My heart feels like it has broken a little bit - re Indiana

[JustAnotherGen]

I know there is a lot of back and forth in GD and amped awareness about the illegalities of the Pence approved Law. I'll leave that out there in GD.


Back here - my heart is breaking. No - I'm not LGBT - but I 'feel' it. That sick feeling.

Consider - my parents married in 1969 and my dad got immediately got stationed in Kentucky. That was the year of Loving v. Virginia. The idea that people could be so cruel - and want laws to allow them to be cruel in this day and age - blows my mind and breaks my heart.

And I cannot for the life of wrap my heart (not head - heart) around the idea that someone is so stuck in their hatred and bigotry that they wish to make less profit.

My dad was a man stuck in his ways for many years - it was the hyper macho inflation of manhood given to him by his service as a Military Officer and in the Special Forces. I remember Tail Hook and my dad saying (I was near graduation from high school at the time) - "Let someone else's god damned daughter liberate the United States Army."

And in between that time and DADT - he had this major shift. He had been an arch pacificist at that point for about 15 years. And something clicked - how can we ask people to NOT serve honorably? Because that's what DADT was. And he knew had served with gay men in the closet (in the late 50's, 60's, and 70's) and one had saved his life. It was just fundamentally wrong.

And then marriage equality came to New York. And he was so staunch in his belief that it was absolutely the right thing to do.

I can't help but think - he's rolling over in his grave today saying, "This is not what fought for and took bullets for and went blind for two weeks in 1968."

You guys - this law - it's not right. And it's cruel. And it's sadistic - and well yeah -

It's just plain evil. And the realization - my best friend from high school who was finally able to get married a few years ago - she and her wife wouldn't be welcome into an establishment that my husband and I would if for some stupid reason we were to take a road trip to Indiana. And just one generation ago - my husband and I wouldn't have been allowed in that establishment either.

What you do to one - you do to us all. And I take this personally.

[Cary]

1. Plain evil

What about "conservatives" at this point isn't plain evil?

I don't like the point at which I have arrived, but here we are. Our opposition is evil, plain and simple. That goes against my grain, which is to negotiate and debate and work things out. But there is no negotiating with "conservatives." There is no debate because they have no real argument--only hate. So I reluctantly paint "conservatives" as evil. Please prove me wrong.

And it is this desire to be proven wrong that makes discussions with the "both sides are evil" types so frustrating. Yes, Democrats are far from perfect. But there is a huge difference between Democrats and "conservatives" and the Democratic Party is our best and only hope at fighting this evil. Not voting is not an option. Not voting isn't a statement, it's a surrender. Why? Because evil "conservatives" aren't going to surrender. What you see in Indiana is pushback, pushback against our progress. And the "both sides are evil" crowd are, if not for us, then they're against us.

And you know what? Yes, I am saddened by the evil of "conservatives" but they are a minority. They are a far too well represented minority, but a minority nonetheless. It is the people who give up who truly sadden me because while they're not evil (I don't think) they are succumbing to evil.

That sucks.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. Truthfully - both sides don't do it

They don't. And I agree - it's time to fight back.

And there is evil in this world - and it's pretty clear that it's not coming from people that believe folks should live and let live and let people be.

[Cary]

3. True

The way to fight back against that evil is to vote.

Don't give up. Don't say live and let live. Vote against Republicans. Kick them out of office and work within the Democratic Party to promote liberal policies.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. Thank you for your support.

It has been a rather sobering week in regards to LGBT issues. It is a reminder, that despite some of the good news about marriage equality, we are still in their sights and will continue to be. It takes not only the voices of the LGBT but our allies to make our disappointment and outrage heard. Of course, a few of us aren't terribly surprised by the Indiana law, nor the one in Arkansas. We would think most would be appalled by what has happened, and, thankfully most are, but there are those on our side of the political spectrum who continue to devalue, mock, ignore, or complain about the current events and how the effect the LGBT community. Only a few instances (mostly on news sites) have I seen a few left-of-center people outright supporting the law. More common are the ones who engage in "whataboutery" such as other issues being "more important" or "economic rights over civil rights." However, just like this law passing, their hate, bigotry, bile, and ignorance is not unexpected either.

It is wonderful you chose to speak out and remind people that laws such as these affect non-LGBT people too and, as perhaps a greater reminder, those who pass laws like this or find them to be acceptable are never satisfied with the group they just targeted and generally move on to other groups of minorities. When one minority group is threatened, the others better open their eyes, perk up their ears, because their group may be next on stage!

[Aerows]

6. +1000

You eloquently stated the situation, and did a far better job than I would have!

" When one minority group is threatened, the others better open their eyes, perk up their ears, because their group may be next on stage!"

A point that is WAY past due making.

[nomorenomore08]

7. It's the same old "I don't care if it doesn't affect me" syndrome. Sad but not uncommon.

'More common are the ones who engage in "whataboutery" such as other issues being "more important" or "economic rights over civil rights."'

Little do they realize that, to a large extent, civil and economic rights are inseparable from one another. This is also one of the fatal flaws of the modern "libertarian" movement.

[Aerows]

5. Mine is completely broken

Many good things come from Indiana, but bigotry isn't one of the good exports.