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Grrrrrr!

I don't feel angry often (although enough wrong exists around us to warrant anger) but today I am hopping mad (that's American for pissed off which is American for ANGRY!)

It wasn't dinner with a friend that fell through that angered me--that just dissapointed me.

It wasn't the frustrating difficulties a dear friend faced today--that moved me to tears and feelings of grief for him.

No what got me angry was the e-mail from Jim Burroway informing me that Focus on the Family will hold an anti-gay Love Won Out conference in Costa Rica this summer.

It is bad enough that this dangerous foolishness happens in the land of the free and home of the brave, but to EXPORT these lies and false promises--Argh!!!
That is plain wrong.

My heart and mind feel all stirred up today with lots of things--good, bad, sad. I have not even been able to blog about the ugly and offensive "Day of Truth".

Injustice has a tipping point. A friend faces a shut door. Lies and more lies spread like an engineered virus. And in the back of my head I feel the reminder of the poverty, the racism, the wars, the domestic violence, the lack of health care, the environmental calamities we face.

I feel angry because I don't want to devote so much of my time and energy to queer issues when suffering on such a vast scale occurs. The conservative anti-gays throw up a smoke screen. I am in a position to address some of these anti-gay actions, and I will.

But please can't we get past this insanity so that we can work together on tragedies that demand our attention? Can't we stop this petty culture war, this play battle so that we can get into the actual issues of our time?

Comments

Craig Hickman said…
I feel your anger.

Thanks for expressing it.
Anonymous said…
Agreed.

Es
Elliot Coale said…
All of that is infuriating, Peterson, it really is. I would say that it will get better, but you don't need to hear that right now -- you need support. And I give every free ounce of it that I can to you.

I know that since I'm younger and have less experience with life than you do, it may be difficult for you to lean on me like I lean on you when I need your friendship the most. But you can call me or write me whenever, even if it's just to vent and you don't want any kind of response from anyone else. I AM ALWAYS HERE FOR YOU.
Plain Foolish said…
And yet, Friend, suffering also exists because of this crap and you are fighting the injustice which has touched you so nearly. It is because there are folks like you fighting that injustice that frees my brother to work on the injustice of health care denied rather than cowering in some damned closet.

When the world is on fire, we must each be part of the fire brigade. I sometimes feel like all I can do in the struggle with the fire is to pass cupfuls of water around to the rest of the brigade, and perhaps to remind them that just because the fire happens to have hit their house doesn't mean it isn't important to fight it. An injustice that touches you is as important as an injustice that touches me.

There are important injustices to be fought. And you are working at fighting some of them. And the work you do is important, even when it's hard and especially when the bigots try to up the ante. I am holding you and your work in the light.
wow, thank you all so much. I really appreciate your wise and affirming words and encouragement.

Thanks craig, thanks elliot.
Plain Foolish, yes, yes, yes.
Anonymous said…
Don't worry. Costa Rican gays will be fine. You can't tell, but people are more tolerant than they appear.


cin
Anonymous said…
And I'm even more infuriated by ADF's Day of Truth. But I won't steal your thunder.

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