Mood:
don't askTopic: Weekly Posts
Once again musicians have gotten together to show their support to a great cause. This time it's for equal human rights with "Love Rocks". The 2 disc Cd's set was released on Feb. 8 2005 by the Human Rights Campaign and is available at their site HRC.org. The Dixie Chicks, Melissa Etheridge, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Mandy Moore, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Dido, Carole King, Yoko Ono, Simply Red, Cyndi Lauper, Kimberly Locke & Oleta Adams are only some of the 32 artists that have joined forces to celebrate marriage equality by donating songs of love and inspiration to the Human Rights Campaign’s newest benefit album, Love Rocks.
Today I read a story on a Christian site called Crosswalk.com that has a "former lesbian" bashing the artists participation with the Cd's. To read the story click this link: Pop Music Stars Push Homosexual Agenda.
But according to Melissa Fryrear, a former lesbian and now a gender issues analyst at Focus on the Family, the Cd's's connotation of the word "love" is deceptive. "Gay activists are trying to find an argument that carries emotional weight: 'love,' after all, sounds good to everyone," Fryrear said. "... Their definition is meant to mean the acceptance and the celebration of homosexuality."
Now I never heard anyone putting down Band-Aid, Farm-Aid, or Hands Across America for doing an album for benefiting others in need or support. But when musicians get together to stand against hate in our own country, it's Onward Christian Soldiers.
Years ago, Garth Brooks came under fire with his song "We Shall Be Free" due to the phrases "When we're free to love anyone we choose" and "When we all can worship from our own kind of pew" mentioned in the song. Stations refused to play the song because it was either too controversial or it didn't fit their moral standards. There were stations that did play the song and said they only played it because they were obligated to play all country singles that were released unless they fell off the charts. But Garth stood by his song and the message behind it. Garth made a statement that basically said, there are many different kinds of people in the world and we all need to learn to live with each other in peace, and that's what the song represents. (Not an exact quote)
But we are not free to worship in our own spiritual way as long as there are Christians that can not accept that their religion is not belief of the entire world. Please understand, I do not feel that ALL Christians are the same. I know many Christians who understand my spiritual path and my life as a gay man and do not try to push their beliefs upon me as total universal law, but their are many out there who give the rest a bad name in that since. Just like any group, it only takes a few to give the rest a bad reputation. I can usually tell who these far right wing Christians are. They are the ones with the bumper stickers on their cars that say "Marriage = (picture of a man & woman holding hands)" or are handing out little paper booklets (or hiding them in bathrooms or among the cans, boxes, and jars on the store shelves for customers to find) with no regard for the "No Soliciting" policies in the place they do it. They are also the ones who have groups of people in shopping centers screaming at people that they are going to HELL if they don't listen to what they have to say and gang up on 12 year old kids in a corner and scare them with brimstone & fire stories not letting them get around them until someone comes to their rescue. Going door to door with a newsletter that has a picture of the DEVIL in a Santa Clause suit with nasty pointed teeth & sharp scary claws that says "SATAN CLAUSE" in big letters at the top and handing it to a 5 year old boy and telling him to go and take it to his mommy so she can save them all. And they are the ones who tell little 8 year old kids that they are going to HELL if they watch the TV show "Bewitched" because to Bewitched is to be in league with the DEVIL.
Sound far fetched? I have witnessed these practices first hand. The "Bewitched" story was my own past experience. The Satan Clause newsletter was given to a neighbor of mine 12 years ago, I saw them give it to him and tell him to take it to mommy so she could save his family, 2 weeks before Christmas. the 12 year old cornered in the shopping center was my brother and my mother let all 6 of them have it when she saw it was her son they had near tears. And my partner & I both, as store managers, have seen people hiding the "trax" booklets on store shelves. While working a seasonal job in a Halloween Costume shop, I had to chase out people everyday who came into the store and were telling my customers that if they bought costumes for their kids or themselves that they were committing a sin and they needed to come to their church and be saved. I had about 10 of them a day to deal with.
Why do they think I have to follow their beliefs. Since I am not Christian myself, I don't know why I should have to live by the Christian standards. Was the United States not founded because of religious persecution? Was that not the main reason the pilgrims came over on the Mayflower? Then why repeat that history. Rather then fighting with each other, why don't we all work for the greater good together? If love and peace are the goal, violence and fighting will not help to achieve it.
I agree with Garth, When we can all live in peace with each other, no matter who or what we are, We Shall Be Free! The fact that the "Love Rocks" has ruffled the Christian right wing's feathers is enough to get me to get a copy for myself and a few more to give for Christmas/Yule gifts. Plus 100% of the money raised from the Cd's's sales go to the HRC.
Long Days & Pleasant Nights,
Andy
irritated