Something important has been happening during the last week that cannot be ignored. KOS has been a hotbed, mildly speaking, of a discourse that needs to happen. Reading the diaries concerning GLBT people and Warren at the first brought out those who supported and did not support GLBT people in denouncing what Warren was doing in the inauguration ceremony.
Then there were the diaries giving what happens in the real lives of GLBT people. Many learned enough to gain an idea of why there was so much push back from GLBT people about the Warren invite. That also gave a few people a lot more education then they were willing to accept. There was some breaking through a lack of knowledge and in a few cases willful ignorance. But, there was an upwelling of something that still needed to surface completely to bring the discussion to where it is today.
This was spill over in to the various fights for "civil rights"; each group defining "civil rights" and who should have "civil rights" as they define them. As the days came and went many GLBT diaries were created with many recommended and thereby provided for greater numbers of Kossacks to read.
The discourse has been passionate from all sides; this is not an issue that has only two sides, such as a line. This is more of a polygon with as many sides as those with opinions, i.e. everybody. Occasionally the passion has overwhelmed the thought process though.
Reading through so many diaries and comments is important for all of us. You can learn so much from those who learned about GLBT people and have changed their thoughts. You can also learn about those who have one agenda and it is not equality for all, but a single minded energy to deny equality to those they feel do not fit their special prejudices. I was not surprised to read many of the comments and the hard work put into hijacking the diaries and threads. (At times I wished I could have TR a few of them)
The hijacking of diaries into the merits of which group suffered the most in their quest for equality is wrong. It takes away from the discussion of why ALL people should have equality in this great country. Equality is equality.
I also learned how much of what can be called "innate knowledge" that exists. Generalities that have no basis from any source, statements of fact in which the fact has only one manufacturer, passion for one’s beliefs in the face of fact disproving the belief, and a whole bunch of stuff that a cow would be happy to leave in the field for cow pie tossing.
I am also not surprised at all the territorial fighting going on. There is a lot riding on proving that one "owns" the path to ones equality as opposed to all having the same equality. It is a shame that instead of trying to learn and help others in their desiring of equality, there is an aggressive move to place barriers and actually push back, working to deny if not strip rights away. The "I got mine, you go sit on the dairy barn floor" attitude is disturbing from a very tiny minority.
Overall though there was such a great airing of thought and belief that only good can come of this. Democrats are passionate and free thinkers, not beholden to a dictate from a self declared "decider". I have great hope that from these discussions many will find they see the issues from several different sides.
The other side, over in the blogs in my red folder, must be all happy because what we have been going through must appear to them to be a complete meltdown and destruction of the Kossacks. Quite the opposite. WE gain from these diaries and discussions; in ways that free thinkers have always learned. We take what we "know" and compare that to what we "learned", coming up with a lot more understanding and a better appreciation for ourselves and others.
If you are wondering if I will state an opinion after reading this far; yes, I will. Some do not talk of equality for all. Some use religion to justify talking that not all deserve equality. Some talk and we have no clue what they are talking about (many like this in the posts). And some talk of equality for all, without following through. When I talk about equality for all, I want to live my life with equality for all. I will not accept excuses about why there should not be equality. WE either are equal and have equality, or we are not. As long as I can be effective in or out of office I will do what I can for equality.
I will now say that this issue is important to me because I am a politician running for elective office. I am also a member of many of the communities being discussed; as we all are because we move in so many different circles of life. But, it is more important to me because the positions and the expressions of those positions teaches me that there are many more arguments for and against and every step in between than I had known before. The citizens and voters of Aurora, come from every point on the globe and I am happy for the wonderful diversity we have. These discussions will make me a better understanding person of where they are coming from when equality and civil rights are the issues being discussed..