One of the more vocal groups in this country is the gay population. Whether its AIDS activism or fighting for gay marriage, these folks are generally right out in front of the cameras and microphones. And most of their main issues come down to gay rights and the fight against discrimination based on sexual preference.
Before I go any further, let me say that I have no problem with most of this agenda. The only time I start to tune out is when I hear that we're not spending enough on AIDS research, which, fortunately, has sorta dropped off the radar in the past few years. When it comes to gay civil unions and eliminating prejudice of any sort, I'm a supporter. Like Depeche Mode said, people are people.
So, it's interesting to me that the gay activist lobby is silent on the treatment of gays outside of this country, especially in the Muslim world. There, gay civil unions are not much of a cause. Gay men and women in these countries are more preoccupied with keeping their heads on their shoulders.
The point I'm making, and the point of the New Republic article linked here is, if prejudice against gays is wrong in the US, and the gay activists certainly waste no time telling us that it is, then why are the gay activists not even more incensed with the treatment of their compadres in the rest of the world.
Wrong is wrong, isn't it?
1 comment:
Prejudice is bad no matter where it is or what the result is. But don't make the mistake of conflating gay and lesbian activists with gays and lesbians.
If your point is that we should be for civil right for gays and lesbians everywhere, I don't think there is any argument. But on a practical level, organizations have strengths and weaknesses and spheres of influence.
There are so many things that still need to be done to get civil rights for gays and lesbians that there is a real danger of every group trying to boil the ocean.
That said, there needs to be some organization taking point on the cases I've been seeing in Asia and the Middle East over the last few months. In the past I think many of the organizations left it to global concerns like Amnesty International.
I don't think we can afford to do that any longer.
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