Pride
Although this blog is not a place where I generally comment on politics or current affairs, I have decided to make an exception to discuss my thoughts about the Gay Pride march in Jerusalem, due to take place this Friday.
I recently returned from Jerusalem, where I had the pleasure of eating dinner with some old friends and having a passionate discussion on this very issue. They all believed that the gay community should respect people’s religious sensibilities and hold the march in Tel Aviv instead. This is a position with which I fundamentally disagree. I do not accept that a proud, gay, Jerusalemite should have to go to another city in order to be able to publicly celebrate their identity. Israeli’s are fond of saying that they live in the “only democracy in the Middle East”. This is a good opportunity to substantiate that assertion. Jerusalem may be a holy city to 3 large religions, and billions of their followers around the world. But it also happens to be the capital city of a pluralistic state, and home to a diverse range of people. Ironically, some of these people who can’t or wont find common ground on practically any other issue, have come together to condemn what they term an “abomination”. Almost every night for the last week, religious neighbourhoods have come to a standstill as young men burn tires and throw stones at the police. Their grievance, as it happens, extends to men & women sitting together on buses, some of which have been stoned too. Echoes of Alabama. Now it appears that some of the more extreme elements of the Orthodox Hassidic Jews have decided to issue a “curse” on the marchers. That homosexuals were persecuted by the Nazis and sent to the crematoria of Auschwitz alongside the Jews, seems to have been lost on these truly vile and reprehensible people.Many Orthodox Jews, Christians, & Muslims yearn for a day when (their respective version of) Biblical law is the law of the land in which they live. They can continue to yearn for all I care. Right now, Israel is a liberal democracy, and minority groups such as homosexuals should be protected and supported against the hate filled vitriol which is apparently inspired by a “loving” god. One of the most insidious arguments against the gay pride march by the coalition of haters that has assembled, is that it will need a huge police presence to protect it, and that these police officers will be diverted from important duties. It is their threatened violence that creates this need! Indeed, at the last gay pride march, 3 marchers were stabbed. The Rabbi’s and Imams should use their influence to stand their followers down. And perhaps their unity on this issue could be put to better use dealing with some of the more pressing problems in the region.If I were in Jerusalem this Friday, I would be marching in solidarity. Life is too short to let ones pride be dented by hate.
Tags: Israel
The Dude
No, Bucky.
Life is NOT too short to let ones pride be dented by hate.
Duh.
Fucking Hell Bucky, did I just read you being SERIOUS?! Now THAT is a shock…
well said…very well said