[gidget7]

"I am curious, however, about what role within our society these folks think is acceptable for gay men and women? Should gays be allowed to vote? Should gays be allowed to achieve prominence in their professions? Should gays be allowed to receive awards and public recognition? Aren't all of these things "an offense to God" from their point of view?"





Now you're just being ridiculous! Their role is anything they want it to be, just leave your personal lives at home. They don't belong in public, at work, or on the television. Gays already had acceptance. What their activism and attacks have caused in a lot of cases is to undermining that acceptance. AGAIN, do whatever you want, but we won't accept public or government endorsement.

[Ernie.cal]

Gidget, apparently you are not familiar with the range of anti-gay sentiment in our society. Some folks who refer to themselves as Christian Re-Constructionists believe in what they perceive as the biblical punishment for homosexuality--i.e. death penalty.

As you can see from some of the messages in this thread, simply "being in the closet" is NOT sufficient for some folks. Some folks don't want gays to be employed in a long list of what they consider "sensitive" occupations.

You are woefully mis-informed if you think I am being ridiculous to ask the questions I did. Even your relatively benign message suggests that gays should hide themselves as if it is a shameful condition. I am reminded of JFK's speech when he asked our countrymen to consider "who among us would be content to be a Negro?" if the government of our country did not protect Negro rights as vigorously as when white Americans had a grievance. Why is YOUR formula just and reasonable, i.e. "They don't belong in public, at work, or on the television."

I have seen letters-to-the-editor by self-proclaimed "Christians" which said persons infected with HIV should be allowed to die because "they got what they deserved". So, let's not pretend that "gays already had acceptance".

More to the point, if people in your community advocated "biblical" punishment for gays, would you stand up and defend the rights of gays even if your neighbors attacked YOU as morally suspect because you were too gay-friendly? I think not. You would be happy to be rid of the "sick, perverted, immoral" gays!