I Feel Sick
I've had this post started for weeks now, unable to bring myself to finish it but given another push in the form of NG's highlighting of Ellen's powerful video:
I think the reaction is being felt around the country, maybe around the world: a very real feeling of nausea, that I might actually be ill. And even more frustrating is that I can't determine just why. Is it because somehow, violence still seems like an acceptable course of action in America? Is it because I'm not even surprised? Or is it because I feel absolutely helpless to stop it? That despite dedicating two months to Equality Ride, despite visiting with politicians, despite organizing communities, despite speaking at universities, people are still dying.
I do not understand where the outrage is when pastors say things such as “If ... some [gay or effeminate] guy opened the door for me, I’d rip his arm off and beat him with the wet end.” or why no one is taking crimes against queer people seriously. A young boy was executed in California and it doesn't blip on most of the nation's radar. I don't have much to add that hasn't been said before. I just need to stew.
1 comment:
One point, this story did make national news, I recall reading it on the CNN web-site. Sadly, teenagers killing each other is all to common. Thus, it doesn't rate very high in the media unless it is a slow news day.
As to being disheartened about not being able to stop things like this, well, you can't change the world. Instead, I would focus on the good you have done and can still do. Even if the Equality ride didn't help anyone (which I don't believe, I think it did help a lot of people), at least you tried and that is far more than a lot of people have done.
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