;
Subject: True Intentions of Gay Activists Now Revealed - An Abhorrent Anti-Gay Article
I was very disappointed to read this article in what I thought was an upstanding, socially progressive online website of the Black community. Not only is it homophobic, un-scholarly, and hostile, but degrading to the reader. I am a gay, black lesbian Christian, and I was ashamed for the blatant ignorance that Gwen Richardson had the gall to display. I have studied psychology, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and also philosophy, an intellectual in my own right, and this article was abhorrent to me on the basis that the author's claims are in fact based on fear, bigotry, and the desire to claim she has the "inside scoop" on what's really going on in the gay movement - which she does not. Most gay people do not want to wreak havoc on the lives of conservative Christians, the Black community, and the world at large. We simply want to live knowing that our needs here in America will be faced with openness, honesty, and understanding. We want to be able to love who we love, exist independently, have families, and be able to live securely with our needs met, as does everyone. We do not seek to destroy society through underhanded efforts - we want to feel and know that "all men and women are created equal", and that we are not the scapegoats for frustrated people who do not understand us and make no attempt to do so, or to accept us.
The fact that the writer portrayed gays in a unfavorable light at the very least and as wounded souls seeking to hurt others at the very most is almost laughable to me. I have studied child psychology, with an eye on such topics as sexual abuse as the author spoke of, but I can say that through my knowledge of the DSM-IV-TR Revised and the DSM-V and a host of other research I have done, what occurred in childhood can have an effect on one's identity later, but that these are not to be used to make homosexuals look "sick". Lots of heterosexual people have been abused sexually, and not all gay people were abused. This statement can stand alone. In fact the sexual abuse victims who are gay the writer spoke of is a minority, so to claim this as a supporting element in her article makes Gwen look somewhat ridiculous at the most and uneducated at the least.
Add to this the fact that I am also a Biblical scholar and have much with which to enlighten Gwen, or others who feel as she does, having read and loved the Bible intensely, holding it up to research and seeking to obtain the truth from it, understanding that God does not condemn homosexuality - to do so would mean that he condemned the creatures he created, which God does not do.
As a black woman, I can see how gays claiming their struggle is equatable with that of the Black Civil Rights Movement may be disturbing, but I would reason that this statement was made on the basis that gays are virtually the last minority party in our present day that needs the rights that Blacks fought for. Although racism is still a factor and will always be in all social relations in America, this statement was not intended to say that the gay struggle is the Black struggle - just that they are similar.
When the writer stated that gay activists have "true intentions", I was personally offended. Firstly, anyone that feels they are being slighted, discriminated against, physically and emotionally harmed by others all because of some facet of their identity is justified in seeking recourse. Secondly, if Blacks had only won the right to vote, but not to sponsor others or be citizens, then wouldn't we still be fighting for it? I say this to say that the fact that the needs of gays has changed over the years - from just needing visitation rights to now needing to be married reflects the fact that we are no longer willing to settle for a pittance. If Blacks could only work menial jobs as servants after the Civil War, it soon became evident after a while that Blacks are people of dignity and the more they realize this, the more they see that their needs should fit the scope of their dreams, and they are worthy of every right that a White man has. The goals of the gay rights movement is not to thwart the face and focus of America, but to stand up and demand what is rightfully ours - the rights of love, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
There is much more I can say about this article, but I will end here. I have spoken my peace and stood up for what I believe to be right. As a Christian, I live my life with the understanding that God loves every human being, regardless of sexual orientation, skin color, or any other classification we use to differentiate and divide ourselves, and he does not discriminate due to any one of these things.
In future, I'd appreciate it if I saw a more open-minded and scholarly stance on such topics, as an article such as this only serves to alienate gay Blacks, and perpetuate the myth that Blacks are backward people devoid of understanding. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
-R.P.
====================
KWASI RESPONDED:
Ms. Richardson,
Thanks for being OUT there.
I am struck and dumb-founded by Renee Pollock's seeming proclivity to censor the media and to paint the media - "...socially progressive online website of the Black community." with the same brush with which she is claiming the group she represent is painted.
Does she and get the irony?
This is why my website and newsletter is called TheBlackList.
It is not The Black List nor the Blacklist but TheBlackList - a play on both.
TheBlackList points to the tendency of our people to stifle debate and divergent points-of-view.
We blacklist others among us while protesting being blacklisted.
A cynical use of Black, I say. (smile).
I will limit my comments just this.
Thanks for being a conversation for freedom as a possibility.
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!
KWASI
Systems of oppression (namely, white supremacy, capitalism, male supremacy, heterosexism) are always interconnected, in much the same way as prison bars are connected to provide an impenetrable barrier to freedom for those unfortunate enough to find themselves incarcerated.
All of the above-named oppressive systems have three characteristics in common: generalization, dehumanization and destruction.
a) Generalization
"N*ggers are (fill in the damaging racial stereotype of your choosing).” “I’m not surprised that a Black person committed that crime. After all, that’s just the way they are.” The idea here is that the targeted group is framed as being homogeneous and that no diversity can be found therein.
b) Dehumanization
This is very closely related to the above.
"These b*tches ain't nuthin! I find ‘em, finger ‘em, f**k ‘em an’ forget ‘em!!" “Women just aren’t suited for leadership. They’re too flighty and emotional. Besides, God made us first, not them. The Bible says this, so women need to submit and accept their place.” The idea here is that you effectively remove the oppressed group from the protected space granted to the privileged group (in this case, men). The intention of the preceding stances is to set the stage for the lethal action to be taken in the final stage.
c) Destruction
Having successfully lumped together and ritualistically debased the oppressed group, the privileged group now has all of its ideological weapons in place to explain away all manner of violence against the group identified as inferior.
We see an outstanding example of this in that way that the western imperialist powers have chosen to blame Afrika for its suffering, while conveniently ignoring their active and continuing participation in the atrocities of colonialism, resource rape, the promulgation of psychologically debilitating cultural propaganda and enforced cultural amnesia. Upon this blood-spattered earth, one can erect the racist histiography (as a result of the utilization of steps (a) and (b)) that makes the movement toward violence against the oppressed group in question inevitable. It is also unsurprising that when the oppressed rally together to champion their right to exist, those whose sense of themselves is predicated upon the dehumanization of said oppressed group are passionate and vociferous in their condemnations.
This happened (and still happens) with women, poor people, peoples of colour and now gays and lesbians.
We are walking on dangerous ground when we begin to employ the ideological framework that made possible - and continues to make possible, I might add - the devastation of our Black present and the erasure of our Black tomorrows.
To put it bluntly, the minute we start to sound like racist white folks (using appeals to religion and natural order to justify our bigoted perspective), we are in effect sowing the seeds for the collapse of any united move to crush white supremacy. Generalization, dehumanization and destruction - these are the tools of the oppressors.
Leave their tools in their hands if you are truly serious about constructing a revolutionary and liberatory movement amongst Afrikans in the united states and beyond.
At this point, it would be prudent to reflect upon the words of Audre Lorde, the late master essayist, poet and relentlessly progressive human being: “Master's tools will never dismantle master's house.”
I agree and I would fight to prevent the dehumanizing or oppression of any group, however, it is the stealth used to indoctrinate and force acceptance. Not being satisfied with simply people tolerating behaviors that are foreign but to go so far as to LABEL other people who disagree, when asked their opinion of the "lifestyle". My concern is not for adults who make conscious decisions in who they choose as sexual mates but for children who are lured into this "lifestyle". I think Gwen made a great point when she stated "The jury is still out on the long-term effects of popular culture's promotion of homosexuality on children and teens. I suspect that, unfortunately, the end result will be an increase in homosexual behavior. As with advertising, an individual who is repeatedly exposed to visual images is more likely to adopt the behavior he/she sees." Of which I agree, working in a school district, I see it happening right before my eyes with the opening of "gay schools" under the guise of stopping "bullying". It is amazing.
This was an amazing article. I knew it would trigger emotions. But one cannot deny the methodical way that you presented the EVIDENCE here and how much sense it makes. Pure FACT. It only goes to show us, especially Black people, how it works when people are organized to promote their own agendas. It also shows that BELIEF is stronger than FACT, by one of the responses here. Gays Black, Whiite, Latino, Asian, etc, will join that band wagon, even though there is racism and discrimination WITHIN THE GROUP. The Immigrant issues is another one to look at. iIt doesn't matter what Spanish speaking country they are from, they will all fight together on the immigration issue. Good Job.
Queen Ifama
Kudo's on the publicizing of your research on gays relative to the Black Struggle in America. As a social scientist of human geography I have also coined this movement as "The Gay Movement That Inadvertently Minimized The Black Struggle For Civil Rights." When we look at this scientifically and based on unadulterated facts and data do we not find that black's benefitted by a miniscule measure from civil rights but the largest benefactors were both white women and the gay populous? This served in-part to curb the impact of equality and inclusion of blacks into mainstream American processes in a covert (C.I.A) manner in my findings. Much the same as a full circle from the Institution of Slavery itself whereas the slaves were not freed for humanitarian reasons as advertised but to save the sovereignty of the United States of America and it's economy. In closing, I conclude that the same covert tactics are yet alive and well in today's society and have been cleverly masked to deceive the untrained and innocently ignorant eye and ear. Many citizens and non-citizens choose the ignorant state-of-mind when it comes to anything that includes the utterance of Black, African-American, and/or Race. I regretfully say that many who fall into the latter category are us blacks.
My advice, "Beware! Look all around yourselves and test the waters before you step into them. This is no longer just about race! Remain vigilant and watchful. If you yourself cannot do what is prescribed, then support someone who can in any way that you can."
A very humorous but true saying goes something like this,"When the AXE went back into the woods some of the trees looked up and shouted out to all, 'DO NOT BE AFRAID! THE HANDLE IS ONE OF US.'" Does this not make sense to the feeble mindset?
A Contribution of OutReach Ministries, USA...written by Min. W.D. PattersonDisclaimer:
This is not to be twisted and misconstrued in any way, manner, form, or fashion as is done systematically and historically by the oppressor (white-owned press) to be inferred as a hate statement, but rather a statement in recognition of the truth based on soon to be published scientific data and facts viewed through a culturally-sensitive lens and compiled by mostly white government entitys and agencies across the nation. Many of these same agencies have adopted human resource policies to hire women and gays over blacks after Affirmative Action was reversed in Florida, Texas, California, and Washington States.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next