By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) Feb 24 | I have a deep abiding respect for Bil Browning and his staff at The Bilerico Project as well as all of the fine contributors on that website. Earlier this afternoon his Deputy Editor, Waymon Hudson, published an excellent Op-Ed piece that articulates beautifully some of the rage, disgust, hurt, and astonishment at the professed hypocrisy that is displayed by the fundies, that is felt by many of us in the LGBT community at large.
Controversy had erupted yesterday when Miss Beverly Hills, Lauren Ashley had proclaimed that homosexuality should be dealt with in a biblical sense and put to death. Nice eh?
In an interesting turn of events, the Los Angeles Times published a news update at 12:49 pm-PST today with LA Times/KTLA5News Staff Writer Martha Groves reporting that:
Why am I not surprised? Not withstanding that she is apparently a fraud, the problem is that Miss Ashley publicly expressed a fundie's credo in discussing the LGBT community. This is why I so dearly appreciate Waymon's response and challenge to all who would have us dead. Think about what is being said. it's not an abstract bit of biblical/Christian doctrine, as Waymon points out, its about real people:"Lauren Ashley, a Miss California USA contestant and outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage, claims Beverly Hills as the city she represents. Beverly Hills lays no claim to her whatsoever.Quite the opposite. In a statement Wednesday, the city said it was shocked by Ashley's description of herself as "Miss Beverly Hills." The city "does not sponsor a beauty pageant and has no association with Miss California USA," the statement said. "As such, there should be no individual claiming the title of Miss Beverly Hills."The city's statement said Ashley lives in Pasadena and "does not represent Beverly Hills in any capacity."Ashley, 23, has been quoted extensively as saying same-sex marriage goes against God. She recently told news organizations that "in Leviticus it says, 'If man lies with mankind as he would lie with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death and their blood shall be upon them.' The Bible is pretty black and white.""We are dismayed by any potential association with the city of Beverly Hills, which has a long history of tolerance and respect," Mayor Nancy Krasne said.Ashley's comments were made just months after former Miss California Carrie Prejean settled her legal duel with state beauty pageant organizers related to her high-profile stand against gay marriage.Beverly Hills said it had contacted pageant officials to determine how to prevent any future beauty contestants from claiming the title of Miss Beverly Hills. The pageant is put on by K2 Productions in Los Angeles.Ashley could not immediately be reached."
It's Not God Saying Gays Should Be Put to Death, It's YOU
By Waymon Hudson (Oakland Park, Florida) Feb 24 | Alright. Let's get one thing straight, fundie homophobes- you don't get a pass when you "quote" the Leviticus Bible verse saying:
"If man lies with a man as he would lie with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death and their blood shall be upon them."
This may come as a shock to the "hate the sin, love the sinner" set, but by quoting that verse, it's not God saying that gays should be put to death- it's YOU. It's not simply a personal religious view or a debatable "political difference" or a great talking point. YOU are saying that I should be put to death.
This week we've heard it from everyone from a Ugandan Pastor to another California Beauty Queen, Miss Beverly Hills 2010 Lauren Ashley. And despite them both saying they 'don't hate gay people', there's not much love in saying I should have 'blood upon me.' That's not really a debatable point.
Of course we've all heard that Leviticus quote in every debate about homosexuality and LGBT rights that comes up. Everyone from Focus on the Family to politicians to Westboro Baptist Church throws that verse up as a bump-sticker quote that explains why they hate us- and why it's beyond their control that they do. They just can't help it- God says so.
Martin Ssempa Photo By Getty Images
Uganda's Porn Peddling Pastor Martin Ssempa uses the quote to explain why his country should pass the "Kill the Gays" Bill, even while at the same time he says he doesn't hate gays. It's just about the act, not the person. It's out of his hands- that verse means we should die. It's not up to him.
Even the new Miss Beverly Hills 2010 Lauren Ashley uses the verse to explain why it's okay if she hates the gays:The Bible says that marriage is between a man and a woman. In Leviticus it says, 'If man lies with mankind as he would lie with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death and their blood shall be upon them.' The Bible is pretty black and white. I feel like God himself created mankind and he loves everyone, and he has the best for everyone. If he says that having sex with someone of your same gender is going to bring death upon you, that's a pretty stern warning, and he knows more than we do about life.
Yet in the same breath, she says she personally doesn't hate gays, we just have a friendly difference of opinion:
Lauren Ashley Photo By The Los Angeles Times
"That isn't really the issue. I have a lot of friends that are gay, and ... I have a lot of friends who have different views, and we share our views together."
See? It's not Miss Beverly Hills who thinks you should die- just ask her gay friends!
This verse has become a homophobic cover for people to try to wash their hands of the damage they are doing and the violent, extremist views they hold. It's become an accepted talking point for bigots and haters, parroted without any real thought about the consequences of saying a swath of people should be killed because their personal idea of 'God says so.' (Oddly, the same people breeze over other 'abomination' verses in the same book and put on their mixed fiber clothing and eat their shrimp scampi after church.) I've personally heard that 'gays should be killed verse way too much in my life. It's what started my life as an activist when a skycap played it over the intercom in Fort Lauderdale Airport as a joke. Because saying I should die is simply hilarious.
Think it's a stretch to mention the Ugandan Pastor and a California Beauty Queen in the same post? It's not. It's the "trickle down" hate effect. Leaders crow about how gays should die and then small-minded bigots use it in casual conversation. It's all the same hate.
That's why it's important that we don't give passes to people like Miss Beverly Hills. She invoked 'death for gays' in a discussion on gay marriage (and pageants) and wasn't challenged by the interviewer. That's how accepted the talking point has become. That's what we are facing.
And that's why we have to always call it out.
Let's be clear: when you trot out this Bible verse, you are endorsing it, embracing it, and wrapping yourself in it. No amount of "I have gay friends", "it's just the act", or excuse-making will soften it. YOU are saying I should be killed.
You can't wipe your hands of it, you can't act shocked when violence happens to LGBT people, and you can't distance yourself from it. YOU own it. YOU are part of it.
And no amount of fancy pageant walking will change that.
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1 comments:
The Leviticus verse is interesting. You should read Dear David, Homosexual Relationships, A Halakhic Investigation, by Rabbi Simchah Roth.
This paper, among others, was responsible for the Conservative Jews (Masorti Jews) choosing to ordain openly gay Rabbis a couple of years back.
It's a tough read. It's a necessary read. The Christian fundamentalists will never understand it because they can't hear, just like the two Jehovah;s Witlesses that came to my door this morning, but real people will read it and understand it.
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