the World Can't Wait!
I did get down to a rally this evening, in front of the Federal Building in Seattle; but didn't make it to a mike. Which is okay...got to listen to some good speakers and met some interesting folks. A worthwhile evening -- I got to get away from the computer more often and get out and meet folks!
Meanwhile back at the oasis...
Wanted to share some thoughts I've had recently about our current DC scandal...I've heard some discussion online about whether or not experiencing sexual abuse as a child could "turn" someone gay. And god knows there's been plenty of blather about the evils of homosexuality being the cause of Foley's fall, especially from the Self-Rightous Right, and I want to chime in on that.
Statistically, most cases of sexual child abuse are perpetrated by heterosexual family members or friends. There has been volumes written on the subject, but suffice it to say the spectre of the stranger with candy is the exception, not the rule, expecially with younger children.
In adolescents, other dynamics come into play, but it is still primarily a crime that occurs when an adult betrays the trust of a responsible position.
It's been my experience there is no link between abuse experienced and homosexuality resulting. However, there is an overabundance of examples of pedophiles targeting boys and young men who "appear" gay or behave in so-called effeminate ways. Or may just simply appear somewhat delicate in physical stature. Incidentally, these are the same things that may trigger an incident of "gay-bashing". The sexuality of the victim is only important in how it is perceived by the agressor(s).
That Foley himself may have been a victim of any such abuse and then grew up to be an abuser himself says far more about the nature of child abuse than about homosexuality, and far more about Foley's own self-loathing. That, however, does not relieve the adult here of his responsibility to refrain from harming others.
Abuse, like many other crimes, is indeed a learned behavior. Homosexuality, or heterosexuality, is an integral part of one's personality. And hiding a large portion of one's personality due to fear of rejection by one's entire society causes much damage and pain.
It starts early. If you need an example - what is the most common schoolyard insult? "Hey, you little faggot!"
Progressives believe in the rights of all people to grow and thrive; neo-cons simply proscribe punitive solutions that usually make a problem worse -- look how quickly the sharks savage one of their own, with no apparent need to assign responsibility to the leadership that has allowed the abuse to continue for so long. The Republicans are not punishing Foley for his dalliances. They are punishing him for getting CAUGHT.
The big picture of this scandal is there is a serious need for a change in leadership in our nation's capitol. The current leadership, from the Oval Office down, has a philosophy not based on democracy, but on rule by the minority, based on the power of the Almighty Dollar. The cynicism of these folks can be measured easily; while paying lip-service to "supporting the troops", they show absolutely no concern whatsoever for the actual soldier, and even actually continue to cut funding for things so vital as the Veterans Administration itself.
Kind of like all that concern for the family and for children. But it is good for fundraising.
Meanwhile back at the oasis...
Wanted to share some thoughts I've had recently about our current DC scandal...I've heard some discussion online about whether or not experiencing sexual abuse as a child could "turn" someone gay. And god knows there's been plenty of blather about the evils of homosexuality being the cause of Foley's fall, especially from the Self-Rightous Right, and I want to chime in on that.
Statistically, most cases of sexual child abuse are perpetrated by heterosexual family members or friends. There has been volumes written on the subject, but suffice it to say the spectre of the stranger with candy is the exception, not the rule, expecially with younger children.
In adolescents, other dynamics come into play, but it is still primarily a crime that occurs when an adult betrays the trust of a responsible position.
It's been my experience there is no link between abuse experienced and homosexuality resulting. However, there is an overabundance of examples of pedophiles targeting boys and young men who "appear" gay or behave in so-called effeminate ways. Or may just simply appear somewhat delicate in physical stature. Incidentally, these are the same things that may trigger an incident of "gay-bashing". The sexuality of the victim is only important in how it is perceived by the agressor(s).
That Foley himself may have been a victim of any such abuse and then grew up to be an abuser himself says far more about the nature of child abuse than about homosexuality, and far more about Foley's own self-loathing. That, however, does not relieve the adult here of his responsibility to refrain from harming others.
Abuse, like many other crimes, is indeed a learned behavior. Homosexuality, or heterosexuality, is an integral part of one's personality. And hiding a large portion of one's personality due to fear of rejection by one's entire society causes much damage and pain.
It starts early. If you need an example - what is the most common schoolyard insult? "Hey, you little faggot!"
Progressives believe in the rights of all people to grow and thrive; neo-cons simply proscribe punitive solutions that usually make a problem worse -- look how quickly the sharks savage one of their own, with no apparent need to assign responsibility to the leadership that has allowed the abuse to continue for so long. The Republicans are not punishing Foley for his dalliances. They are punishing him for getting CAUGHT.
The big picture of this scandal is there is a serious need for a change in leadership in our nation's capitol. The current leadership, from the Oval Office down, has a philosophy not based on democracy, but on rule by the minority, based on the power of the Almighty Dollar. The cynicism of these folks can be measured easily; while paying lip-service to "supporting the troops", they show absolutely no concern whatsoever for the actual soldier, and even actually continue to cut funding for things so vital as the Veterans Administration itself.
Kind of like all that concern for the family and for children. But it is good for fundraising.
posted by meldonna | 12:35 AM
4 Comments:
At what point do Americans wake the fuck up and realize the error in letting a psychotic and his rubber stamping courts and congress have their ways in destroying the entire nation and world in the process?
While picking irradiated gravel from between our teeth and spitting up blood as we're scraping a hole in the Earth with our bloody bare hands in which to put the crumpled body of our four year old daughter still clutching her teddy bear?
Or, will it be later as we starve for something to eat and freeze on the burnt out hulk of a darkened Earth submersed in the depths of nuclear winter?
Is that when we will realize where the fuck we went wrong? That we overindulged intolerable madmen beyond all sanity and reason?
I felt bad about this post...because I let myself get into a hopeless attitude. Anger is one thing; but I dislike letting myself wallow in despair.
The strenght of our country is our common sense; that's why most of us understand the Constitution. Our weakness is our John Wayne outlook on the world..."fill your hands, MF!" Our foolishness is common with all folk worldwide. A quick slogan beats thinking things through always, and Americans are peddled instant gratification ad nauseum.
Seeing as it's almost nine in the Central Time Zone, I think I'm going to share some of my overwrought Westcoast intellectualism with a friend back in Arkansas...
Or, actually, just call Stell up and laugh for a little while...either way works for me.
And by the way, I love the name Esperanza. Hope.
hey, mel, it's just me, D.K., playing with an "other" ID -- one of my favorite historical saxon clowns was Ethelred the Unready (unraed) ...
So, god-fearing theocon right-wingers think there's a link between child abuse & gayness? Guess it goes along with all those other links that exist only in their minds -- must be terribly dark cobwebby places indeed, where evil-doers lurk around every corner ready to rain Satan down on their heads if they're not ever-vigilent.
on the other hand, dada's image of irradiated gravel & nuclear winter is a real fear & one that needs addressing in a rational manner. How to reconcile the two? Horrible to contemplate, but sometimes I fantasize about a big book-burning, with only religious gobbelty-gook literature allowed on the pyre.
Sorry you didn't make it to the mike, but so glad you could attend the rally. Bet your knees were knocking anyway if the temps dropped like they have down here! Meanwhile, I spent world-cant-wait day sleeping, too ennervated by all the news since we returned from our trip. Only a few more weeks to see if we still have a republic! ~~ D.K.
This was a really good post- it is the subject that is so distressing...don't feel bad about this post- alot of what you said needed to be said- and many of us have been thinking- just hadn't written it out or talked about it out aloud....
You can't have Hope- unless you have been good and mad...( that is what my grandmother used to say...as she watched Nixon on TV....)
Dada- you really let it rip- but you really hit it on the head...
Dk....the world can't wait but we can wait for you..anytime...
Mel- know this- when you write- and you can REALLY write- you help spread the Hope,even when you write about something like this...and keep it alive...
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