As we did our evening loop around Lake Underhill, our
daily 1.75 mile check-in, a small plane bearing a banner flew over
our heads to land in nearby Executive Airport. Because the banner had its back to us,
it took me a second to realize what it bore.
Too bad I wasted the time and effort to decipher it:
“WARNING! GAY DAYS AT DISNEY!”
In this time of growing legislative and court victories
that bring us ever close to the end of our sexual orientation Jim Crow in
America, I’d almost forgotten that homophobia is still alive and kicking. Those
who continue to be driven by The Hate that
Can No Longer Comfortably Speak Its Name are a lot quieter these days.
Homophobia is increasingly recognized as a socially corrosive
misanthropy in the same category with racism, sexism and the various xenophobia
Americans have indulged over time. But those who hold to that fearful
understanding clearly haven’t gone away. And, judging by the banner stunt, they
clearly haven’t gotten over their issues surrounding sexual orientation (and I
suspect in most cases, a wide range of other aspects involving sexuality in general).
So I would like to thank the Homophobe Defense League for their public service announcement this
afternoon. We’d hate to think that people haunted by the same nightmares as
these folks might go to an overpriced theme park devoted to story book fairies
and evil queens and actually have to encounter (shudder) real live versions of the same. Clearly, the folks who
paid to have this hateful banner towed across the skies above the park -
crossing a self-proclaimed “City Beautiful” which has begun to match its natural beauty
with acts of real beauty such as the domestic partner registry - have done all of their kith and kin a great service.
Of course, one wonders when would be a safe time for these folks to come back
out of their bunkers and go to Disney. Who do they think will be leading the
parades, running the rides and selling them their overpriced Mickey Mouse ears and
Goofy Fries?
You know, folks, it’s one thing to visit Fantasyland. It’s
something quite different to actually live there.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The
Rev. Harry Scott Coverston, J.D., Ph.D.
Member, Florida Bar (inactive status)
Priest, Episcopal Church (Dio. of El Camino Real, CA)
Lecturer: Humanities, Religion, Philosophy of Law
University of Central Florida, Orlando
If the unexamined life is not worth living,
surely an unexamined belief system, be it religious or political, is not worth
holding.
Most
things of value do not lend themselves to production in sound bytes.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1 comment:
Just returned from a dream conference in NC sponsored by the Episcopal church with brilliant speakers from former priests who are now Jungian analysts. The are planting seeds for all religions becoming more conscious and encourage dream groups as a way forward. Also one UU minister who also works with dreams to get more people awake. Language of the Divine.
Judy Minear
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