The Bastard Children of the Over-Exposed Generation

I have never asked anyone what they do in the bedroom, bathroom or other areas that violate the bounds of privacy. Likewise, I care nothing about the attitudes of people toward whatever makes them happy, whether that is a drink at 2pm or a gay lover.

There are just some things that should remain none of your damn business! Take that as you will! And for the record, I am not gay, in case you believed this to be a defensive piece of writing. I am, however annoyed at the stupidity I read… everywhere.

So when I read about the never-ending and very public arguments for and against gay marriage, now a law, I find myself utterly disinterested. It is not that I agree or disagree in the cause; I assign it to the “their business – does not hurt me” category. And if God does not approve, then it will still not be my problem; that is until some fool makes it my business and everyone else’s business by protesting at funerals of victims of violence, or the funerals of soldiers, with signs of hate splashed across the television. It is the hate thing that needs to be cleansed.

If I see a sign that reads “God hates fags,” I am compelled to add that “God hates morons also.” In fact, the utter hypocrisy of anyone associated with any faith proclaiming condemnation upon another is so opposite of the word of (any) God that it makes one wonder why such expression is tolerated at all, even in the land of the free and the thoughtless.

I have known many gay people who unfortunately have announced their status as a label, whether of pride or purpose. I am certain that I have met an equal number of gay people of whom I am orientation clueless. What I have observed are people of compassion who, despite their sexual difference are no less valid than the rest of society, including those God-loving heterosexuals who, while choosing the opposite gender to mate with, have an even greater proclivity toward adultery. ‘God hates adulterers.” And in fairness, there are a lot of stupid gay and straight people as well! It is all in the mix.

Whether you are a conservative or a liberal, you should agree that the world is falling apart on the differences we so falsely claim to integrate into mainstream America, whether it is racial, sexual or other.

And yet the country was founded on the differences which, when allied together, formed something  invincible.  I wonder which of the founding fathers or brethren were gender disordered? Are you that naive to consider this simply a sin of the modern age? Are you so bored that you need to find out? Get a life and go make a truly worthwhile difference, because that is sorely needed. Go perform a selfless act of service and better spend your time reflecting on your own need for improvement.

It is a sad reflection of the times that anyone can believe their viewpoint so strongly as to inflict it upon another, especially where it concerns matters that are subjective. Whether you practice gay condemnation or not, the gay community continues to exist. Whether you learn that your child is gay or not, if your child is gay, the fact remains, despite your knowledge of it, belief about it, or how you will feel, and you must live with it.

And if God truly hates “fags” or any other cluster that represents His children, it is surely up to God to handle the problem, if one exists. Certainly it is not up to you! It just is not your business.

I am no more thrilled watching a gay wedding than I am watching a heterosexual wedding. In fact, as a modern biped with a conservative value system, I am more interested in the lengths that the media go to in order to promote a story than the story itself.

Mentioning a gender inaccurately will, however, return in a barrage of criticism for your ignorance. Trendy words like “bully” or “shamer” or “homophobe” permeate these one-sided, gang like responses designed to shut you up or shut you down.

I have no issue with identification. But must  it be so complicated? What was once Gay and Lesbian, added, Bisexual and Transgender to form LGBT. And then queer was added at the end for the terminology correct among us: LGBTQ

I imagine the alphabet sung in kindergarten might soon change.

I want a label. I feel left out. Middle-age, White, Married American. That would be MWMA. Please make a note of that for future reference.

So much time is spent defining our cultural identity that we limit our opportunities through a fear of misbranding who we are. We are Americans – well most of us, anyway. We expect to be treated equally and fairly and yet do not allow our personal identification to remain at a base level.

“I am an American,” is the way all people of America  should  declare  themselves, not  “I am an Asian-American, 3rd generation, gay Episcopalian artist,” or whatever!

I  consider  racial  identification  as  a divide against that unity we always strive for in non-discrimination  legislation.  Having  to   refer   to someone as African-American or Asian-American dilutes their true standing as solely American,  “One nation under…”

There will be many people who disagree with this statement believing that without the added cultural label an aspect of identity is lost. I am not arguing against the need to preserve cultural heritage, and as a culturally rich person myself I am claiming that the label serves to draw a level of attention that is often as critical as it is beneficial.

The labels in our society identify our differences more than they serve our strengths. An African-American college professor once told me that for Americans to survive as a nation that we must get past any racial divides. And yet, in  his teaching, an ongoing visitation with the dark past of slavery was an essential component. We should not forget, he proclaimed, so that we never repeat. And yet by preserving that marker we never will pass beyond it, and it will always remain an open wound.

Go watch children playing at any elementary school and watch how they refer to each other. You do not hear a child proclaim: “I’m going to go play with my African-American friend Charlie.” You only hear, “I’m playing  with  Charlie.”  Race for children is an adult issue. The adults apply the labels, enforce the  labels  and make us one multicultural nation with civil rights, affirmatively activated distinctions, under a deity as diverse as the labels created by man. It’s far more than we need and we shouldn’t want it. For their sakes if nothing else.

And that is a reflection of our lust for controversy in modern America. Complain about it or revel in it, we are the bastard children of the overexposed generation. Dirty laundry is the tuxedo, and condemnation the vows. Shine a few spotlights, chat a few talk shows and it all becomes old news until the next event. There is always a “next event.”

It is no wonder that the extraterrestrials have yet to make contact. We’re just too stupid!

from “Signs You May Not Be An Idiot” by William Gensburger. Available HERE

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