I guess I don't understand your definition of overt oppression and violence or why ONLY those two aspects should determine whether or not comparisons to the civil rights movement are applicable.
You missed my point altogether. During a very troubled time in our history, we debated public policy matters which triggered mean-spirited and hateful exchanges among the American family.
During that time, there were people and organizations who appealed to the very worst in us and they claimed, while doing that, that they had God and the Bible on their side. Similarly, today's debate about same sex marriage sometimes brings out the worst fears and mean-spirited attacks.
With respect to your discussion of "being part of the gay community" -- nothing you wrote indicates that you were part of ANY community. You were molested. Incidentally, you stated that this started at age 12. It is not clear from what you have written what you told your parents --or-- why you were molested again at age 15 and suicidal at 17.
While I am reading between the lines, it sounds like you were very isolated, perhaps ashamed, and unable to reach out to anyone who could help. You were not experiencing the gay community's values, Luircin, anymore than a woman who is raped is experiencing the straight community's values. And I am very sorry to learn of your experiences. I can assure you that I have some personal knowledge which makes me understand what you went through.
I confess, that's such a liberal platitude that I am howling laughing.
Well said, sissy. Now I'm leaving town (really). Bye! Don't let the nasty breeders get you down, Percival.
The left has celebrated a known rapist in Bill Clinton. Even NOW stood up for him, attacked the victims, and claimed "the first grope is free".
"I can assure you that I have some personal knowledge which makes me understand what you went through."
That's the problem Ernie, you are the problem. While this is an interesting thread and I'm sure we all appreciate your candor, what you have shown is that no degree of disease, pestilence, social disruption, child abuse or calamity will dissuade you from your desire to push the Gay agenda. Since your gay friends are no doubt of the same mind, what that means is that reason and compromise are worthless. So in the end you will have to be pushed back and "oppressed" because that is all you understand.
I am sure that is the same point as the Biblical account of Soddom and Gomorreh.
Well, that and the fact that most "African-Americans" think that the comparison is, to put it lightly, abhorrent.
You missed my point altogether. During a very troubled time in our history, we debated public policy matters which triggered mean-spirited and hateful exchanges among the American family.
During that time, there were people and organizations who appealed to the very worst in us and they claimed, while doing that, that they had God and the Bible on their side. Similarly, today's debate about same sex marriage sometimes brings out the worst fears and mean-spirited attacks.
With all due respect, the mean-spirited attacks are largely from the "gay" side of the debate. The language here may have been, ahem, intense, but conservatives tend to only get nasty once they've been attacked. They, especially the FR posters, will heatedly debate, but will not resort to personal attacks without provocation. On the other hand, even disagree with a "gay-friendly" person and you will immediately be called every kind of nasty name in the book, most of which don't even relate to the argument.
With respect to your discussion of "being part of the gay community" -- nothing you wrote indicates that you were part of ANY community. You were molested. Incidentally, you stated that this started at age 12. It is not clear from what you have written what you told your parents --or-- why you were molested again at age 15 and suicidal at 17.
I was part of the "community" from age 15 onwards. The molestation basically set me up. I never told my parents anything, actually, but they guessed and I didn't deny it. As for why I was molested, someone who I thought was my friend seduced me and then abused me (I really don't want to say any more; it's painful). The suicidal urges sprouted from there.
While I am reading between the lines, it sounds like you were very isolated, perhaps ashamed, and unable to reach out to anyone who could help. You were not experiencing the gay community's values, Luircin, anymore than a woman who is raped is experiencing the straight community's values. And I am very sorry to learn of your experiences. I can assure you that I have some personal knowledge which makes me understand what you went through.
I'm afraid that you were reading the wrong book. I wasn't ashamed at all; I was proud of myself and had several people around to "help" me. That is, until I disagreed that court-ordered gay marriage was a good thing. Then I was ground into the dirt by those same people who were "helping" me before. The blatant hypocrisy among the advocates of "tolerance" soured me against them, and I started my own research into it without accepting the party line, and you can probably guess what happened.
Having said all that, I still don't accept gay marriage. Also, the burden of proof is on you to prove that it will not damage society, not ours to prove that it will.