Just for kicks, just because the world isn’t difficult enough, and things aren’t terrible enough and there isn’t hate enough, a delegate from Virginia has introduced a fun new bill. This bill would allow any organization, private or public to use religious beliefs to openly discriminate against gay people. The measure is unlikely to pass, but it has been introduced. Publicly. Proudly. To me, that suggests this hate-monger exists within a disturbing feedback loop of people who share his twisted ideas. That there are enough people who would encourage him in his bigotry should not surprise me. Why does it?
This delegate, just like many before him, is attempting to deny another person’s human rights based on his own religious beliefs. There is a sociopathic disconnect that would allow you to believe that causing injury to another human being is your right. I’m pretty sure that this jack-hole doesn’t understand what “rights” are. Why should he? He’s a white, allegedly straight male following the country’s majority religion. His is a life of pure privilege. Much like a spoiled child who has never heard no, he doesn’t know the difference between rights and privileges.
By the way, some may dismiss the measure as pointless, saying that business owners are already allowed to deny people service for any reason. However, this piece of garbage (am I talking about the guy or the legislation? Let’s leave that to your imagination) specifically included PUBLIC institutions. That means that a gay citizen in the lovely state of Virginia could be denied a car registration, the assistance of the police, or attendance at school. Feel your religious freedom flow through you! So much freedom, I can hardly stand it!
Whenever I contemplate doing something wrong, I get an icky, sticky black feeling in my stomach. That is my conscience, something I developed despite my completely a-religious upbringing.
Here’s what I wonder: In the group of yes-men and/or yes-women surrounding this wack-job, is there nobody who gets that icky, sticky black feeling? Someone among this guy’s fans, friends, families and followers has to feel it. Someone has to be sitting there with these people, nodding along with his hate-fueled tirades and feel a little ill. I wonder if this imaginary someone ever speaks up and says, “Are we the baddies?”
I hope they do, and I hope they take anyone else still capable of sense and compassion, and they abandon the bunker to join the other side. Come on over. It’s lovely here. There are hugs and rainbows and laughter and love. Because let’s face it, even if you don’t have a skull on your hat, if your hatred is based on someone else’s love, you are the baddie.
smilecries 