FREE SPEECH OR HATE SPEECH?

I came across a piece today about an issue that is cropping up Gay Pride Festival in Minneapolis and is an issue that pops out it's vile head at most Gay Pride events.

The article asks, "Must an expressive association that paid for a permit in a public park to advance its message include someone using the event to convey an opposing message? Specifically, must an anti-gay preacher and others be allowed to condemn homosexuality in signs and literature by roaming the permit grounds of a gay-pride celebration?"

It goes on to say...

"This year, an anti-gay activist and preacher named Brian Johnson and his family have insisted that they be given access to the permit grounds during the hours of the festival in order to display signs, distribute literature, and personally counsel attendees with an opposing message: that homosexuality is sinful and must be condemned rather than accepted. Johnson was arrested for trespass last year after he confronted some festival-goers with his message of repentance and condemnation."

Now let's think a minute.

For any other type of event- that shows say ethnic pride people would be outraged if some sick son of a bitches, in the name of their idea of what a god is, had signs saying stuff like "Niggers are God's Mistake" or "God Hates Mexicans".

There would be a public outcry- chances are angry participants would start a riot or at least beat the hell out of the freaks.

But when it comes to us gay folk- especially here in San Diego we just hold our signs and no one has the balls to stand up to these people.

Let me take you back to 1969- when the first protests started the people involved were instructed to dress mainstream- long dresses and suits and ties. They were told no matter what act peacefully and respectfully...until gay folk had enough of the abuse and the Stonewall Riot occurred. That event in New York City sparked some change that we all benefit from in the present day.

The trouble is that now days it seems we have the same sort of people organization the Pride events..and even the people who organized the NO H8 campaign here with that peace nick mentally that did nothing to affect change prior to the Stonewall riot in 1969.

Those of us in California saw how affective not taking the bully (the Mormon Church and other backers of Prop 8) worked for us. Our right to buy a state issued marriage license was taken away.

Don't you think it is about time we start standing up for ourselves- whether it means taking on a neighbor or family member one on one or a taking on the religious freaks that come to our events to preach hate? The organizers think it makes us look good in the press by being civil, polite and non-confrontational but it does not. It makes us looks like the scared little faggots time and time again- shut up and put in our place as second class citizens in a country where there is supposed to be "liberty and justice for all" whether you fuck an ass or a vagina.

As far as the piece is concerned I am all for free speech and people to have their first amendment right but when does free speech turn into hate speech?

The first amendment says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

No where in that bill of rights does it say you can twist the words of Jesus Christ around and use it to promote hate, violence and discrimination against a segment of the population you either fear or simply cannot accept in your own world.

I have been at a lot of events where these sick bastards march around with their anti-gay signs and no one- no one dares to take on these people- we are just too nice.

But just like the bully in school the sickness- that is Christian Fundamentalism (it is a sickness and for some a real addiction...these people border on delusional) - will continue to bully until the victim stands up to them. It does not mean having a rational discussion- these people are so insane that they truly believe that because they keep their small minds stuck in that book of theirs that they are the ones that God loves.

Trouble is these freaks end up playing God more than listening to their God...so I think their God just shakes his or her head and plugs his ears...they always say we are going to hell but they seem to forget what the man they name themselves after cautioned them against- "Judge not lest you be judged".

Back to the bully- until the victim takes a risk...in a school kids case it might be getting expelled for taking on a bully and in the adult would arrest for civil disobedience...the bully will continue on.

So if these people are allowed to march around that Pride event- or even at ours next month gay folk have abig choice to make. Let them continue being the bully and spewing out hate disguised as some sort of religion that is based on nothing but their own fears and prejudices or to finally take on the bully.

Thousands attend the Gay Pride event here in San Diego. I am sure a boat load will be at the Gay Pride Festival in Minneapolis so how about this time people get a set of balls and simply run these freakish bastards out of the event.

I don't condone random violence but there have been many times when I just wanted to take the sign of one of these God Hates fags freaks and beat the living shit out of them with it.

Not because I get my jollies hurting another human being but because I know- from personal experience as a teen and from the stories I have heard and read about in my lifetime how their twisted religion, there ability to get away with publicly promoted hate and violence against a certain segment of the population

It is about time we- as a so-called community do whatever it takes to shut up these bastards. Yes in their fake churches they can preach what they want but it goes beyond just crossing boundaries and invading gay events.

The messages of hate towards gays- based on crap written by MEN over 2000 YEARS AGO leads to daily abuse of teenage children in schools and homes. It leads to gay bashing at work or worse physical attacks in the street.

It leads homophobes to believe they have the god given right to mentally, physically and psychologically abuse fellow human beings.

Allowing these people with our silence, inaction or especially complacency leads to gay teens wanting to kill themselves...out of shame and fear. Now you tell me where Jesus said to his followers to go around and play God so you can humiliate, torture and abuse another human being just because you do not like what they are?

And letting these sign carrying freaks hold sway in America while we sit back with flowers in our hair, yelling our well rehearsed chants without taking them on in an aggressive way can lead to what happened back in 2008.

I will leave you with the clip from Ellen...this would have never happened if people like this freak that wants to be let into the Gay Pride Festival in Minneapolis didn't use their fake religion to convince this boy's killer that God would appreciate that more than letting a faggot live in peace.

It is time for a change...let's find our balls people.




Think about it.