um, non-political reaction to some politics
Thanks to a friend who brought this to my attention, I finally read an article today about the protests in LA. I’d been looking for details but hadn’t been able to find any in the mainstream news.
It’s had me out of sorts all day. I know that I shouldn’t let it get to me, and tomorrow I will do as I should - just be hopeful and optimistic - but tonight it feels like something that just needs to run its course in me. Like it deserves my attention for a little while.
I know that there’s been a lot of terrible things happening in the world for a long time, but my news-conscious life has really only spanned about 8 years. I am still shocked on a regular basis at the state of things; when Obama first announced his candidacy and there were news reports speculating that America was in no way ready for an African-American president, I was very surprised anybody would even deem that an issue to consider, because I thought we were past that. And today I am just beyond words [except I'm dragging them out of me to write this post]. This issue is really getting to me… like I just told my brother, I feel kind of like Obi Wan in Star Wars when he knows that Tatooine was just blown up because he can just feel all of the sadness and evil? It’s a little like that. I feel literally weighed down, in both my spirit and my body. A quick survey of my friends’ status’ list seems to hint that I and this feeling are not alone.
I was raised in a very “blue” place, and while this left me in the minority with regards to my religion, I also felt lucky. I found most people to be quite open-minded, rational and unprejudiced. They may have disagreed with me but they also recognized my right to choose my beliefs, and they did not usually view it as a deterrent to our friendship. (It was actually a little strange for me to move to Texas and realize that I might really meet people who, due to misinformation, actively hate my church.) I, also, was raised to know that everyone has the right to believe and to worship as they choose. We do in fact have a same-sex couple living right next door to us here and we are on friendly terms with them. A rational look at the facts says there is no excuse for the extent of this protest. The LDS church’s involvement with Prop 8 was fully constitutional, and the church does not promote hatred or negative behavior towards any group of people.
It does, however, have a right to speak out on moral issues. It did, and the people of California voted: democracy in action. And now the members in LA are being denied their [unarguably stated constitutional right] to worship as they choose. They cannot safely get to the temple, and their other property and in some cases very lives are being threatened. And so tonight I am wondering, and I believe I’m backed up by that policeman in the article - Where is the government on this? Why is the media spending their time talking about Michelle Obama’s dress, instead of this?
I know it doesn’t make any difference in the large scheme of things to try to reason with people about these social issues; opinions are just too polarized. But I’m so sad, that people can arrive at this state of blindness - and I’m not even referring to their stance on same-sex marriage but rather just the hypocrisy in how they go about it. These protestors feel themselves so progressive and democratic, demanding rights for all, yet their actions embody the complete opposite of these ideals. What is there to be proud of in verbal and physical violence? Threats, disrespect and a complete lack of self-control? How is that supposed to make anyone desire to or feel it a smart idea to adopt their agenda? I feel like what used to be the positive aspects of the liberal movement - what I enjoyed about living in a blue state - is now being overlooked as extreme groups act like they are more important than tolerance, and too modern to be bothered with respect. It’s a sad world that we live in.
But it’s also a happy one, and now that I’ve gotten all of that out, I feel much better. When the bad gets worse, the good also gets better. Soon I will post lots of things to love, to balance this out.
Happy weekend!
Comments (4)
My sentiments exactly. I was reading up on the proposition 8 stuff as well, and I had the same feelings as you did. I was feeling quite sad and discouraged about the world we live in and what it’s going to be like for my children and grandchildren and how sad it is that people go about defending their beliefs in such a wrong way. However, I then realized that we have the gospel, and that’s a happy thing, and like you said, there is still much to be happy about and much good in the world. We just have to look a little harder to find the good because it’s not plastered all over the news.
Mom | November 8th, 2008, 7:16 am
I have felt the exact same way! I just cannot understand the hypocrisy, like that spoken of in the article you quoted. I am tired of people–gay and straight–lumping LDS members into one huge homophobic, discriminatory group. What is disturbing is the lengths some are going to to threaten the supporters of Prop 8. My old roommate from BYU wrote about her mother, who the day she put her Yes for Prop 8 sticker on her car, had her car keyed. The death threats have been the most disturbing…its like we’re back, yes in Jackson County again, or even pre and post Civil War. It’s just sad that in a country where we can elect an African-American, we still cannot tolerate people of other faiths.
This issue has got me, too, all riled up. I think even Todd is surprised. I am also trying to remember, like you, that I have many blessings, all because I am a member of the Church. I’m not sure if I would have handled things as eloquently and humbly as the members in California had I been asked to do the same thing.
Megan T. | November 8th, 2008, 12:46 pm
Hey Kaylene, this is Callie. As someone who grew up in southern CA (about 1 hour from L.A.), currently has family living all over southern C.A still, it is really, really sad to me. There’s been a lot of bad stuff happening to the members there who are merely sticking up for their moral beliefs. I 100% agree with everything you said, feel the same way being raised in a blue state, but can’t believe it is now coming to this! It is really sad and upsetting. It really makes me wonder what else will happen a few short years from now. But on a different note, what part of Texas are you in? I lived in Austin for two years after leaving BYU and loved it! We may end up there again after law school.
Callie | November 8th, 2008, 3:07 pm
That’s really sad. Many conservative Christians are lumped into the same boat. They may not be as actively “oppressed”, but definitely generalized and lumped into the same “homosexual-hating” category. I babysit for a lesbian couple, and people can’t seem to rationalize the fact that I am a Christian and yet do not hate these people. It’s sad because Christ calls us all to love, whether we agree with a certain lifestyle or not. And a whole lot of Christian love is being left out by the few but blamed on the many.
Meredith | November 11th, 2008, 12:21 pm
What do you think?