Rocks – Ramblings of a Sane but Angry Mind

“How can you still speak to your family knowing that they voted for tRump?”  “If you still associate with them, you’re not really supporting the cause of equality for everyone  because they are racist if they supported him and you are a silent racist then.”  “You’re not supporting enough causes.  You can’t only back one.  You’re a racist against the others.”

This is the crap I’m seeing everyday within groups of like-minded people who are ultimately all fighting for the same things.  This kind of crap is what makes me think that maybe the Democrats DID defeat themselves. UGH!

I’ve been out of the closet since I was 31 (22 years now.) I know for a fact that my ultra-Christian parents have prayed EVERY SINGLE DAY for those 22 years that I not be gay. Could I have chosen to cut them out of my life? Sure. Who would have benefited from this? NO ONE! I also know that my parents and sister voted for the Screaming Orange Manchild. Is it my choice to still have contact with them? Yes. Why? Because no one benefits by severing these ties. Am I condoning their vote by still talking to them? NO.  We don’t discuss politics for the very reason that we don’t agree. They KNOW how I feel about it.  I’ve told them. I don’t tolerate bigotry in my presence.  There is nothing more I can do when it comes to them. I choose to keep this relationship.

Have I severed ties with other people due to their support for the SOM? Yes. Life-long friends & relatives? HELL YES! What’s the difference? I have nothing to gain by maintaining these relationships and if they want to support the SOM, who thinks I should be subjected to an unwanted pregnancy & gay conversion therapy, they can support that shit without me around. These are my choices.

Do these choices make me less sincere in my fight for equality for EVERYONE? NO. Does the fact that I’m WHITE and gay make my fight for others less sincere than if I was black or brown or green and gay? HELL NO!

Everyone gets to their own places in their journeys at their own pace.  Do those who may be farther along the path get to throw rocks at the others behind us because they aren’t up to where we are? FUCK NO!   In fact, we need to be turning around and checking on them and encouraging them.  Sometimes, we even need to walk back to them and stay side by side for a while. This doesn’t diminish anything about our own progress; it just gives others the same chance to progress.

Successful teams have members who each excel at different things.  Rare is the team member who can play every position.  Even the coach usually doesn’t excel at everything.  No one has to ascribe to every single facet of the marginalized groups to be involved in fighting discrimination.  As Hillary Clinton said about raising children, “It takes a village.” It is going to take the village of humanity to finally end discrimination and we are all part of that village.

WE HAVE GOT TO STOP THROWING ROCKS AT THE MEMBERS OF OUR OWN VILLAGE!!!!