I’ve thought off and on
about creating a blog for myself. I’m
kind of one of those people with a lot to say, and not a lot of people to say
it too. But with the issues of going to school
with a learning disability along with work, I’ve been leery of starting my own
blog because I can’t really promise how consistent I can be in writing it.
But then something happens
that can’t be ignored. I’ve always liked
to stay apprised of what is going on in the world. My learning disability made that very
difficult for most my life. Reading a
newspaper is simply not a practical option.
So at best I was only really ever able to read the headlines and figure
what the article was about through that.
Then I found the wonders of reading software that aids the blind. It also did wonders for me.
Finally, I could keep
up-to-date on the news. I became the
person who not only knew the basics on what was happening, but had read about
it. Well, in a matter of speaking. Today, like most days, I surfed between
listening to articles on LGBT rights and doing school work. I’m making a Spanish study list which is not
much more than busy work so I could do both.
Along with learning that Quakers were helping Ugandans escape assaults,
I saw that Obama had met a man who spoke out for LGBT rights. And then I heard about Rev. CharlesMoore.
About a month ago he went
to a strip mall and doused himself with gasoline and set himself on fire. The death he endured must have been
horrific. This man fought against racism
in his church, and fought segregation.
He did so throughout the civil rights movement and one would have to assume
into today’s time. But that wasn’t
enough to lead him to this extreme act.
He didn’t end with racial discrimination. He continued his work for equality with
speaking out for LGBT rights. He wanted
his church to recognize us as good. He
spoke out for us in his church and went on a 15 day hunger strike to try and
bring change. Unfortunately it didn’t
work.
What this led him to do was
an unspeakable act. This wasn’t a gay
man. This man chose to fight for us in
spite of his religion’s teachings. He
sacrificed his life in hopes that his action would make people see what harm
they are doing. I’m torn by this
action. On one hand the only thing that
shocks me is that it happened in the US and not somewhere like Russia, or
Uganda. On the other hand, a man died,
choosing to take his own life, in hopes that it could make the lives of me and
mine better.
On one hand, I feel like we
can’t let his death be for nothing, but on the other hand, this isn’t what we
need. The LGBT community needs its
straight allies alive and willing to speak out for us, and vote. The fact of this death is heartbreaking, the
way he died is horrifying, and the reason he died is a disgrace on the
Methodist church. The fact is this isn’t
the first person to die by his own hands because of the teachings of the Methodist
church. LGBT youth die every day because
their church has convinced them that their god hates them. This isn’t limited to the Methodist
church.
I’m afraid he won’t be the
last person to try and martyr himself for the cause of LGBT rights. When does someone do something like
this? I think it’s when they honestly
think it is the only way anyone will listen to them. Now, we have to speak louder, fight harder,
and do everything in our power to make sure no one else reaches the point where
they think this is the only thing left they can do to speak out for LGBT
rights. It may be one dramatic move that
is impossible to ignore, but once it’s done, you can’t say anything else. We have to make sure that Rev. Charles
Moore’s death is the last.
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