The Dusty Dog

It Ain't Pretty

Dear Goddess, where to start?

There are two issues that are weighing heavily on our society right now that hit very close to home for me. Unfortunately, both are akin to little canaries, indicative of where our society is today, and where we are on a political scale. It ain't pretty.

First is the blatant racism that has emerged under the election of Barack Obama. The second is the passage of the hate legislation making it illegal for gays and lesbians to marry. Both issues are examples of a frustrated and hateful segment of our society that is hell-bent on criminalizing otherwise legal and human feelings and activities. But, closer look of these two issues, and the closer look at who is perpetrating such hate brings me to a single conclusion: it's the same segment, the same haters, the same racist, homophobic community and their leaders who are complicit in this hate.

And, make no mistake about it.... the hate of gays and lesbians is as much a civil rights issue, as it is with race relations. Thousands and thousands of people across the country marched to denounce the passage of anti-gay sentiment, including the passages of anti-gay marriage legislation in three states this past November 4th election. Per the NYTimes online, "The demonstrations — from a sun-splashed throng in San Francisco to a chilly crowd in Minneapolis — came 11 days after California voters narrowly passed a ballot measure, Proposition 8, that outlawed previously legal same-sex ceremonies in the state. The measure’s passage has spurred protests in California and across the country, including at several Mormon temples, a reflection of that church’s ardent backing of the proposition." The passage of these legislative initiatives are clear examples of where hate is actually condoned and institutionalized by our society. Rather than spend the necessary effort to make this an inclusive and tolerant society, fat and lazy politicians defer to the prevalence of hate in our society, and allow such laws to be passed. These bums are more than just lazy, though. Their own hate is effectively muted by their collective claim that it was the choice of the majority. This, rather than taking on the issue of hate by its ugly horns. It's really sad.

News services are reporting all over this country that incidents of hate are on the rise, as pointed out by this AOL news article, "... just as many of us can feel proud of a country so enlightened that its majority can elect a minority to the highest office of the land, we must not shy away from the uncomfortable fact that a significant number of Americans dislike Obama based, first and foremost, on the color of his skin." It's a sentiment I will never, in a million years, understand.

Also, in this Yahoo article, Obama has more threats than other presidents-elect, "Earlier this week, the Secret Service looked into the case of a sign posted on a tree in Vay, Idaho, with Obama's name and the offer of a "free public hanging." In North Carolina, civil rights officials complained of threatening racist graffiti targeting Obama found in a tunnel near the North Carolina State University campus." As you can clearly see here, the hatred for Obama is not only predicated on their disdain for liberals and progressives. It's mired in the good 'ol hate of the black man. None of this is a surprise, I suppose. On the contrary, it's kind of expected, unfortunately.

But, here on Long Island, NY, where racism is overt and rampant, and Hispanic immigrants are prevalent, these immigrants are taking a huge brunt of this hate. Patchogue experienced the death of a hardworking and young Ecuadorean at the hands of seven high school students for the sole reason that he was Hispanic. Marcelo Lucero was an immigrant. It didn't matter whether he was legal or illegal. That was not at issue in this horrific murder. These arguably "upstanding" good students went out last week to do one thing: "beat up a Mexican."

Now, we're forced to confront this racism head on. Miggod! It's been apparent for years. As this Newsday article points out, "In nine years, Suffolk's gone from battling day laborers to batting illegal immigrants to battling Hispanics to having our children hunt "beaners."" It should have been confronted years ago. It should be part of school curriculum, starting at very early ages, to teach tolerance and inclusiveness. But, given how lazy we are, as a society, we look the other way until a boy dies at the hands of racist aggressors. It's hard to ask the family of this Ecuadorean immigrant to hope that society will maybe learn something from his death. If I was that boy's mother, I'd not be so forgiving.

So, who the hell are these haters? What makes them hate so much? Is it so simple to say that these hateful individuals need to put down someone in order to falsely elevate their own perceived standings in this world? I cannot answer these questions. I am not a sociologist, a student of this issue. All I can do is stand against hate, fight the institutionalization of hate, and work to teach the children well, as advocated by the Southern Poverty Law Center's Teaching Tolerance agenda.

I think that the reality is that society will have learned nothing from this killing in Patchogue. I don't know. Call me negative, and without hope. It's hard to hold such hope in my heart right now. Honestly, I thought that the election of Barack Obama would elevate the issue to a higher standing, put it up front right away. Maybe, this is what this "elevation" looks like right now. It ain't pretty.

Labels: hate, hispanics, murder, obama, politics, racism, tolerance

posted by Dusty Dog at 11/16/2008