Fags are the new Niggers.

[Oerdin]

Back in the 1950's Blacks were the most discriminated group in the country. People called them niggers and claimed that blacks were both lazy & stupid while at the same time ingenious in their ability to get out of work and tireless in their pursuit of white women. That these claims contradicted each other didn't occur to most people because Blacks were different and we were sure that they were not like us, in fact, many right wingers were sure that if Blacks weren't kept separate from whites that this would inevitably lead to the destruction of America as we know it. Eventually as the decades passed we learned that Blacks weren't so different from everyone else and that far from destroying America they helped make it a richer and better place.

In the 1970's and 80's other groups such as Asian and Hispanics spent time as objects of the fear and derision. We called them spics, and greasers, and chinks because they were different and we were sure that they were not like us. Right wingers once again claimed that these people had to be kept out and kept separate or else they would inevitably lead to the destruction of America as we know it. Yet once again as time passed the right wingers were proven wrong and far from destroying America Asians & Hispanics helped make it a richer and better place.

Now, in even the most progressive parts of America gays are held by many to be objects of fear and derision. We call them fags and we are again positive that gays are entirely different and not like us. The gays say they just want equal rights like everyone else but the priests all tell us that the fags are out to destroy "the family". I'm not quit sure how happily married heterosexuals will suddenly stop loving each other if gays are get married but the man on the radio says fags must be kept in check or America as we know it will be destroyed, that fags are different, and that they are not like us. I forget have we heard that before?

This thread is my response to the recent vote to ban gay marriage in California. It squeaked by with just four percentage points but still it passed and now the state's constitution will be changed to take away equal civil rights for gays. Yes, I said take away because until yesterday, in California at least, gays enjoyed the same right to marry as everyone else. We've had time to watch first hand that gays having equal civil rights as everyone else didn't hurt "regular marriage" but still for some reason we just knew those fags couldn't be trusted so we took away their rights just like we previously took away the rights of Blacks, Asian, and Hispanics. It seems fags are our new niggers.

No one knows what will happen to the tens of thousands of gay couples who have already legally been married. Will they now suddenly become unmarried? Will these gays be allowed to stay married but all other gays not be allowed to marry? It is frustrating that on the same night that America finally broke the last racial barrier we showed how we still haven't gone quite as far as we had thought.

[thereismore]

1. Randi Rhodes has been saying this for at least a year. Sad. nt

[Oerdin]

2. I was a little afraid.

I was a little afraid that people would be put off by my use of offensive words but they were selected deliberately to make a point. I don't think any other word would have the same impact or more perfectly highlight the comparison between racial discrimination and discrimination against homosexuals.

[Librerin_114]

3. Birth of a Nation.

I'm sure you've already seen it. But your opening statement reminded me of this classically entertaining D.W. Griffith film. It's a scary thought that many Americans actually thought they were witnessing truth. ::shudder::

[cboy4]

4. It's heartbreaking.

;(

[mitchtv]

5. This was the apex of the Democratic Party

democrats betrayed us and lost many, many gays. Too late now for them to get us .the big tent has seen it's best day. Its all downhill from here

[JuniperLea]

6. The New Lepers... for our Fundy... erm... pals...

They just don't get it.

[davidinalameda]

7. you're right on that one

it's still socially acceptable to use fag and queer

[auntsue]

8. we are more alike than different

Really "sexual orientation" is only a small part of
a persons whole personality.  The food, music, books movies
etc that a person likes are independent of "orientation. 
Back in the days people thought all blacks - or any other
"group" - were all alike. Eventually we learned
people are individuals and perhaps folks will get that gays -
me included - are each unique.  I think I need to be more out
because most people can dis a group but have trouble when they
know an individual.