Since 'the Pulse stopped,' I've been thinking a few things.
(SNN) The other day 49 human beings were murdered, and 53 more were injured in an attempt to murder them, simply for being in a "Gay" nightclub called "Pulse." The nightclub caters to people who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, and Questioning. The Pulse also welcomes Straight people. That day, a straight mother, who was dancing with her gay son, died. He lived. I'm glad at least her son lived. And I'm sorry for his, and his family's, loss. It was an horrific act by a sick, fear and hate-filled person using an extremist's warped ideology of the Islamic faith as an excuse, and terrorist tactics as a methodology.
It seemed America's collective heart stopped beating. Our pulse could no longer be felt. Whether by pain, or hate, or fear, or compassion the best and the worst was brought out in us.
It brought out many other sick, fear and hate-filled people, using radical Christianity as an excuse to troll on Facebook. When I posted items and checked on friends this week, I didn't stay on to read the hate posts. I heard about them from others. It made me think. Is this going to be what happens? More hate? More fear? More young people staying in the closet and living cramped and fearful lives? More beatings? More public shaming just because ignorant and arrogant people think someone looks like they might be gay or lesbian? More armchair theologians forcing their half-understood version of their preferred but barely practiced religion down the throats of everyone else? More deaths?
On the other hand it brought out many people who stood in lines for hours to donate blood, people who donated money to bury the dead and help the wounded, people who are fighting against gun violence--especially against semi-automatic weapon ownership. Whether you agree with them or not, they are taking a stance out of compassion for all victims of gun violence.
There is something else it can bring out. It can bring more of us out of our closets.
If more of us come out, perhaps it will give others the courage to come out. And if enough of us come out, maybe people will begin to realize that almost everyone loves (or at least likes) someone who is gay, or lesbian, or bisexual, or transsexual. Maybe it will make it harder to hate. And that will make it harder to murder, especially for something as life affirming as love.
So here I am, telling you I am bisexual. Normally I would say my sexuality is no one's business. But because of the deaths of these innocent brothers and sisters, I'm splashing my business in public.
I'm a little fearful. I don't know what you're going to do with this knowledge. Maybe I'll lose some friends. Maybe I'll get some hate shade. Maybe some crazy person will try to kill me. I don't know. But if one young person can again hope that they'll be okay, that despite what happened the other day there is a future where they can be who they are and love whom they love, and live, and work, and pay taxes, and grow old like everyone else in this country, then it's worth the risk.
Gradually, healing, we will feel our collective heart beating again, our pulse strong. And hopefully, someday, love will fill our world, instead of fear, and hate, and violence.
Although now openly bisexual, she is currently living in a monogamous relationship.
More Opinion News
-
Cork and the Geez Talk Oscars
Monday, February 27, 2017
The Old Coot & the Geezer analyze what went wrong and what went right at the Academy Awards this year, review the show, and recommend who should host next year. The duo are America's most respected fuddy-duddy film ...
-
Cork and the Geez Dish on the Golden Globes
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
(SNN) The Old Coot and the Geezer, affected no doubt by the rainy weather in Southern California turn grumpy as they analyze the Golden Globes and show what they mean--mostly good food for the media. Will Hollywood ...
-
Revisiting "Two-a-Days" with One Small Difference
Thursday, October 06, 2016
(SNN) For four years of high school and one in college, I would spend a couple of weeks during the dog days of August involved in what was known as "Two-a-days." Those, as any current or former football player ...
-
Coping with the Wobblies
Sunday, September 18, 2016
(SNN) Belonging to an elite group is only fun if it was one you aspired to, like giving a hundred speeches and becoming a Distinguished Toastmaster. During that time I would get the “wobblies” almost weekly. “What’s ...
-
Experimental Turkeys & Murphy's Law
Friday, September 16, 2016
(SNN) It is a paradox of science that before any breakthrough there is often a f’ed-up earlier stage. Out of this f’ed-stage have come some turkeys – turkeys that crossed the road to find something of value on the ...
-
Adventures in Eating
Sunday, August 21, 2016
(SNN) Some food combinations reside in the collective unconscious – and then there are those that shouldn’t exist at all. That special is a lottery. Visible from my apartment is a restaurant that has been struggling ...
-
No More Miscarriage Taboo
Friday, June 24, 2016
(SNN) I got a tattoo recently to honor the life and death of my daughter. The potential of her. The possibility of her. The scarred grief of her that tore up my heart. The fact that she was not born alive did not ...
-
Fall Down, Go Boom
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
(SNN) My doctor has asked me to not fall down. I’ve attempted to honor his request, but it's easier said than done. Staying upright cannot be taken for granted if, like me, you own a fused ankle, Silly Putty knee ...
-
Character Actors: Not Just In It to Win It
Friday, January 29, 2016
(SNN) The death this week of actor Abe Vigoda at 94 reminds us that there are degrees of success of Hollywood, that fame can come after thirty years of toiling in obscurity, and that a great actor is a great actor ...
-
Shocking Late Nite Rumor Thingy
Saturday, November 07, 2015
(SNN) I’ve decided to start a show business rumor. Just me. All by myself, no sources, no late night phone calls from the participants. No leaked information from insiders. If it happens to come true, remember, ...