Hey Everyone I had to blog. I know I have been totally AWOL but this PhD has been so busy and now I am on strike. All the contract faculty, TAs (me), GAs and RAs are on strike. We are picketing and have been since Nov 6th. It has completely taken over my life. We are fighting for poverty-line wages, consideration for tenure track for contract faculty and many many other things that I will get into later.It is a great movement but so time consuming and stressful. I thought I had the MIA beat down but the lack of routine due to the strike has made it flare up a little. Not too bad but still....Blah
Ok the reason I am so pissed off is because I was reading Lara's blog at cwazylawa.blogspot.com and she is pro prop 8. This made me really upset. I asked her to take it down, but she won't and she asked me to respect her beliefs and I can't and I need to vent about this so you are all going to have to sit here and listen to what I have to say.
This was our original conversation:
I am formulating my response here because she now has comment moderators on her blog:
Lara, I don't even know where to start. First let's be clear about what hate speech is.
Hate speech: a term for speech intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a person or group of people based on their
race,
gender, age,
ethnicity,
nationality,
religion,
sexual orientation,
gender identity,
disability,
language ability,
ideology,
social class,
occupation, appearance (height, weight, hair color, etc.), mental capacity, and any other distinction that might be considered by some as a liability.
I guess it is kinda funny you assume that I am a lesbian because I stand up for same-sex rights. Second, why do you think homosexuality is wrong? And why do you believe that marriage is "the divine institution...between a man and a woman"? I clicked on that link on your blog and read some of the articles. They were appalling. and yes this is hate speech. Hate speech under the guise of free speech.
You say you have a right to your beliefs, but you are reifying the concept of beliefs. No one has a RIGHT to their beliefs, you do however have a right to state them. Beliefs happen regardless of "rights". Beliefs are our reactions to our environment, not something that can be controlled by rights-based law. A law could be passed stating "No one has a right to their own beliefs" and beliefs would still occur. What you mean is that you have a right to freely state you opinions on your blog, in the street and to your friends etc. And you do. But at least be honest....your beliefs are homophobic. Homophobia creates a society where homosexuals are treated as sub-human. And while you might have a right to spout homophobic tripe all over the web that doesn't mean I have to put up with it and respect it. RESPECT you? Are you fucking kidding me?
The link is called "Protect Children and Freedoms". PROTECT CHILDREN? The implication is that homosexual and transsexual people are going to HURT children. How is this not hateful????
I bet you are against same-sex adoption too aren't you?
You say you do not HATE anyone. I get it. Jesus wouldn't want you to hate so you tolerate homosexuality so long as no one teaches it to your kid or dilutes your understanding of marriage. You are a good, responsible little Christian soldier absolving yourself of guilt by tolerating people in same-sex relationships and not "hating them" because they need Jesus' love too right? Especially because they need that love to overcome their homosexual lust. Am I close? I bet I am. What garbage.
People in same-sex relationships are to be celebrated not tolerated by individuals, such as yourself, who solidify their identity and power by perpetuating the subjugation of homosexuals. You are actively, whether you want to admit it to yourself of not, maintaining the value laden straight/queer dichotomy. You, by saying that Queer peoples cannot get married, cannot enjoy equal state protection, are implying that Queer peoples are unequal to straight peoples. That it is okay to exclude homosexuals from certain state institutions that we as a society have created because they are not quite worthy, i.e. you are better than them. You can deny it all you want to and say you just don't agree and that it is your opinion. But your opinion is hurting people. It is contributing to a segregated society, a society that celebrates only one kind of sexual love and pathologizes all others. That is shameful.
Also you don't want homosexuality taught in school. This perpetuates the pathologization of homosexuality. If children are taught about relationships from a hetero-centric position then those children who are gay/lesbian/trans or gender variant are then made to feel "abnormal". But that is the point right? Make it as hard as possible for homosexual peoples to live a fulfilling life.
I assume that since you don't want homosexuality taught in school this means no sex ed about homosexual sex right? This lack of sexual education denies teenagers in same-sex relationships the life-saving information and the tools ,which sex-ed provides, to protect themselves against life threatening STIs like HIV. Or do you think that this should be taught at home? Or maybe in separate classes? Put all the straight teens in one room and all the gay teens in another room. I mean segregation seems to be your thing.
I can't believe that someone would think freedom of speech is an excuse to spread propaganda that contributes to the continued oppression of same-sex couples. Aren't you embarrassed? SHAME!
Lara said... 
love, lulu
Let's clear that up shall we? My cry for diversity does not mean that I have to embrace or even tolerate a movement that brings religion and one particular corresponding standpoint into the state structure that in turn systematically subjugates that homosexual community- which is what the prop 8 does. But nice try.
And your god damned right I am being rude. I am angry that people are perpetuating this kind of subjugation (big word for you sorry).
You are right I won't tolerate homophobia. I just checked out your blog. Fucking scary brainwashing shit.
"Believe it or not people on this planet will disagree with one another... If everyone thought like you did or thought the same thing this world would cease to innovate and progress. Marriage has always been between a man and a woman."
...has always been between a man and a woman. Who is failing to advocate for progress? I could give a shit if people disagree I DO care if the state advocates one religious and moral standpoint- one of intolerance and hate.
Also same-sex marriage doesn't make everyone the same. What are you worried about? That if homosexuals get married it will make you gayer?
That you need to protect your church sanctioned relationship from homosexual sex?
Sweet Jesus don't you understand that by opposing same-sex equal rights you are subjugating people? Just admit it. You believe that those who engage in same-sex activities are inferior to you.
Also fair enough point about the stab I took at you. It was a low blow. I won't, however, apologize because I think you are an asshole.
Couldn't that same logic be applied to, "but white landowning people have always been the ones to vote," or, "black South Africans have never been allowed to live in this neighborhood." Having a historical basis is a weak argument.
And this, "...protect those few sacred things left in this world... this world that seeks to destroy all that is good and wholesome..."
That's not an argument about a government procedure. That's a religious argument. You want a government procedure to have some relationship to your (not my) notions of religion and what you consider sacred. Why? Who cares? It's a government document. Why should my government cater to your religion? And this isn't a back-and-forth situation. I'm not saying I want the government on my side. I want it to be neutral. I want it to stay out of all bedrooms and fix the real problems in this country. You want the government to tacitly demean same sex couples by straying from that neutrality.
And don't give me that Christian nation shit. Sure, it was founded by Christians but in the Age of the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment, which valued reason over all else. The framers of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence borrowed the thoughts and arguments from great Enlightenment philosophers like Locke and Kant. Locke, who believed precisely that we are not born with these preconceived notions (prejudices) and that we are blank slates. That is the basis for this great American experiment in democracy, not hate and exclusionism.
Also,this sums things up nicely as well.
Sole
I started to write about how interesting it is to hear these things debated in this way. It is different here, homophobia is a more secular concern and becasue of that the fight is a different one(on the surface at least), more to do with squeamishness, machismo and a lack of imagination. But really I can't be bothered, that phrase "homosexual lifestyle" is so fucking vile, so filled with hate and stupidity as for "teaching homosexuality".... the viciousness of such a sentiment!
Having a family built on love is as good as it gets as far as I am concerned and those who seek to deprive others of that have no right to imagine themselves experts on that which is "good and wholesome".
love to you soledad and lulu (and, if i am correct, tom too) h.x
Seriously, you rock.
Why do you want the state to intervene on behalf of your beliefs anyways? The state in its very nature is sinful because it is not based on "God's teachings". Isn't the state kind of a false idol? Okay now I am just teasing you.
PRIDE week must really get to you. All that HOMOSEXUALITY just parading SINFULLY in front of you. I hate to break it to you but you lost this battle. Prop-8 might have passed but male on male anal sex and women eating each other out, not to mention all the other gender variant sex that is still happening. You lost this battle before it began. Give it up and do some charity work with your spare time or something. Oh, and your jesus freak website just doesn't help spread god's love, you are spreading hate. And I know I know the meek shall inherit the earth, I get it. By making fun of you I am securing your place in heaven. But aren't you not supposed to judge and live by example or some such shit? Who are you to tell others they are sinning? Let ye who are without sin cast the first stone right? Guess you aren't living to set such a great example eh cause the stones are just flying all over this blog. And yeah I am casting my own, but I never purported to follow the bible. Your mixed messages stress me out. And YEAH YEAH you are going to come back at me saying my cry for diversity coupled with my intolerance of your intolerance is a mixed message, but I already addressed this like a week ago so save your breath.
Also where you calling me crazy or saying sin is crazy? Not that I mind being called crazy by the likes of you. Actually makes me feel pretty good about myself since you are such a bigot.
Here's what doesn't make sense about your argument Brad. The secular institution of marriage is just that, secular, it has nothing to do with you or your religion and I'm sure that in your religion someone getting married by a justice of the peace isn't really married anyway. You view marriage as a religious sacrament and there are necessary components and shit that needs to be said (usually patriarchal shit about the woman giving herself to the man, etc.) for someone to really be married in the eyes of your church. And here's the thing, none of your religious elements are currently present in the secular institution of marriage, so why do you insist that any of your religious opinions be inserted into the secular institution? It's flimsy logic. It's cherry-picking ideals.
It's essentially saying this, "An institution I already do not recognize must be changed to more accurately, but still insufficiently, resemble something I recognize."
The only conclusion we can draw is that you just hate. You truly believe it is a 'sin'. You honestly think some being somewhere cares where two consenting adults put their tongues or penises. Just remember what you're doing unto the least of His people yo.
Is this what you want me to say... well... its not what I think... I am going to continue to think my way and you are going to continue to think yours... I on the other hand will not go silent. I will still stand up for truth and right even when people like you say I am wrong... I like that I stress you out... it means deep down in your mess of confusion... you know I am right... and it bothers you...
Why why why???? can't you just admit that your views are exclusionary and despite your claim that you are down with the teachings of JC you are judgemental. I judge you. I freely admit and I struggle against the perpetuation of your way of thinking. I think it is sad that you are clearly bound up in certain social relations that have resulted in you being constituted as a bigoted ass. And yeah I too am bound up in my own social relations and I am sure some of them are exclusionary, but at least I am trying to recognize and change these. I am not writing to change your mind dumbass. I am writing for all of those people who experience subjugation at the hands of bigots with too much power.
And on that note...or whatever note make in reply to this post....I am closing this discussion. BIGOTS NOT WELCOME. SHAME ON YOU. GO BACK TO YOUR BIGOT INC CHURCH. IF THERE IS THE GOD YOU SAY THERE IS S/HE IS HORRIFIED BY THE ACTS YOU MAKE IN HER/HIS NAME.
Candy ass.
If your ideas can't hold up to scrutiny don't hide behind feigned defeatism; fight like a man. Or a woman. Or a gay man or woman.
Sole, you and I are lucky to live in a world-even if it's our little world-where noone, and I mean NOONE is discriminated. The world needs more people like you and me.
Love
Frida
XOXO
Without going into too much detail, I am a SOUTH AFRICAN bisexual guy living in a monogamous long term male/male relationship.
The history of our country speaks volumes about segregation et al.
Thank you once again!