The Public Opinion Soapbox

poohbear · Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Posts: 17

No matter how many people don't want to realize or even admit it, gay people do exist in Chambersburg, whether that person is hiding their affiliation to being gay because of the ridicule and ignorance of people who do not understand or don't even care to understand how or why gay exists. Christians or church goers claim that it is a choice that the gay people make and then you have people who say it is a sickness ( I don't feel sick), but either way, excuses of the way gays are does not change the fact that we still exist. The more I look around at my surroundings I realize, there are more gays in this area than I noticed. Many are hidden, many are proud, and then you have ones that are just there. There will come a time when the government will realize that the words "The right for the pursuit of happiness." does refer to all and not just the ones they choose to give that honor to. What I mean by that is, Marriage, a man and a woman pursued to get married and live happily ever after and have that right in the law because government left them, well, the gay communities are looking for that pursuit of happiness in marriage and the government being racial wants to change the constitution to reflect church beliefs. My thought in that is, politics and religion was to be kept seperate, Is that correct? Anyways, people need to wake up and realize that no matter what sexual orientation a person has they are human also. They have feelings, they have a personality and next time you look at someone that you may think is gay and start to judge them, take a look at yourself and realize, judging someone else because of the fact that they are gay is also a sin in the bible. I will admit that I do not go to church for the fact that people do judge even when they are sitting in their so called house of the lord. I pray at home where God will hear my blessings and my thanks. Just know that, gay people deserve respect also, don't judge them before you know them.

paul_milander · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 585 Location: Shippensburg, PA

OK I dont think there are really any "non gay" community around. Being that I lived in HBG I was only annoyed that the "Gay Community" wanted to be treated as equals and be left alone, but they always made it a point that they were different then everyone else.

poohbear · Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Posts: 17

It isn't that gays consider themselves different from everyone else, it is the fact that they are treated as if they are different.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2617 Location: Chambersburg

I think this is more of a "don't ask, don't tell" area. It is very conservative, very religious and very intolerant of a lot of things. It's perfectly understandable to me that any local, gay residents would prefer at least to not go shouting from the rooftops about it.

I agree with your assessments on the "right to pursue happiness" applying to every US citizen, unconditionally and I'm an advocate for gay marriage.

But I also haven't seen it as any sort of problem that exists around here. I realize there are a lot of social conservatives, but just my own personal political and religious views could potentially make me an unpopular person to locals. So I keep most of it to myself.

paul_milander · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 585 Location: Shippensburg, PA

poohbear · Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Posts: 17

That is understandable, that you do not shout it from the rooftops or make it known. I do understand that completely. But is that because of your position in the community, or the ridicule that happens, I am a person that also practices to be discrete also. I just want the rights that heterosexuals have to supply my partner with security where the government cannot come in and take everything that my partner and I have built together. Even with a will (as in the story of Conner in the newspaper) granted that couple was man and woman but even with a will it can still happen without marriage. I want the same rights, if my partner becomes ill, I want the right to say what treatment they recieve (god forbid that it happens), but if it does I want everything that can be possibly done for them, If anything happens to me, I want our children to remain in our home with my partner, I want my partner to get everything that I have worked for to build our lives. I am proud, but sometimes because of the reception received from people, we keep hidden.

poohbear · Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Posts: 17

Racial isn't the word for it, they are fine talking with you and are nice to you and then when they see you outside of the work place with your family (which consists of children and two same sex parents) then they quickly change the way they act or treat you. Church minded shouldn't reflect on the respect you give a human being or judge them, Thou shalt love they neighbor.

MAJ_Kong · Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Posts: 31

The sexual orientation of an individual, and what two consenting adults do behind closed doors is none of my business. I see no reason to sing from the rooftops what you do in private.
_________________
"One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don't know."

poohbear · Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Posts: 17

Noone is shouting from the rooftops, besides who wants to be on a rooftop, certiainly not me (afraid of heights, thank you very much), I am just stating that gays have rights too and also stating that people have ignorance when it comes to respect.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2617 Location: Chambersburg

Well, I think that's unfortunate poohbear; I think you and your partner do deserve the same respect and rights as everyone else. Unfortunately, most people just don't see it that way.

Maybe someday.

paul_milander · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 585 Location: Shippensburg, PA

poohbear · Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Posts: 17

AnonyMouse · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 527

As I said elsewhere - prejudice is irrational. It would be useful for most people to seriously consider the nature of sexuality - including their own. Lack of self-awareness is, in my mind, the biggest contributer to prejudice - racial or sexual.

Here's a quiz I came across recently that seems pretty on target.

paul_milander · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 585 Location: Shippensburg, PA

poohbear · Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Posts: 17

Yeah, that is pretty racial. I am a pretty open person, I treat everyone with respect, even when they choose to stop respecting me, I feel that I shouldn't change how I treat people because of the way they treat me because of my sexual orientation, I don't need them to find more to talk about because of my choice to treat them the way they treat me.