Can One Hate the Gay Agenda and Not Hate Gay Citizens?

Is Sally's Politics Endorsed by God?
The Oklahoman did a feature article on Sally Kern and her now infamous speech on "the gay agenda". She claims, rather passive-agreesively in my opinion, that her talk was in opposition to the "gay agenda", a rather murky reference to the sort of hidden threat that the far right in the 1950's used against the threat of "international communism." She states:

"The very fact that I'm talking to you like this here today puts me in jeopardy,” she said in her speech. "So, so be it. I'm not anti, I'm not gay bashing, but according to God's word, that is not the right kind of lifestyle. It has deadly consequences for those people involved in it. They have more suicides ... there's more illness. Their life spans are shorter. It's not a lifestyle that is good for this nation. As a matter of fact, studies show that no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than, you know, a few decades. So it's the death knell for this country. I honestly think it's the biggest threat that our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam, which I think is a big threat.”

Nice to note that Sally equates being a follower of Islam with being a terrorist and that both Islam and being homosexual is a threat.

Now honestly, how can one call something a "threat" and at the same time claim that one does not "hate" it. And when someone says that the "gay agenda" not gay people are bad, isn't that the same as saying, as was done in the Civil Rights movement, that one did not dislike black people ("Some of my best friends are black."), but thought that their leaders, like Dr. Martin Luther King, threatening the American Way of Life.

Truly, William Faulkner, as noted by Barack Obama, was correct in saying that the past is not "dead and gone" it's not really even in the past. Bigotry never dies. It just mutates.

Why Sally Did Wrong

Rep. Sally Kern’s recent recorded condemnation of the so-called “gay threat” has attracted nation-wide attention due to the fact that, unbeknownst to her, someone recorded it and made it a popular Internet download. Many have condemned the speech, and others have wondered what the big deal is all about. After all, wasn’t Sally simply exercising her right to free speech by expressing a personal opinion?

In order to understand problem with Sally Kern's speech; let's put the shoe on the other foot for a second. Suppose a gay politician got up and said that the "straight agenda" was a greater threat to America than terrorism. Or that "straight people are trying to "indoctrinate" our two year olds. Or straights had "infiltrated" our city councils. Surely, people would think that they are listening to a nut who deserves to be ignored and certainly should never be trusted with a public office. Well, now may know how gay people feel when someone sees them as a "threat" for asking for the same human rights we all enjoy.

One might say, though, that while the speech might be offensive, it would not constitute threatening "hate speech." Straight people might be insulted or angered by such talk, but certainly not threatened. True, but then again straights are in the majority in our society. So let's change our hypothetical situation a bit.

Now imagine that a white couple, living in some country where they are a definite minority, say some place like Zimbabwe, were to hear a recording of a black politician from that country expressing similar views to Kern's. However, this time instead of using the words "gay" or "homosexual", he uses the word "white." Now "white people are greater threats than terrorists" and "white people must not be allowed to indoctrinate our children" or "the white agenda" must be rooted out and opposed by all available means. Wouldn't in this case the reaction go beyond merely being offended? Wouldn't the fact that these words might incite someone take direct action against this "threat" cause the white couple to feel what gay Americans feel when they hear a politician in Oklahoma make these statements?

I think they would, and this is why Rep. Kern should realize that words have consequences, especially when they come from someone involved in serving all the people.

Kern Claims Homosexual "Agenda" worse that Terrorism

State Rep. Sally Kern
A speech by State Representative Sally Kern has been gotten a lot of hits on You Tube, but not for reasons that the Oklahoma City politico might like. Kern is heard saying,"The homosexual agenda is destroying this nation; it's just a fact." One of Kern's most controversial claims is that homosexuals and homosexuality is "more of a threat to the United States than terrorism." Kern really is only saying aloud what the rest of her ilk think in private. She represents House District 84 which is located in the Bethany-Warr Acres part of Oklahoma County.

Here is my response to Ms. Kern:

Sally Kern is unworthy to represent the good people of House District 84. Her recent ravings about the “homosexual agenda” being a bigger threat to America than terrorism reveal a woman who has a sick soul. As far as this writer can tell, gay Americans want the same things all Americans want: liberty of conscience, freedom of speech, equal economic opportunity, and security for their lives and property. I wonder which of these rights enjoyed by all Americans does Kern find threatening? Which of these would she deny her fellow Americans? And since she specifically condemned Islam in her speech, how many other Americans would be denied their human rights in Ms. Kern’s world? The Americans in Kern’s district should be the ones feeling threatened by Ms. Kern’s agenda. They should deal with that threat by removing her from office.

Sally Kern was once a social studies teacher at Northwest Classen High School where my wife is currently a teacher. Students frequently complained that their grades often depended on whether or not they agreed with Ms. Kern's political viewpoints. One student in particular found herself at odds with Ms. Kern because the student was Jewish and did not go along with Kern's fundamentalist views on American history and culture. The student's mother had to intervene on behalf of her daughter; otherwise, Kern's grade would have seriously impacted the student's GPA.

I guess being a bigot affects every facet of one's life and work.