Political Explorations

Until today the political side of this blog has been neglected, though it has been part of my intent from the beginning. If my spiritual and moral values are to be enfleshed--incarnate--then they must have consequences for my life in community.

The word "politics" turns many people off these days, and I must admit that I found myself disinclined to engage in political discussions for the past few decades. Our current situation in America shook me out of that mental and social lassitude last year.

Here is a disgusting, but common, example of someone applying their "values" (from the Daily Kos):

As countless diaries and at least one WaPo column noted two weeks ago, Maya Keyes was kicked out of her home by her father, Alan Keyes, as he put his "family values" in action.

This is where those of us who have a different vision of the values that go with any healthy concept of family (one that puts people and love first) need to stand up and speak out. I am grateful that my family, though it did not and does not approve a lot about me, never kicked me out the house. Nor have I ever ceased to love them and value them, even while I disagree with a lot of their values. First and foremost we are human beings who love each other, no matter how difficult it may be to stay in relationship.

How many teenagers have been turned out of their homes or disowned by parents who would not deal with the reality of a child's sexual orientation? How many have wound up living on the streets, turning to drugs or prostitution? How many have committed suicide? The statistics on this are appalling. These constitute no set of "values" that I want anything to do with.

To me, family values involve love, honesty, forgiveness, communication, mutuality, respect, commitment, consideration, compromise, sacrifice for a greater good, celebration, sharing, and reaching out to include others in the love of the family. Again, I was blessed with an extended family that had many "honorary relatives."

Family values are not about hatred, exclusion, rigidity, moralism, control, and self-righteousness.

How can someone preach hatred of homosexuals and then see gays committing themselves to each other with love and joy as somehow "threatening" heterosexual marriage? Who is threatening whom? Who has a destructive agenda against whom? C'mon, folks, let's get real.

One last mini-rant: May we please revive the useful distinction between who and whom, and learn to use them in a meaningful way? It really does make communication easier. [Note, I am not talking about "correct" usage; languages don't work that way.]

Postscript from the home page of Louie Crew:

Restore Family Values

It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone round your neck than to cause the downfall of one of these little ones. --Luke 17.2

Only love can prevent lesbigay teen suicide.

"In a study of 686 gay men, 337 heterosexual men, 293 lesbian women, and 140 heterosexual women - 35% of gay men and 38% of lesbian women considered suicide. 8% gay men and 23% lesbian women had attempted - compared to only 3% heterosexual men and 14% heterosexual women. The majority of the suicide attempts were before the age of 20; nearly one-third of all attempts were before age 17."
--A. Bell and M. Weinberg Homosexualities: A study of diversity among men and women. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1978.)

Visit The American Psychological Association's Resources for Lesbigay Youth

The BB