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Military Gold Star Mom using "grief" to comfortably spew venom in and around military
http://www.ilovemytroops.com/extra/index.php?entry=entry101014-022926
:o To my surprise, the hate and extremism on twitter is coming from a vile, anti-government, extremist Gold Star mom (@KnottieNature), using grief for sympathy and camaraderie while spewing hate & venom about: poor, those on welfare (which includes our military), liberals, Democrats, gays, muslims, non-whites and anything she doesn't feel fits into her world, yet all exist within our military.
Angelia Phillips (@KnottieNature) represents everything that is wrong with this country right now: hatred, misguided beliefs, misinformation treated as facts or the gospel of God, selfishness, greed, racism, and more. Many of her views and words are identical to Tim McVeigh's, but we're told to respect her because she lost a son in war. Respect the son who sacrificed, first and foremost.
Apparently, Angelia Phillips, vile, racist and all, is to be placed on a pedestal to be revered by all, however, there are other military parents/families who have lost loved ones or military families in general that are trashed immediately by her and her kind if they're liberal, Democrat, non-white, poor, etc. See one example captured below. :o
Her or any other military Gold Star Mom's loss is honored. But it is impossible to link a vile, deceptive person to someone who should be honored and revered. It is her choice how she wants to carry on her son's memory, but it's not the taxpayer's choice or role to fund extremism in or in association with our military.
Extremist Tim McVeigh's mother is also a military mom. Although her son didn't die in war, he is dead. I'm sure Tim McVeigh's mom grieved, and had to grieve privately because of her son's actions, but she ironically is not spewing Tim McVeigh-style hatred and vile 24/7 within and around our military like Angelia Phillips does in the name of her fallen son.
Since when does the death of someone make Hitler-style beliefs and rhetoric acceptable, the same rhetoric of Angelia Phillips? She puts on a fake persona while associating with the most vile persons, persons who completely misrepresent our military AND constitution (against rights of others they DON'T accept), and persons she dispenses to do her dirty work for her AFTER she's made a point and her point was not accepted as valid, reasonable or sane, while she in turn, plays a "saint", "oh poor me" role. It's definitely working for her and she has perfected it well.
The persons Angelia holds with utmost admiration are Andrew Breitbart (and she even believes whole-heartedly that Shirley Sherrod is an actual racist, DESPITE INDISPUTABLE FACTS), Ann Coulter (vile), Glenn Beck (vile extremist who defends Nazis and confederates who fought against our soldiers), Sarah Palin (extremist) and other most vile and misguided persons in the public eye.
In step with her is @BostonMaggie, an official U.S. Navy blogger. Her new role to represent the Navy as a milblogger was announced by the official Twitter account of the U.S. Navy. I was horrified by this announcement after seeing her "I Am The Mob", pro-Glenn Beck profile, and retweets of @GregWHoward and far-right extremists. I unfollowed her as fast as I could. My first thought was: and this person represents the diverse Navy? I would later learn I wasn't the only one who felt this way, including several new Navy recruits.
Along with @BostonMaggie is a "supposed" military contractor, Maggie LeClerc (@ME_LECLERC1776, @ME_LECLERC), with an awful amount of time to tweet and who feels President Barack Obama is a tyrant and is taking away her cushy, military contractor, high-pay lifestyle with more perks than corporate workers, INCLUDING DISCOUNTS. Poor her, to be in her shoes right now, geesh. I wouldn't have one single complaint, so I have ZERO sympathy for her.
All of these persons supposedly represent the best interest of the military, speak on behalf of it with self-imposed authority, yet personally associate with ALL of the most vile tweeters on twitter and persons offline. They're "affectionately" known as "right-wing nut jobs". One is proud that he's an extremist, it is actually his characteristic he is MOST proud of and his only characteristic. Another of their associates linked directly from @BostonMaggie's blog defended the Hutaree militia group recently arrested.
Vile persons are embraced, befriended and consoled by them. The convenient excuse by @BostonMaggie who adores persons like @TPO_Hisself (publicly called Michelle Obama a whore and it was RT'd repeatedly) and @GregWHoward: it's just free speech. Yet, the persons they associate with personally stalk and monitor persons who have different speech than their redundant anti-Obama rhetoric, and take personal delight and "patriotic" pride in hunting persons, including military, who are assumed liberal, Democrat, poor, pro-Obama, gay or anything they don't accept as "their norm" and attack repeatedly and viciously to the joyful delight and watch of @BostonMaggie and Angelia Phillips, a military family representative.
How can I believe that the best interest of the poor, those on welfare in the military, gays, liberals, Democrats, muslims and non-blacks within military will be treated fairly when the above persons are full of hate and misguided rage towards them?
The first words out of their mouth to me as advice about extreme speech was to "direct" me to accept vile speech as ""just free speech" and to EMBRACE them, regardless of their ethics or lack thereof. Then, after not agreeing, the same point was "yelled" to me by Angelia Phillips like a child being "scolded" to do as she says and NOT question her flawed words. Sure, right after I embrace the Ku Klux Klan which speaks the same words as Angelia, @BostonMaggie with @GregWHoward and @TPO_Hisself and their "associates", which is a classy way of saying "other degenerates".
Angelia, Maggie LeClerc, @BostonMaggie and the majority of their "comrads" are dishonest, wouldn't know a fact if it introduced itself with a note from Jesus, and are delusional and completely paranoid about pretty much EVERYTHING especially government yet cling to government for dear life. Their "logical" thought process is to "assume" and "accuse" first which is beyond dangerous and leads to conflict wherever their trail leads to. If you ask either of them what happened about ANYTHING, they'll tell you their opinion and swear it was a fact, but never take the time to gather facts.
I prefer to "get to know" first, THEN make a judgment after I have obtained all the facts. Hearsay means nothing to me. And all of the above have certainly given me enough facts and evidence to backup this info.
Is this the process for other military members: to put up with nonsense like that just to do their job? Seems like an incredible waste of taxpayer dollars: playing personal games with lives of valuable defense resources. And it's also unfortunate with all of the positive representations of military I know that I would see such an extreme and vile opposite group representing military in any capacity.
The consistent feedback I receive about @BostonMaggie and Angelia Phillips: unbending, uncompromising, raging and misguided. But persons have to somehow put up with their nonsense for military "cohesion". Huh? Put up with uncompromising hatriots to get along with them?? In what world? You don't bend to hate. You move around or leave hate where it's standing with complete disapproval and if it's gone when you come back, you'll know you've made a difference instead of becoming a part of the problem.
Our military is NOT a whites-only, private, conservative, country club, but is a taxpayer funded defense organization. Persons should be able to do their jobs and the only concern of @BostonMaggie and Angelia Phillips should be that the best person(s) for the military job is obtained and not denied, blocked, harassed, ostracized and more because of THEIR personal beliefs which have nothing to do with our taxpayer funded military.
Seeing their negative playground behavior explains the high amount of racism, sexism and fear of others within the military. Truly sad. But somehow through their nonsense, rising DIVERSE stars are able to shine and remind you of all the biased crap they had to put up with to accomplish incredibly amazing tasks, especially Jose M. Hernandez, Dori Miller, the Tuskegee Airmen, certain women such as Harriet Tubman, who fought with our Union soldiers for this country and was buried with military honors, Dr. Mary E. Walker (more info...), and countless other persons who would be silenced easily by the likes of Angelia Phillips, @BostonMaggie, @GregWHoward, @TPO_Hisself and their friends if person(s) didn't fall inline with their extremism.
Examples of direct associations of Angelia Phillips, Maggie LeClerc and @BostonMaggie. And these are just some of the unsolicited gems:
I think after a bomb threat, you deserve ANYTHING I feel like telling you after that point. just sayin'. but apparently this threat was to make me bow down to Angelia, but it only confirmed she keeps extremely vile company. as to why their twitter account has been allowed to remain active after a clear violation of terms of service (reported three times) is a mystery.
what actually inspired this blog posting: the unemployed, racist, anti-government, anti-poor, anti-gay, anti-liberal, anti-muslim, anti-non-whites, self-appointed leader of the "patriots" and Angelia's go-to guy. but he loves his graphic porn pics just like Carl Paladino. in fact, I thought Carl Paladino was HIM. "@Dr_Rose" is well known around twitter as the most vile and disgusting clown. here are some of his priceless gems, and see others below:
Scroll through pics and see more of their "patriotic" gems since July 2010: http://yfrog.com/jv1fij - click Next to view them all, yfrog account was activated just to capture their vile because of so many overshadowing positive photos on tweetphoto stream
http://plixi.com/p/34673177 - Breitbart's site on same day anti-Sherrod comments were RT'd by Angelia. Breitbart's site is linked from Angelia's blog, but yea we're to believe she'll be fair to poor, gay,non-white military w/ dishonest KKK in tow 24/7
Corrected link:http://plixi.com/p/35036793 - the "I'm in training" convo after their advice to embrace hatriots w/in and around military - love their extreme views or you can't possibly love military. but "I've been doing this all my life? so she stepped out of the womb directing others how to support military and she's the only one with military family?? who friggin' knew?. :o
http://plixi.com/p/35033954 did ya notice pro-Shirley Sherrod-racist comments RT'd by KnottieNature :o again, not their views, it's the taxpayer funded aspect of it as well as thinking this is an acceptable tone for representing our diverse military.
http://plixi.com/p/35040593 here's their acknowledgment that they KNOW they're blocked, but keep sending a new person & so on, and on (determined to attack me over my views, but want to tell you to accept their views as the holy word. try satan's words, that's more honest.
http://plixi.com/p/35045147 this was the 1st unethical lie: pretense of "I don't know". as an official Navy rep, she EMBRACED them & they're BFF's for life :o
this 1: priceless, sent to mother of a soldier, yet harassing for KnottieNature: http://plixi.com/p/35373344 says my family and friends in military don't count
here 'tis: when blocked & ignored, came to OTHER account to harass on behalf of KnottieNature: http://plixi.com/p/35390778
If Angelia Phillips wants to be personally revered because of her title alone (regardless of character or circumstances), then why doesn't she show respect to the Commander In Chief, our President of the United States? Within 30 seconds of her "advice to accept hate" conversation, she couldn't wait to bash President Barack Obama because she feels she has a right to say whatever she wants about him regardless of his title, while she and her goon-squad assume she should be respected for her title and will attack if you don't respect her, her vile associations and misguided views. :o
http://twitter.com/Dr_Rose/statuses/27314494824 - she attacks Gold Star Moms? :o wow, notice the blown up, dramatized accusation and plural usage? now who's the one who needs drugs again? but again, the memory of #teaparty folks is short, he doesn't remember how we first met - his coming to attack me over NOT admiring one of his vile friends, NOT hating President Barack Obama, and stalking my page for months - see screen shots below.
http://twitter.com/Dr_Rose/statuses/27314361327 - how's about you just stay off my page??!! how's about when one of the lurkers comes running to him like a bratty kid on a schoolyard playground, he simply counsels them, PRO-ACTIVELY, but DOESN'T go on a reactive rampage based upon hearsay info (our ONLY dialogs, EVER, otherwise, I wouldn't know he exists). :o
http://twitter.com/Dr_Rose/statuses/27314138561 - read my stream to see negativity? um, only time it goes negative is when I'm forced to respond to him after his persistent attempts through others. but never again, I forgot my #1 rule: don't waste time with trash, let the professional cleaners take care of them.
nsold.blogspot.com - more examples of how persons not liked by them are hunted down, and playing victim after the #wreckingcrew throws out the "hatriotic" first stone. but notice the disturbing comments on the right side of page: are you ready to fight? fight who? self?? ;) these clowns are worked around, not with.
and, of course, their response to this, like spoiled children: "she told my friend this". um, would that be the friend, including Angelia, who provided me a vile, unsolicited comment and expected a sheepish response, from me, then sends the goon-squad to attack on her behalf?? *ethics*
it is no secret that I have zero respect for someone like Angelia Phillips, Andrew Breitbart or David Duke. I just didn't expect to see that volume of extremism within our taxpayer funded military. extremists are persons I ignore but stay wise about especially in the event one is running for public office or working in a public, taxpayer funded position involving "helping others" and dispensing credible information. they are not people I want to seek acceptance from in any way possible.
----- 15 Oct 8:50amEST within an hour of making profile public again after notifying twitter of steps being taken on and offline, this was received by someone I don't/wouldn't follow, don't remember ever seeing before, thus person was directed to profile by lurker given tweet was not new, thus wouldn't have been in the general timeline to warrant a "just saw your tweet" response:
http://twitter.com/SwiftRead/statuses/27430630362 - note the reading comprehension problem, he read this "misinformation treated as facts or the gospel of God" and interpreted it this way: & writes "Gospel Of God" is everything wrong in US. We're NOT YOUR troops :o
he's definitely a swift reader, missing the words in the process. this is why I think they're social deviants, or had social problems during their military service - they only hear what they want to hear, then attack based upon failed listening and learning.
and no, he's definitely NOT my troops, if he had any reading comprehension, he would have saw on the site: SITE WAS STARTED FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS THEN MADE PUBLIC. each twitter comment will be spam blocked, and logged as confirmation that the above is more than true and part of a vast problem.
I'm not tweeting for awhile, will sit back and let the misguided, misinformed and vile responses roll in, which certainly proves a point.
10/15 ~9pm - within 1 hour of starting up tweets after not tweeting for nearly 48hours, then notifying certain sources, the "patriot" attacks began: http://twitter.com/nsold/statuses/27489011868 - note their background image: http://yfrog.com/n3bhrj USMC logo, coffins of our fallen (can he identify the conservative soldier's coffin, or the gay, latino, poor, muslim or any other person his precious #wreckingcrew wouldn't like alive?)
his backup, just in case I didn't see his @reply tweet because he was already blocked from previous misguided comments: http://twitter.com/GuardWifeL/statuses/27489110120 - um, yes, that's U.S. Military National Guard wife :o apparently, her husband "defends freedom" while she works tirelessly to block and harass the freedom of others who don't support the #wreckingcrew or other vile Tim McVeigh representations of our military.
I have to now wonder about PTSD support and the high number of suicides with this type of military-related bullying. I'm staring at one side of the military which is humble, amazing and tolerant - the ones around me who caught my attention and gained immediate admiration long before it was "trendy" to support the troops, while looking at the other vile side of it which wants to claim complete ownership of our United States military. :o]]>Don't Ask, Don't Tell and Call Me Liberal One More Time!
http://www.ilovemytroops.com/extra/index.php?entry=entry100616-033906
the long-ass version :|
World War II War Department addressing segregation within the military: The policy of the war department is not to intermingle colored and white enlisted personnel in the same regimental organizations. This policy has proved satisfactory over a long period of years and to make changes now would be destructive to morale.
Now, skip to 2010... don't those words from 1944 above sound AWFULLY like words spoken today about having gays serve openly in military in THIS country?? :o It seems other countries don't have a problem with gays in their military. But U.S. is Number 1 in fear-mongering and hate propaganda while boasting that we are a free democratic society that other countries envy. With our current policy, which other countries envy us? Iran? Iraq? Afghanistan? North Korea? Or our bankers: Saudi Arabia or China? :o I think our bankers just care that we don't miss a payment. :|
Our coalition forces fighting along side us in both Iraq and Afghanistan have gays openly serving in THEIR military. So are we trying to make progressive countries of our coalition forces envious of our fear-mongering of the same people treated with respect in their country??
First, it's interesting that hatriots on twitter are quick to throw out the Nazi-like cry "liberal" when you don't agree with their behavior towards others. Apparently, LOUD, rude, publicly discriminating, insulting, ignorant of facts, demeaning, finger-pointing with errors, and insistent labeling of something diverse as negative are all now part of the new definition of "conservative". Yup, preserve that good 'ol hatred which failed so well!
But if liberal means I'm opposite of the hatriot patrol, I'll HAPPILY accept the label! :) Because if liberal-label means I'm not rounding up folks to put then in a convenient and stifling hatriot box, THEN CALL ME LIBERAL ONE MORE TIME PLEASE! And thank you very friggin' much! ;)
Funny, when I think of conservative, I think of persons like Colin Powell, Laura W. Bush and even Abraham Lincoln. Thus, when I see the loud, imposing rage on the far right and with audacity to use "conservative" label in their profile, I have to laugh. I actually had to look up the dictionary term for the words "conservative" and "christian", then looked up the political meaning because, so far, neither person proudly using "conservative" or "conservative christian" label in their profile exhibited either definition or would explain their meaning directly. I don't want to assume, I want to know.
Definition of Christian, so the confusion and hypocrisy is clear:
-adjective 1. of, pertaining to, or derived from Jesus Christ or His teachings: a Christian faith.
2. of, pertaining to, believing in, or belonging to the religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.
3. of or pertaining to Christians: many Christian deaths in the Crusades.
4. exhibiting a spirit proper to a follower of Jesus Christ; Christlike: She displayed true Christian charity.
5. decent; respectable: They gave him a good Christian burial.
-noun 7. a person who believes in Jesus Christ; adherent of Christianity.
8. a person who exemplifies in his or her life the teachings of Christ: He died like a true Christian.
9. a member of any of certain Protestant churches, as the Disciples of Christ and the Plymouth Brethren.
10. the hero of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.:o
11. a male given name.
Does the above definition sound like a hatriot or member of a hate-based group to you?? Maybe #11 would be applicable.
Definition of conservative:
-adjective 1. disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.
2. cautiously moderate or purposefully low: a conservative estimate.
3. traditional in style or manner; avoiding novelty or showiness: conservative suit.
4. of or pertaining to the Conservative party.
5. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Conservative Jews or Conservative Judaism.
6. having the power or tendency to conserve; preservative.
7. Mathematics (of a vector or vector function) having curl equal to zero; irrotational; lamellar.
-noun 8. a person who is conservative in principles, actions, habits, etc.
9. a supporter of conservative political policies.
10. a member of a conservative political party, esp. the Conservative party in Great Britain [which differs greatly from U.S. conservative party!!].
11. a preservative.
#1 above sure sounds like Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh: to preserve EPIC FAILURES on each and every level and limit change of those failures. Their plan: let's stay in the stone ages and follow one idiotic person who feels we should all follow ONE lifestyle and political choice instead of working TOGETHER across personal and political beliefs (see President Obama's administration which resembles the makeup of our country instead of Sons of Confederate Veterans or Daughters of the Confederacy) to build a stronger nation which benefits us wholy, instead of creating an US against OUR OWN mentality.
We are not at war with our own country. But Palin, Beck & Limbaugh have certainly declared war on our own citizens as if they were the FOUNDERS and deciders of OUR nation, something all of them combined have limited and distorted knowledge about. And ALL three of them are Jim Crow immigrants, their ancestry is not anywhere linked to the slave trade "founding fathers".
But #2 neither Palin, Beck or Limbaugh is NOT, nothing moderate or cautious about either.
Funny thing is after looking up definitions, neither description stated they were REQUIRED or PREFERRED lifestyles, but both are "choices" or options. And neither are listed as REQUIREMENTS in our Constitution which the same persons proudly using label(s) are so quick to throw out to justify their "label, divide and conquer 24/7" goal. Their choice of lifestyle is a FREE WILL option but choices for other lifestyles (political party, sexual preference and more) are not, and some choices are even outlawed for their happiness no matter how miserable it makes other persons or affects other persons' liberty and pursuit of happiness. Ironically, if any of their "perceived" rights are outlawed or "tampered with", all hell breaks loose (see any 2nd Amendment gripes).
The liberal cries towards me not only make me laugh, but further confirm hatriots like to keep their hate simple: label everyone falsely and in masses to prevent gathering of facts (because intelligence, get to know, and humanity is required - too much work).
But here are other shocking funnies:
1. I'm catholic, which is one of the more conservative religions, but mostly in name only as there's always a loophole around "guidelines" such as remarrying after divorce, abortion, and apparently even child rape and abuse given sex abuse scandal!
And I'm not just a catholic by name, but a regular attendee. I don't attend church regularly because I want a person to tell me what to think or say. I don't attend to socialize and find a buddy who thinks JUST LIKE ME. I attend for readings of Gospels (focus), communion and to remind me of Christ and God. My priest doesn't preach ANYTHING about "we must not associate with these types of people" or discuss which sin is THE sin. We all sin and ALL fall short of God and Christ's perfection. We ask for forgiveness and start service by confessing we have NOT been perfect, and try to humble ourselves before God AND Christ - NOT MAN! Man is ALWAYS fallible. The sooner people realize that, the sooner people would stop making MAN a church or person to worship, which has been the downfall of many politicians, groups or even cults (Jim Jones, Warren Jeffs, and the like). And I don't lump all priests into the sex abuse scandal. That would be no different than hatriots or hate-based groups grouping people into one category. There are bad people in every profession!
2. I'm a Republican at heart but had to leave my party because confederates have now infected the GOP beyond repair, thus the disconnect and all the hatriots embarrassing the party beyond recognition. William Seward is turning in his grave!
I believe in the original, diverse and progressive Republican party. The biggest change in the past 40-years: parties have switched sides. "Republicans but don't know it yet" are now Democrats, and the new GOP is comprised of Jim Crow benefactors who switched parties after passage of Voting and Civil Rights Act and their descendants who don't even know why they're Republican but just that they are to say NO to everything after exploiting the hell out of our country and crippling our country with stifling hatred while holding onto pride in heritage from THEIR original country while denying rights to others.
3. I would never have an abortion, but that's MY choice. [Correction: I would if the child's life was at severe health risk before or after birth, or both our lives were at risk during pregnancy. However, if both lives at risk, I'd rather the child lives instead of me.]
I'm not God for others, especially a woman who has been raped or whose life is at risk. God is better at being God. I'm not the DECIDER for someone else's heart or body, or choices. Accepting responsibility for my own actions is a full-time job.
People who have time to pre-worry about choices of others they have never met, nor would care about in general, clearly are blessed with plenty of time and assets and all their personal affairs are in perfect order, as in they're ready to die, because ALL is taken care of. No last minute bucket-list items. Just time to sit on their high-horse and wait for their memorable, "please make it Pay-Per-View" meeting with God.
And for those so passionate about abortion or call themselves "pro-life", I hope they're regularly donating to foster care centers (or visiting Darfur where genocide is in progress). But please leave the child alone as there would be less problems with controlling freaks (like Scott Roeder) adopting a child who's already been abused, mistreated or neglected. Just send money to make sure the non-aborted child has EVERYTHING he or she needs.
4. I don't hate guns or want to ban them. I actually like them! BUT NOT EVERYONE HAS TO FEEL THE SAME WAY, or grew up in a hunting paradise state. And not everyone understands responsible gun ownership.
Our license plates in Louisiana: Sportsman's Paradise. In many areas, hunting and fishing was the ONLY way to eat, or it's a way to save a lot of money on groceries.
As an adult at age 21, I purchased my first gun; it was a choice for safety as a single woman. I walked right into a local California gun store and purchased the cutest gun (ok, you know women and shopping, give us colors and options, and it could be a week-long event!). I didn't brag that I had it, or show it off (like this proud hatriot does: http://twitter.com/Reimagin - ridiculous!). I simply put it in a safe place where only I knew where it was and where it was within easy reach. When I later wanted to upgrade to something else, I simply turned in gun to same store and got something else. My gun was a sense of security, even if false security, because nothing would stop a serial killer or a shooter on the street unless you know firsthand about the attack and were well-armed to prevent it.
5. I don't sleep around, but know many who do - no I cannot give you the hookup! ;) I don't judge them because it's THEIR life, not mine. I don't think teens should be screwing around like Bristol Palin (there was zero love involved as evident by the immediate bickering after McCain/Palin lost), it was just sex and both she and Levi Johnston were busted globally). I don't think teen girls should dress like hookers in training especially because this invites avoidable problems. But there isn't anything I can do about it, it's their choice and I'm not their parent.
I don't make friends based upon their lifestyle, but I do avoid people with hateful lifestyles because it means they're miserable with unresolved issues and self-hate. I was also never taught to hate others, in spite of my own mother and other family members (black or white) experiencing horrific conditions during Jim Crow AS TAXPAYERS, BUSINESS OWNERS and HOMEOWNERS.
My closest friends are black, white (Jewish, German, Dutch, Italian, British, Polish, Russian), Native American, Asian, Spanish and Persian. They're straight, gay, married, single, divorced, with and without kids. Although I've never met anyone gay within my own family, I'm sure one exists or we'd be the very first family ever. :o They're all unique people who don't spend their time promoting hatred against others or imposing their way of life onto others. They simply live and enjoy life and have a great deal of compassion for others around them, including people they don't even know. All also WORK with a diverse group of people, people they're not concerned about the personal lifestyles of because none of that matters to get a job done.
For a while, I never thought about gay marriage or gay lifestyles, even though a long-time close friend is gay. I just saw a person with integrity, intelligence and the humor I needed at the right times who lived a life of HIS choice. The things we discussed had nothing to do with his lifestyle, but about life in general, the same things everyone else talks about.
Ironically, many years ago, it angered me when protests began with "our gay rights struggle is just like the black civil rights struggle". My first thought was "wait, when I walk into a room, it's clear I'm black, you have the option of not letting anyone know you are or aren't gay." I didn't know my soon to be best friend was gay, I didn't ask and when I found out, I didn't care because he was the same person I met who goes home to his family at the end of the day.
I also don't walk into a room and say, I'm heterosexual. But for persons openly or clearly gay, I saw employment discrimination - person, although qualified, was called too gay for a visible position which was stated by one manager who would ironically move on to defraud one company after another. Ironically, the same "too something" comment was stated by several white managers about non-white employees or physically disabled which outraged me as well. Physically disabled (person was in wheelchair) for a software engineering desk job, and the building by California law had to be handicap-equipped in all areas??!! And same person discriminated against worked previously in same role for Apple which didn't discriminate.
I also remember a co-worker at Palm Computing placing his gay pride flag on his desk along side his doll of Pee Wee Herman with the doll's hand conveniently placed into its crotch, and he had just been hired. I thought, "Okay" and kept it moving. Being from New Orleans, I've seen a lot more openness than that during Mardi Gras, but that was a job first. I didn't stage a protest, and neither did anyone else.
Then I wondered, what would happen if I placed a poster of Dr. King, Medgar Evers or Malcolm X onto my office wall? I knew someone would have complained without knowing factual details about either, especially the creep who always popped in to ask me something stereotyped about blacks using his "Ebonics" voice, which was supposed to make me feel comfortable but made me cringe especially since I didn't speak Ebonics! I always received the "Negro Files" questions or comments which would go in one ear and out the other. Working directly with a Ku Klux Klansman as a teen, I learned stereotyped nonsense can only be undone by unlearning, and if person is not willing to listen, F 'em and move on to greener pastures, more productive time things.
I'm sure someone would have a problem with me using "black" for race, which is often corrected directly in front of me. But this speaks directly to false labeling. My FIRST heritage is Native American, my 2nd heritage is white from 1600s pre-slavery settlers, my 3rd or 4th (if I separate Dutch and British) and so-on less dominant heritage on non-white/non-native side is comprised of African, French and Spanish from forced British-French-Spanish slave trade (1699 until 1865) which outlawed every non-white face and forced many Indians and free Africans against each other while forcing every available "free before you got here" brown face into slavery and more with help from U.S. Congress with not one but TWO fugitive slave acts.
I know little about Africa, France or Spanish countries other than their location. The faces I see in my family: white and brown with strong Native Indian features, and there have been past generation and recent marriages to other nationalities (Japanese, Vietnamese, Spanish) which doesn't make them African-American either.
To place me into an African-American box is somewhat insulting to me. African-American is a positive label for DIRECT descendants of African slaves, but my heritage precedes that label and the label nullifies the existence of my more dominant family which existed long BEFORE slavery and hatriotism. I'd use "Other" for "need to know" stats, but people don't see OTHER first, I'm immediately labeled: African-American without even asking me. Thus, my use of "black", or "Negro" when joking which is what any brown face prior to mid-1980s would have been labeled anyway, or still is by Confederates.
In the New York City area, the most common question: what country am I from? THIS ONE!!! It's assumed, especially by whites from Midwest areas and Jamaicans, that all brown faces in the NYC area migrated from another country because only whites lived here first. :o Somehow my country has become "their" (whites) country and my country didn't exist until their family migrated here during Jim Crow and fought in a war. Newsflash: white immigrants during Jim Crow and their offspring are not the only persons who have fought for this country! And EVERY nationality fought in World War II or helped in one way or another. Ironically, WWII was not over oil deals gone bad or material possessions, but to stop hatred which ironically is rising quickly again.
I don't see conservative, liberal, independent, straight or gay labels first. I see hearts first, followed by the actions of a person's heart. If their thoughts and words are hate-based or non-fact based or their words are inconsistent with their actions, the person is deceptive and/or destructive and, therefore, a waste of my time. And that implies to anyone of any race, religion or lifestyle as I've met white, black/African-American, gay, Jewish, Muslim, Asian and Spanish hatriots. Hatriotism knows no one specific race or lifestyle, it needs anyone too lazy to gather facts or someone with insecurities.
Regarding Gays In Our Military and Their Rights...
I never thought about it until after 9/11 which forced many of our military into war for the first time, separating them from their family and loved ones. I'd also randomly discover many great military leaders: Leonard Matlovich, Harvey Milk, Lt. Dan Choi, Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach and a host of other generals and military members from ALL ranks who not only did their job, but did their jobs with grace and dignity which would make anyone proud. And doing their jobs while having to stay in the background and/or keep their personal lives separate from others, while others were allowed to put their entire personal lives on display publicly and professionally (nasty divorces, breakups, affairs, etc.). This reminded me of Tuskegee Airmen who were military officers yet were discriminated against and isolated PUBLICLY within the military. The lives of Tuskegee Airmen officers were separate and UNEQUAL to whites and even considered lesser than lower-ranked military members.
Right now the common complaint about gays in military: allowing them to be honest and openly serve will change the culture. Again, same "change the culture" thing said about non-whites and women in military and at military academies. It's 2010. While other countries have moved past race and gender, we're stuck in Flintstones past, dragging our feet with ignorant pride to everything.
What's ironic is the attitude towards gays in military in U.S. is similar to the ignorance of Iran's Ahmadinejad: we don't have gays in my country. He pretends they don't exist. Now, explain which countries hate our way of life, given our hatriots are STILL dictating this country Jim Crow style, with many of the same CONSERVATIVE values as Ahmadinejad, Osama Bin-Hidin, and all the persons we're ironically at war with, including Dick Cheney? :p
The other common word thrown out when discussing opposition to gays serving openly in our military: christianity or christian. Interesting given nothing holy or christian about bombing the shit out of another country or getting bombed by others, and displacing children and uninvolved families in the process. Missiles or bombs (unless racially motivated) don't hit the non-gay or christian people first - they don't discriminate as evident by the diversity of deaths on 9/11 and since the start of war.
God gives free will and INFINITE mercy, even to racists. Why can't people, especially those who have audacity to use Christ's name, show same mercy and compassion to what God and Christ cherish more than ANYTHING on earth: people?! The only being who feels the need to toss someone NOT useful to them: the devil. You either serve its hateful cause or it has no use for you and seeks to destroy for one reason only - because you're NOT a part of its plans and goal. Whereas God will always have room and infinite love for each and every person, whether they love God or not, or follow God's commandments. God even had compassion for Satan which God could easily destroy.
Even if you're not religious, what gives one group of lifestyle choice the idea that they KNOW what lifestyle is best for everyone? Is that in the U.S. Constitution? If so, WHERE? Show it to me! Each person is different for a reason. However, I even heard one hatriot say: "see God wants us all to be the same", while ironically befriending people who want to destroy ANYONE not like them, including @TPO_Hisself. Yeah, so God scattered everyone, changed languages and selected a chosen group (later punished - Deut. 28) to later sit above all others as a GUIDE, not a TO DO?
If you're going to play the God-card, you know what God wants? The same thing everyone else does: EQUAL RESPECT, love and a little acknowledgment. A simple "thank you" would be a great start! God doesn't ask for much but GIVES a whole lot in return. God doesn't approach anyone with a hate-based agenda either. The cast out one does!
Even atheists have more compassion than persons running around calling themselves "conservative" or "christian". Maybe it's because atheists spend more time learning (which combats ignorance) than following blindly along with a group that doesn't even understand know Christ or God while claiming to be of any related religion.]]>
http://yfrog.com/n2mbq01j http://twitter.com/CJF_Fontenot/status/ ... 7257297763 - note his U.S. Navy tee worn in avatar pic. Classy representations of military, huh?
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