I said.  To which The Big Guy looked at me bemusedly and responded

“Yes, you are.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am wrestling with how to respond to some stuff in the news lately.  There are a lot of incidents of Mormons and other supporters of the Yes on 8 campaign being harassed either by anonymous pranks or by angry ‘protester’s’.  Then there is the arson that was committed on the Wasilla Bible Church, the non-denominational church that Sarah Palin goes to now.

(The one you’ve seen online in the movie clips about the African preacher is an Assemblies of God church she was raised in and is less active in now that a few years ago…)

Anyway, the thing is…

If I am to stand up for my civil rights as a Gay man, or as a Pagan, then I must also be willing to stand up for every-ones civil rights.  Even the rights of those with whom I have theological or political disagreements; especially of those with whom I have political or theological disagreements!

This just seems such a simple and obvious thing to me that I am having trouble articulating it… thus today’s post…

Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Life, Liberty, The Persuit of Happiness, that All Men (and women, and all of those in between) Are Created Equal.  These are some of the ideals I hold dear.

It is very easy, once you start doing it, to stand up for your ideals and your beliefs and your rights.  It is much more difficult ( but it is the truest test of your ideals and your commitment to them) to stand up for those with whom you disagree.  If I am not willing to stand up for others and defend their rights as I would defend, or seek to ensure, my own; well, then those ideals mean nothing!

I wouldn’t really be caring about, focusing on, or standing up for, my ideals as I would be serving and focusing only on myself.  It is so important, yet so few people seem to get it!

For me, at least, a lot of it comes down to my faith as a Witch…

“Sing! Feast! Dance! Make music and Love

all in my praise and presence.

For mine is the Spirit of Ecstasy,

and mine as well is joy on Earth,

and Love Unto All Beings is My Law.”

~ From the Charge of the Goddess by Doreen Valliente

Love unto all beings.  Love to those who disagree with me.  Love to those who would see my rights limited because of my faith or of my sexual orientation.  Love unto ALL beings, even the difficult ones… especially the difficult ones, because they need it more!

I need to go to sleep now, and pray and meditate on this later…

Peace,

Pax