At The Root of the Tennesse Madness

A couple things really bother me here.  First of all, how is it possible that one person as completely ignorant and out of step with the real world could be elected into a political position!?  Every single thing Stacey Campfield breathes about the LGBT community would be laughable if it wasn't for the fact that it's damaging so many lives.

Rep. Campfield is the author of the "Don't Say Gay" bill, the bill that doesn't even allow for the recognition of the word gay.  His logic and reasoning behind that predates Anita Bryant.  It might even predate the neanderthals.  Certainly, it's not in step with 2012 and the real world.  He's clinging feverishly to an old, outmoded myth about homosexuality.  Now, it's fine if he has those views and strongly believe in them.  That's his choice and, under our Constitution, he has that right.  The line, though, needs to be drawn decisively at the front door of his home.  As a politician, as a human being, and as an adult, he should not be allowed to let his bias, his archaic views of reality influence and harm other people.  In this case, particularly, the lives of young LGBT people are in the balance.  Tennessee has had two gay-teen suicides within the last 2 months.  How many more lives must be lost before Stacey Campfield is put in check?  Don't lose track of the fact that it was also Stacey Campfield who authored the bill that allows for the bullying of LGBT youth as long as it's done for "...religious, political, or philosophical reasons."  Your son gets bashed in the face at school.  The attacker yells "Praise the Lord", goes to the office and collects his get-out-of-jail-free card. 

Mr. Campfield is a bonafide threat to the well-being of every LGBT person in the state of Tennessee.  From his "Don't Say Gay" policy to his policy of allowing realtors and businesses to discriminate against members of the LGBT community, Stacey Campfield is truly a danger to the community.

His latest diatribe, though, was at least humorous.  He enlightened the world with his revelation that AIDS is an exclusively gay disease.  According to Stacey Campfield, it is "virtually impossible" to contract AIDS through "normal", heterosexual sex.  Again, the question:  "how on EARTH was this man elected!?"  I'm not even going to comment on just how insane that series of statements are.  You can read it for yourself.  It's great humor.  Well, not really.  It's actually rather scary.  Never forget that this man is in a position of power.  He's a shot-caller.  And, he's amazingly ignorant.  Bad combination.

Returning to my "power in numbers" mantra, if you haven't signed any of the three petitions calling for changes in the Tennessee laws, here there are again:

• Stop the "Don't Say Gay" bill
• Stop the bill that will allow for bullying of LGBT teens based on "religious, political, or philosophical reasons"
• Force the hands of Cheatham County, and ALL of Tennessee to strengthen their anti bullying laws so that they also protect LGBT teens.

Our army is growing by leaps and bounds daily.  Now, we need to put those numbers to work.  Talking about change is one thing; being proactive in helping to bring about that change is a whole different animal.

Power in Numbers

Since I posted the link, "Help LGBT Students Get Their Voices Heard", the petition has picked up over 125 new signatures.  Awesome!  If you're reading this and haven't signed, or don't even know what it's about, I encourage you to sign it.  And, if you don't know what it's about, read my previous entry of the same name.

At this point in time, it's urgent that we, the people who care and are passionate to see change in the way of equality for all, continue to pull together and be heard.  "The Other Side" is lashing out like never before!!!  Just today, I read of two MORE states attempting to implement their own version of a bill that will make it okay to bully LGBT teens if it's done for religious, political, or philosophical reasons.  That's absurd.  And, very dangerous.

Also today, pastor Ken Hutcherson of the Antioch Bible Church spoke out against his state's push to legalize gay marriages.  His remarks were, indeed, remarkable:

“Do they believe that if they change the definition of marriage being between one man and one woman, what is going to stop two men one woman, two women one man, one man against a horse, one man with a boy, one man with anything,”

I can't even comment on that.

One of the two states that want to give a free pass to bullying if it's for religious, political, or philosophical reason is Michele Bachmann's Minnesota.  More specifically, it's the very district that she represents.  Bachmannites.

See, these people are determined to impose their narrow-minded beliefs and destructive bigotry on the entire country.  It's totally ok if they are against homosexuality, gay marriages, or sanity.  That's their constitutional right.  For them to attempt to force their opinions, their intolerance, their hatred down the throats of an entire nation is morally wrong.  Beyond that, it adds to the feeling of despair felt by millions of vulnerable LGBT youth from sea to shining sea.  And, that is one of the factors driving the increase in gay teen suicides.  The good news is that it's a factor that can be minimized.  There is power in numbers.

People are joining together in record numbers, all in support of the same cause:  to end inequality and hatred towards the LGBT community.  Straights and gays alike are letting their voices be heard:  ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.  "Wipeout Homophobia on Facebook" is approaching 300,000 members;  "STOP Teenage Suicide" has more than 25,000 people involved;  "ABC: Anti-Bullying Coalition" and "The Equality Mantra" are both over 12,000; you get the point.  We need the numbers to continue to increase.  But, it can't stop there!  We need people to stay plugged in and involved.  The ONLY way we're going to create the change we're seeking is to continuously, and loudly!, let our voice be heard, our presence felt.  Our voices must be loud enough to drown out the boisterous rants of a Michele Bachmann, a Rev. Ken Hutcherson, and the Tennessee lawmakers.  It is the people of this ilk who would rather see the LGBT population dead than become equal.  By extension, they couldn't care less about the LGBT teen who commits suicide!  Our presence must be made known.  There truly is power in numbers.  It doesn't matter if you're gay, straight, or asexual; black, white, or Venusian.  We all have the same goal:  equality.  That's the big umbrella that will help protect our LGBT teens from the storm of hatred we're witnessing today from our so-called leaders.