Wednesday, February 25, 2009
hatorade
This past weekend a friend was attacked in a gay-bashing. Two men harassed him on the street late at night and when words were exchanged, these men attacked and beat my friend. He suffered some ugly injuries but walked away without having to visit the hospital. I don't know if the police think they can catch the men or not. My friend is an amazing man. He recently returned from a two year stint with a non-governmental organization working with people with HIV and AIDS in Africa. He's the kind of person you like almost immediately. He emanates positivity and love and compassion. So why him? Why would two men arbitrarily attack my friend? Why would they arbitrarily attack anybody for any reason? Because somehow think they've been given the right to judge people for living lives they don't accept? Because somehow they have some right to violence as a means of expressing that judgement? It was hard for me to have faith in humanity on the day I heard about the attack. It was hard for me to believe in love and hope knowing that these men and many like them are out there just waiting for the opportunity to be hatemongers. But seeing my friend later, I knew that letting those feelings overtake me wasn't the answer. There he stood with cuts and scratches and a swollen face and he smiled and was brave and still emanated love and compassion and positivity...after what he had been through. He reasserted my belief for faith in humanity and hope for love and a better world. Because these two men couldn't take that away from him with their hate so I won't either.
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1 comment:
It is unfortunate what has happened to your friend! :o\
It is VERY unfortunate that we live in a society where homosexuals are "stoned" and politicians are praised! The sad truth about this attack is that our society does not make it okay for homosexuality to be accepted; this has been programmed into us by religion, school, and many other avenues. It is sad that discrimination (of any form) still exists with full force. However, the young minds of our society are impressionable and they think that by beating up people within the gay community will uplift their spirit; when in fact all that will do is foster the anger that is festering deep within them. We have to forgive them because they do not understand what they do. The attackers are probably suffering a lot more than your friend. One of the attackers could be gay, his father could be gay, his brother could be gay, etc, however, neither he nor society has made it okay for the acceptance. We live in a day and age where if we are not accepted, we act out in rage. It is a slow destruction that we are seeing here! It is haterade to the TENTH power indeed. They cannot accept that fact that your friend is happy and free and accepts who he TRULY is. They probably have a hard time doing that. But all you can do is hope that they too one day see the light and are accepted for who they are and are happy, free and regretful of what they have done this week.
People must understand...Life has no benefit; Life itself is a benefit. As far as we know, this is the only one we have HERE. Tell your friend to keep his shoulders high, keep on doing wonderful things in Africa, and keep on smiling in pride of who he is as a person, as a man, as a great soul!
My love and respects to you! :o)
doM
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