Focus on the Fagly

I got a FW: of a FW: of a FW: today from a woman I know casually through a group from work. She is a lovely lady, very devout, and sweet like shoo fly pie. She is sincere and guileless and would never intentionally hurt anyone. The content of the email was typical Focus on the Family propaganda, this verse of their same tired song stating that the Ohio legislature was going to pass "special" protections for GLBT people that included "hiring and public restrooms." Of course, this would require that the "homosexual agenda" be taught in public schools. Blah. Blah. Blah.

The bill is actually a localization of hate crimes legislation. Important stuff. I was not offended by the intentions of this woman who forwarded me the email. Like I said, she is naive and sweet and a little dim. And I certainly I was not offended by Dobson - he and his fellow Jeebus Republicans have a LOT to lose if open homosexuals start using public restrooms. With their wide stances and their foot tapping, they would lose all of the clandestine glamor of not knowing if the airport stall-dweller next door is actually going to come over and blow you or book you for importuning. Openness is so gauche and unsubtle. Besides, the best closet is hating fags in the name of Christ, although it's SO been done that it's like Paris Hilton saying "that's hot" - very 2006.

The irony in this instance is that the sweet, gullible woman knows very much about hate crimes. Several years ago, her husband - a retired law enforcement officer - was jumped by a gang of girls while he was delivering pizzas. The girls surprised him and literally beat him senseless. He was so badly beaten that he was near death and years later has both physical and psychological trauma. Horrific.

I decided that I needed to respond to her. I gently explained that the legislation was NOT about reading "Heather Has Two Mommies" to the local Montesori kids - it's about safety. I told her that several thousand people have the same thing happen to them that happened to her husband - just because of who they are. We can disagree with people all day - as long as everyone is safe.

She emailed me back quickly - thanking me for helping her understand, and conceded that she often doesn't know the details of such things. She was dear.

That is what makes Dobson and his ilk so insidious. It's not their "Jay-zus hates the homuhsexual" bullshit, it's the fact that they exploit the innocence of good people and purloin it for their own purposes. I can take their wretched screaming and rabid frothing. I can take their unconscionable hatred. I cannot, however, abide their deception of the artless - people who would otherwise experience life and draw their own conclusions.

That's the real fuel for these hatemongers - people's trust. It's not paying for Sarah Palin's ass waxing so she can their minion who is but a heartbeat away, it's not their barely-laundered bank rolling of the RNC, and it's not their warlords of the universe addiction to militarism. Nope, it's their use of stupid, sweet people who send their money and their faith in sticky envelopes to be used for the edification of these doughy pricks. Certainly not for the glory of God.

I believe that there is a special place in hell for Dobson and Pat Robertson and James Kennedy and the rest. Jerry Falwell is already there tossing shrimp on the barbie. Or salad on the Devil.

I have a warning to them and the others: leave these people alone. They are not yours. You are bearing false witness. In my book, that makes your sin #9 in the top ten. Mine is NOWHERE close to that.