Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Resistance Is Futile


Thinking about all the gay-hating homophobic groups infesting our fair country today, and masquerading as religious institutions - I counted the big boys. Right at the top of the list of loonies, there's the "Christian Action Network" (CAN), a vocal umbrella body which has fallen remarkably silent of late - while it seems other newer associated groups which haven't been around long enough to lose their veneer of respectability yet, have taken their repugnant agenda into the halls of government.

Religion - The Guilt-Edged Sword


When we think of human relationships, the relationships between people, whether friendships or romances, we often come to a point where there is a parting of ways - a place where friendships stop being rewarding, when a love relationship ceases to be a love relationship and just devolves into something less. Just like a marriage where the love has exited stage left, all things end - and attempting to keep them alive artificially serves no purpose other than to drag things out to the very bitter, painful end.

Guilt shouldn't bind you to a person or trap you in a failed relationship. If it isn't love that keeps you there, but guilt - then you're both better off with someone else - or alone, because otherwise you will be doing yourself (and each other) more harm than good.

In many ways, the same thing can be said about religion.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Of Proof And Puddings


The evidence against South Africa's own government continues to mount. Remember how it started in December 2008 when the SA government refused to sign the UN Declaration to Decriminalize Homosexuality? Well, obviously it didn't end there.

SOUTH AFRICA FAILS LGBT PEOPLE AT UN - "In February 2009, South Africa acted as spokesperson for African nations demanding the removal of references to sexual orientation from the draft declaration of the second UN World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance." How much more proof do you need that SA's government has an anti GLBTI, anti human rights agenda?

The above article described this as "failing the GLBTI people". In my opinion this is not "failing LGBT people" - it is an outright BETRAYAL!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Out Of Focus


Has anybody taken note of what's happening in our neighbor Zim-BOB-we lately? Not only did they refuse to include the human rights of their pink community in the negotiations for their country's new constitution - but they are now saying they will build criminalization and punishments for homosexuality into it as well.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The Smell Of Fear


The forces who today oppose the struggle for recognition, equality and human rights of others think of themselves as strong. They stand today at the top of the pile, glorying in the lie that all people already are equal and have equal rights. They claim that those whose fingers they have spent countless years treading upon, are not fighting for equal rights, but "special rights" that will somehow elevate us above them. They look down on years of suffering, persecution and abuse - and somehow still lack the conscience and humanity to acknowledge the sorrow, unfairness and inhumanity they have forced upon their own peers and relatives for so long - for the injustice it is.

Monday, June 21, 2010

State Of Grace


Isn't it sad and funny how the worst in some people tends to bring out the best in others? Or is that the other way round? You know these people, trying to live the good life, walk the straight and narrow. The people who take it a step further, going beyond minding their own business, and starting to mind the business of others. The manic street preachers and interfering busy-bodies who think they are doing "God's work" and that the end justifies the means, no matter how messy the means.

Do we really need to listen to people telling us about how great they think their god is? I am fine with what I believe - I don't need some twat standing on a street corner with a bible in one hand and a bull-horn in the other, telling me what to believe. Who are they trying to convince? Us? Or themselves?

What other people believe doesn't really other me, except where their beliefs are acted out in such a way as to affect my safety, my rights, and my future, with the potential to ruin my life.

What other people believe shouldn't (be allowed to) hurt me.

Leave No-one Behind


We often refer to our diverse community of sexual minorities as "GLBT", including main groupings such as Gay, Lesbian (also gay), Bisexual and Transgender. Sometimes, when we feel generous we add on the I for Intersex. Perhaps when we run into groups that confuse us, or defy classification into the other main groups, we tack on the "Q" for Queer or Questioning - although I have to wonder who it is that is doing the actual questioning? Us? Or the folks on the outside of the community? I often wonder Why is it that we as a community are struggling so much with our own diversity?

Monday, June 14, 2010

Sorry, I'm Hatred-Intolerant


Why do some men feel that being gay is somehow an affront to their masculinity? What are they so afraid of?

Their own sexuality and of falling out of the closet? That, or are they afraid gay men have bigger dicks? I know some women who have bigger balls. Oh wait, I am one.

Let a girl just choose a girl over a man, and they feel they are "less of a man" for it and get all defensive, as if it has anything at all to do with them. That's right - they seem to think that a woman's taste in men (or women) actually affects them! Geez! Talk about insecurities, issues and mental problems! ... or is that ego? Nah, try arrogance.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Accepting Diversity


I find people amazing, fascinating. Don't you think it is incredible how there are so many of us, and yet each of us is still unique as an individual? Variety is the spice of life, or so the old saying goes. We are all basically the same biological organisms, but each of us is still different and unique enough to look distinctive, and have our own lifetime of experiences that make us into unique individuals, each with our own identities.

It is this fact that makes Human society so wonderfully diverse. And yet sometimes we get tired of people who disagree with us, or with what we feel is the "right" or "only" way to do things, sometimes this diversity frustrates us. But place us in an environment where everybody looks, sounds and lives the same way - and we soon find ourselves longing for a touch of individuality.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Puppet Electorate


Something is still really wrong with our democracy in South Africa. The poorest of the poor are still intimidated into voting for particular parties - being told that their homes will be burned to the ground if they do not vote a particular way - little realizing that their ballots are secret. They believe this, and so the vote generally does go a certain way.

Intimidation is as much a part of a real democracy as is an ignorant voter - not at all.

Monday, June 7, 2010

The Minister, The Barrister & The Thought Police


Recently the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Gigaba, announced his intention to push legislation for censorship of the internet and also the mobile phone network, supposedly to block people from accessing pornography. We believe that aside from just affecting negatively the civil freedoms instilled in the Bill of Rights, this will have dire consequences for freedom of expression, and the right to access information - and the potential threat that this legislation will be made to serve a portion of society that wishes to police the morality of South Africans.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Doublethink


I recently learned of the South African government’s pandering to religious fundamentalist groups, and began warning of this threat to civil rights and freedoms as protected by the Constitution. Just this week, I saw a news article announcing further confirmation of this collusion between the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs in particular, and the religious right wing - in the form of the "Justice Alliance of South Africa" (JASA).

It reminds me of the old National-Party government and the old Apartheid regime, for people to work to introduce censorship - particularly censorship based on the shaky ground of religious objection - into a modern constitutional secular democracy. In fact, to me it bears the same stink of the totalitarianism of Nazi Germany and the old Soviet Union - and in places like Zimbabwe, where it is illegal to even criticize the president.

The Justice Alliance of SA is a small fringe group of religious fundamentalists masquerading as a bona fide legal interest group - but with clear ulterior motives to further a conservative and theocratic agenda which will deprive the broader public of freedoms and liberties they now take for granted.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

The Trouble With Censorship Is XX XXXX XXXXXXX


The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced plans to ban pornography on the internet. Also mentioned prominently in the article is their partner in this affair - The Justice Alliance of South Africa, a small right-wing Christian fundamentalist organization which has in the very recent past, lobbied against abortion rights for women, and whose Honorary Director was involved in Doctors For Life, which actively opposed same-sex marriage in the courts a few years ago.

The JASA (Justice Alliance of SA) is no more than a small group of religious conservatives, whose Board consists of only one legal practitioner and several Pastors - professing to be a legal group, with an eye on determining the morality of an entire nation. They of course oppose gay civil rights among other things, such as minding other people's business and seem intent on pushing a religious fundamentalist agenda in influencing government.

This proposed law banning internet pornography uses as motivation the "protection of children" and "good morals" and "family values" - sorry I think I'm in the wrong room, pastor - is this the Values Voter Summit by any chance?