Sunday morning we were awakened to news of a horrific tragedy that unfolded in the predawn hours. While our first cup was brewing, the pundits had already begun speculating and finger pointing. Surely this was a stranger in our land who worshiped a strange god. Even as many lavished in an "I-told-you-so" moment, a few took up the terrorist's cause. Little did they know their tweets and sound bites aligned them more closely with the shooter than they could ever imagine.
By noon it was revealed that the killer was driven by the same disgraceful dogma dispensed by our most distinguished denominations. While the role of his particular faith has yet to be established, his own family revealed something about his psyche that came as no surprise to many of us. His violence was triggered at least in part by the same bigotry that the LGBTQA community faces every day.
We are more than a community, we are a big family and in moments like these we stand together. Your jokes of violence against our family are not funny. Your implied and overt threats against us will be taken seriously. Disguising your hate behind phrases like "rural values" and "traditional families" no longer hides your own moral failure.
Does same sex affection bother you? Get used to it. Love is love and a kiss is just a kiss. The love and/or lust shared by two people is their own to share and for you to look away if your faith is not strong enough to handle it. When you knock down one of us, 10 more will rise up. Expect to see more men kissing. They might be longtime lovers expressing their desire for one another, or they might be two strangers who are helping you grow up a little.
Warren Case
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