An Entertaining Saturday, until.....

[Jester]

So I thought I would spend my Saturday off enjoying some typical Key West weirdness. It being the start of our Conch Republic Independence Days Celebration this weekend, I thought I would take in the annual Drag Races. Now, these are not drag races with cars, or even with vehicles....these are drag queens racing, in full drag, through an obstacle course. Fun and bizarre entertainment, right?

Well, about in the middle of it, I notice this guy walking down the opposite side of the street from where I am, behind most of the crowd, carrying one of those fun signs some of us have seen from this guy's ilk Bright yellow sign with black lettering. One side: "No fags in heaven." Other side: "God hates USA." To the crowd's credit, anyone who saw what the sign said ignored the guy. I followed him down the street a little ways just to see if anyone reacted, but apparently I was the only one to take the bait, as it just pissed me off.

Key West is known for being tolerant of many different lifestyles and, as such, we have a large and rather open gay population. The drag races were being held in the block of Duval Street where most of the prominent gay bars are. The crowd was a mixed bunch, but pretty much all of them seemed to be enjoying themselves and the entertainment. Great place to take a homophobic message, don't you think? After all, there's nothing like hatred hiding behind religion to make a fun-filled day, right?

Now this is not an anti-religion post. I have friends who belong to various religions and who have different levels of religiousness, from very devout to atheistic. And while we don't always agree on things, we still get along. More to the point, even though some of them privately do not think homosexuality is "right," they would not pull anything like the stunt this guy pulled. Forgetting for just a moment the strong emotions that issues like this evoke, stuff like this is just, well, rude. It would be like going to opening day of baseball season with a sign that reads "Fuck baseball."

Either him or one of his brethren recently was shot with a pellet gun here in Key West. Of all the people that I heard discussing that incident or that I discussed it with myself, it seemed that the universal sentiment was against the guy who got shot. Now, I don't advocate violence against people who are merely expressing their opinions, however warped or hateful those opinions may be, but I can't work up a shred of sympathy for the shooting victim here.

So, what makes people who claim to be religious and believe in "God" preach such hateful messages? What is WITH these fuckwits? Grrrr.....

[AdminAssistant]

Well, I checked the Westboro Church's picket schedule, and I didn't see that they were there today, although it certainly sounds like the Westboro Church's MO.

I was bemused to see how often my current residence comes up on their list. Twice next week, and then at every graduation ceremony. Granted, it's close and convenient for them. I giggled at the words "Gay Hawk" and "Gay U".

They are going to Key West, to protest, of all things, a high school Gay Straight Alliance sometime in May. *sigh*

[AFPheonix]

After checking out the pictures of some of the morons who attended the "tea parties" on the 15th, I am inclined to believe that WBC is not alone in their sheer retardation.
People will use religion or any other belief system to justify whatever thoughts or actions they have. It doesn't matter how out of touch with reality it is, or how other, far more reputable scholars interpret the passages these guys use in holy texts, they will continue to do it.
Here's to hoping that someday, we as a society can rise above all of it, but I suspect once gays are completely mainstream, fringe crazies will find some other sin to pick on and rail about. It'll probably still be a sexual sin however, since all of these people seem to have a huge fixation on anything related to genitalia.

[tabbyblack13]

The guy with the sign to walk though the crowd like that either had to have a huge set of balls or a death wish. I wonder if he made it home on one piece. This guy was beyond rude as well. If he doesn't like what's going on then he doesn't go near that area. If people do not approve of the homosexual lifestyle then it shouldn't happen in their bedroom, but they cannot say what should happen in someone else bedroom. People like him make me sick. God should represent love not hate.

I personally would have liked to watch the racing and other entertainment. I applaud anyone who can run and do an obstacle in heels. I can barely walk across a flat floor in sneakers without tripping.

[blas87]

I honestly do not know how Phelps and his crew of crotch zits managed to protest here in Wisconsin without being shot. I was amazed that no one blew one of those yoohoos into next year.

When you come around these parts and you do something like that at a funeral, especially one of a serviceman.....you usually don't make it out alive or functional!

[Jester]

They are going to Key West, to protest, of all things, a high school Gay Straight Alliance sometime in May.

Oh, you are SO going to have to get me the exact dates/plans for that. Please?

I suspect once gays are completely mainstream, fringe crazies will find some other sin to pick on and rail about. It'll probably still be a sexual sin however, since all of these people seem to have a huge fixation on anything related to genitalia.

To quote the sage George Carlin..."Have you ever noticed that most of the people who are against abortion are people you wouldn't want to fuck in the first place?"

The guy with the sign to walk though the crowd like that either had to have a huge set of balls or a death wish. I wonder if he made it home on one piece.

As I said, the crowd left him alone. Hell, most of them didn't notice him. It helped that he was walking quickly and behind the crowd on that side of the street, while their attention was focused forward to the drag races.

I did find it funny that in the crowd cheering on the drag racers, many of them had shirts advocating "peace," "love," and "tolerance" while this yahoo was mongering hate.

I applaud anyone who can run and do an obstacle in heels. I can barely walk across a flat floor in sneakers without tripping.

Not just heels....some of them had PLATFORM heels. And wigs. Beehive wigs. (At least one, maybe two of them.) Etc., etc. And the funny part is, part of the obstacle course was the whole tire thing that football players do. I have enough trouble doing that in athletic shoes. Platform heels? Really?

By the way, kudos to the drag queen that simply vaulted all eight tires and kept running. Mondo style points to her!

[Rapscallion]

So, what makes people who claim to be religious and believe in "God" preach such hateful messages? What is WITH these fuckwits? Grrrr.....

You seem to think that having a faith or following the tenets of a religion mean that you have to be nice, right? You've got to give to the poor, give houseroom to orphans, and pet any kittens you see, right?

Depends on the religion. Depends what some lunatic many years ago put down on paper based on (generally) his preferences. If it says in the books that the followers shall not dance on a Tuesday, then on a Tuesday they shall not dance.

Of course, it's fair to say that those who take Paul and Leviticus literally are probably wearing clothes made of two different cloths, eating shrimp from time to time, and all those other things denied them, but it's easier to impose your values on others than yourself.

Rapscallion

[Cat]

Hmmm...maybe the crowd was purposely ignoring him, thinking that the lowlife asshat wanted attention.....why give it to him? Use your attention on more important things, like the race (which I would have love to see....talk about skill!)

I'm actually surprised I haven't seen ant WPC idiots or wannabes here in CT, maybe they know they won't make it outta the state? (at least, not w/o paint, eggs, various other food products thrown)

[Jester]

You seem to think that having a faith or following the tenets of a religion mean that you have to be nice, right?

Actually, no I don't. When I posed the question of why people use religion to spread hateful messages, I was not simply talking about this situation, or about someone perverting any particular religion. I know full well that some religions do preach hate. I find them as repulsive as this asshat yesterday was.

And yes, I realize that to a degree I am imposing my beliefs about what religion should and could be on those who have different views. I accept that. They are simply my opinions, my beliefs. As with everything else, I reserve the right to be horribly and embarrassingly wrong.

Hmmm...maybe the crowd was purposely ignoring him, thinking that the lowlife asshat wanted attention.....why give it to him?

Pretty much my thought as well. Which is why I give the crowd credit for ignorning him, and myself not so much credit for rising (falling?) to the bait.

[Slytovhand]

Look at the bright side, if they were truly following their faith, then it wouldn't be merely protesting, it would be executing. As Raps was saying, if that's what's written, that's what's true.. regardless of what ever else is going on with the planet and humanity.

I suspect that just as they are seen as close-minded and ignorant by those members on here (and elsehere), we are just as close-minded and ignorant as well...


ETA Hi Jester!!

[Jester]

Hi Slyt! And yes, you are correct. It is no different than, say, the Nazis. They believed what they were doing was right. To them, the Jews were a blight on humanity, and in their world, eliminating the world's Jewry was very much a needed solution. Not to mention eliminating races inferior to the Aryan race.

Being one of those "Jewish scourges" I tend to hold a different view from the Nazis. In my mind, they were a horrible evil unleashed upon this planet. In their minds, it is I and my kind that are the horrible evil. It is easy to sit here now and look back in history and say they were wrong, but who is to say that they were, in fact, wrong? Who knows? Maybe God is a Nazi, and Jews are the Devil's tool. I certainly HOPE not. But "truth" is an abstract that varies according to one's beliefs and one's perspective. My truth is your lie, your good my evil.

[AdminAssistant]

I honestly do not know how Phelps and his crew of crotch zits managed to protest here in Wisconsin without being shot. I was amazed that no one blew one of those yoohoos into next year.

Yeah, I'm interested to see how their protest at the Student Union next week goes. This is a liberal town and a very liberal campus. Sadly, I have to teach class during that time. If we didn't already have something specific planned, I would so cancel class so we all could go protest.

[lordlundar]

I doubt he's a part of the WBC, as if he was, the person who shot him would have been sued into bankruptcy by Phelps to support his stupid campaign against the world. More likely he wants to be a member, but was refused because he's not the right genetics. (ie: a part of the Phelps inbreeding program)

[AFPheonix]

Look at the bright side, if they were truly following their faith, then it wouldn't be merely protesting, it would be executing. As Raps was saying, if that's what's written, that's what's true.. regardless of what ever else is going on with the planet and humanity.

I suspect that just as they are seen as close-minded and ignorant by those members on here (and elsehere), we are just as close-minded and ignorant as well...


ETA Hi Jester!!

It depends on what book they were reading. If they had bothered to read Galatians 5 and 6, I suspect their actions would be far more kind and socially appropriate than what they're doing now.

[Amethyst Hunter]

When you come around these parts and you do something like that at a funeral, especially one of a serviceman.....you usually don't make it out alive or functional!

*Guaranteed*, if somebody did something like that at the funeral of anybody I knew, I *promise* you they would NOT live to see the end of that day. And I would go to jail for a very long time.

I'm totally serious. You do not fuck with me or mine. EVER.