That 'Gay Rights' meme

[desperance]

This is scooting around all over my friends list this morning:

'"Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?" - Ernest Gaines

We would like to know who really believes in gay rights on LiveJournal. There is no bribe of a miracle or anything like that. If you truly believe in gay rights, then repost this and title the post as "Gay Rights". If you don't believe in gay rights, then just ignore this. Thanks.'

And I'm not actually sure whether I do believe in gay rights, per se: I kind of believe in human rights, without the option to distinguish in matters of sexual preference. But what really gets my goat (and I want it back! I had plans for that goat) is that penultimate sentence, the suggestion that anyone ignoring the meme was making a statement against it. Screw that.

I think Alice's post and the comments say it better than I do. Yay for articulacy and boo to bullying.

Comments

[abigailb.livejournal.com]

i believe in gay rights, but i am also lazy. :p

[gauroth.livejournal.com]

I don't know how to repost! And I wouldn't, anyway, because the more I think about that quotation the more puzzled I am. Of course I'd be far more uncomfortable - scared, even! - by seeing 2 men with guns. That's a no-brainer!

To be honest when I see 2 men holding hands or walking along with their arms about each other I think, 'Awww!' just the same as when I see 2 women, or a man and women. I mean, whose business is it, anyway? I can't understand why some people (and the tabloids) get het-up about these things.

[martyn44.livejournal.com]

I've always thought I was missing something about this topic. Who you love is no business of anyone except you and who you love. 'Gay' rights are human rights, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and the respect of your peers.

Its simple. Love. Have we so much in the world that we can afford to be picky? Anyone who imagines we can doesn't know what they are talking about.

Of course, that's a pretty gauche and sentimental view these days. Do I look like I care?