For 7 years I have been an advocate for the Transgender community. Personal advice , essays… what-not. My basic tenet is that we must work with other folks and prove ourselves as what we truly are. “To change hearts, minds and souls”. That will be the secret to us being liberated as ourselves.
Now Pastor Rick Warren is to deliver the Inagural Prayer and Melissa Ethridge was to attend the affair. In this essay she got it right. She was also proactive and talked with Pastor Warren and learned some things.
Melissa and her family will attend the Inaguration.
There’s a new world dawning folks, and Melissa gets my thoughts from the above. (She doesn’t read my Blog) “Changing hearts, minds and souls” Just showing to good folks that we are good and proving ourselves. There is nothing to fear from us.
I won’t mute the Inagural Prayer as I planned. If Warren come close to the LGBT community’s position, I can go closer to his. (I may be a protective bitch, but I don’t like being petty.)
Here’s part of Melissa’s essay-
“Brothers and sisters the choice is ours now. We have the world’s attention. We have the capability to create change, awesome change in this world, but before we change minds we must change hearts. Sure, there are plenty of hateful people who will always hold on to their bigotry like a child to a blanket. But there are also good people out there, Christian and otherwise that are beginning to listen. They don’t hate us, they fear change. Maybe in our anger, as we consider marches and boycotts, perhaps we can consider stretching out our hands. Maybe instead of marching on his church, we can show up en mass and volunteer for one of the many organizations affiliated with his church that work for HIV/AIDS causes all around the world.
Maybe if they get to know us, they wont fear us.
I know, call me a dreamer, but I feel a new era is upon us.”
I too am a dreamer, and Hope always springs eternal.
I have been a fan of Melissa’s for a very long time, way before she “came-out”. She is a smart, talented, family-woman.
Thank you for sharing this. I was a bit sad and disappointed at Rick Warren’s pending appearence.
This gives me new “food for thought”.
Blessings, and again, thank you!
Comment by Susan — December 23, 2008 @ 11:17 pm
Maybe I don’t have the right to comment on this issue, but I’m trying to look at the positive side. Bringing Pastor Rick Warren into proximity with people who think differently from him, can only be a good thing. He’s already taken down his most anti-gay rhetoric from his website as a result of this controversy. To me that says he’s at least a little embarrassed by his position or is understanding that not everyone thinks his way. I’m also hoping that there are large numbers of devout Christians out there who may follow Warren, but don’t agree with him on everything. So maybe by virtue of Obama letting him in the tent and giving a role, no matter how small, to the Evangelical community, some of the more moderate voices there will start to change WArren and his group from the inside.
Maybe this is a pipe dream. But for years we’ve had this complete polarization that hasn’t worked either. So let’s see if this has any effect.
Comment by Lisa Paul — December 23, 2008 @ 11:21 pm
You know, I was really thinking that we were getting better… as a people, as a world. But 1/3 of all countries in the UN General Assembly? It makes me sick.
Sorry, preaching to the choir.
Comment by Holly — December 23, 2008 @ 11:43 pm
I have fought for the LGBT community for almost three decades. I have been enraged over the attacks on our tribes, and sometimes I must admit to being as wrong as they were in my reactions.
My accepting my true-self and knowing the reality of my situation over these last seven years has mellowed me in that not all of my supposed enemies are bigoted idiots. I have met too many great folks in the travels of my life to condemn all of the “Other”.
I have learned that generalizations are usually wrong (but I’m still “curing” myself). I love people, and love is being willing to see viewpoints and then work within them to create a more moderate and positive result.
I think the resolution on this situation may ease many tensions that exists within our perceptions.
Comment by Morwen Madrigal — December 24, 2008 @ 5:24 am