I’m seriously outraged. I hear so much about how America is the best country in the world and that civil rights is a non-issue anymore. I read people going on and on about the freedoms in this country- a thousand reasons why we should be proud to live here. I can list some things about my country of which I’m proud. But I’m not going to do that. This is about what the fuck is wrong with this country.
Wendy lives in a nice neighborhood. Her kids go to a good school. She pays her taxes and supports her community. But she’s gay. So her neighbors want her gone.
She walked around taking pics and then came to the wall where a big picture of my girl and I in an embrace. I love this picture. She froze. From that moment on she didn’t say a word to me and left. That same night in big huge letters the word “leave this home homo’s”. And the first to find it, was my 11 (almost 12) year old son.
This happened to her in 2008. A year when a woman and a Black man are running neck-in-neck for the presidency. At a time when people are arguing over why there shouldn’t be hate crime legislation. When people are discussing why gay/lesbian couples don’t need to call themselves “married”- when “civil union” should do just as well.
Wendy isn’t a political blogger and didn’t write her post to stir anger in anyone. She is understandably resigned. She and her family1 are moving out of the neighborhood. Her post is short and to the point. It was her first experience with bigotry. And it was ugly.
And sadly typical.
If this had happened to anyone but a homosexual couple there would be hell to pay. Instead, people of all stripes will turn a blind eye. Civil rights aren’t meant for glbt couples. If they don’t like it they should move. Right? How dare they push their sexuality on their neighbors like that.
Bullshit.
They have a right to live in their nice house in that nice neighborhood. They have a right to be respected as good citizens. They have a right to have all the rights the rest of us enjoy. But because some fucking idiots can’t handle the idea of what they might be doing in their own bedroom they’re run out of the neighborhood. Because some guy pounded on a book that espouses certain levels of hate, another family must leave behind their dream to start again- hopefully somewhere safe for themselves and their children.
God forbid everyone in this country be allowed to live without fear that their neighbors will terrorize them and their children.
There have been times when I’ve ranted about the lack of rights for all Americans and people have told me that I’m reading too much into issues. I’ve been told, basically, that it’s not as bad as I make it sound. I’m exaggerating. I’ve going overboard.
Really?
When there are no more second-class citizens in this country, I’ll shut the fuck up. Unfortunately, I may be dead before that happens.
Good luck, Wendy. I hope wherever you land you find peace and decent neighbors.
Leave This Home, Homos
I’m seriously outraged. I hear so much about how America is the best country in the world and that civil rights is a non-issue anymore. I read people going on and on about the freedoms in this country- a thousand reasons why we should be proud to live here. I can list some things about my country of which I’m proud. But I’m not going to do that. This is about what the fuck is wrong with this country.
Wendy lives in a nice neighborhood. Her kids go to a good school. She pays her taxes and supports her community. But she’s gay. So her neighbors want her gone.
This happened to her in 2008. A year when a woman and a Black man are running neck-in-neck for the presidency. At a time when people are arguing over why there shouldn’t be hate crime legislation. When people are discussing why gay/lesbian couples don’t need to call themselves “married”- when “civil union” should do just as well.
Wendy isn’t a political blogger and didn’t write her post to stir anger in anyone. She is understandably resigned. She and her family1 are moving out of the neighborhood. Her post is short and to the point. It was her first experience with bigotry. And it was ugly.
And sadly typical.
If this had happened to anyone but a homosexual couple there would be hell to pay. Instead, people of all stripes will turn a blind eye. Civil rights aren’t meant for glbt couples. If they don’t like it they should move. Right? How dare they push their sexuality on their neighbors like that.
Bullshit.
They have a right to live in their nice house in that nice neighborhood. They have a right to be respected as good citizens. They have a right to have all the rights the rest of us enjoy. But because some fucking idiots can’t handle the idea of what they might be doing in their own bedroom they’re run out of the neighborhood. Because some guy pounded on a book that espouses certain levels of hate, another family must leave behind their dream to start again- hopefully somewhere safe for themselves and their children.
God forbid everyone in this country be allowed to live without fear that their neighbors will terrorize them and their children.
There have been times when I’ve ranted about the lack of rights for all Americans and people have told me that I’m reading too much into issues. I’ve been told, basically, that it’s not as bad as I make it sound. I’m exaggerating. I’ve going overboard.
Really?
When there are no more second-class citizens in this country, I’ll shut the fuck up. Unfortunately, I may be dead before that happens.
Good luck, Wendy. I hope wherever you land you find peace and decent neighbors.
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