May 2014 - GLBT News - Mike Childs -Leaders of the Parade p6 excerpt
1
A church community that respects diversity as much as you do. 536 Linton Street at Reading Road, Avondale www.firstuu.com 9 and 11 a.m.. Sunday—Service and Religious Education Welcoming Congregation Childcare, Accessible, Audio Enhanced “When I was a kid I hated going to church every Sunday. Now, I hate to miss a Sunday at The Gathering.” James Helm Doug Slagle, Pastor www.thegatheringcincinnati,org [email protected] 513-307-6963 Page 6–GLBT News PE May, 2014 10:00 a.m. Have you noticed the number of advocates and pitchfork, red horns and long pointed red tail. He definitely looked the part. One night, during one of the services at the storefront, the man stormed into the church and shouted, “I’m the Devil, and I’ve come to get you all.” “Oh Mr. Devil, I-I-I don’t know these people. I-I-I don’t even like going here. I’ve been on YOUR side all the time!” While, hopefully, this story brings a chuckle, I also hope you don’t miss the meaning behind the story. It has become posh to be Gay. Straight people love to mention that they have Gay friends. Many employers, after learning that you are Gay or Lesbian will go through their well- rehearsed speech explaining how that their company has had a “long standing” policy of acceptance, inclusion, and affirmation of the “Gay Lifestyle”. It almost becomes comical as they inform you that “some of my best friends are Gay”. Oh really? And while straights are doing this tap dance on the tightrope of political correctness, many within the GLBT Community have been astute enough to note the opportunity for fame and recognition that the present time affords. Recently I was watching the local news as it reported a court ruling that was in favor of the community and had been well publicized. As the reporter gave the story I saw some that I knew standing behind her. Suddenly, out of the crowd, two hands appeared pushing to the side two of those standing behind the reporter. This was done by a “leader” of the community as he made sure he got his face time. Have you noticed the politicians? They have waited to see how the currents flow, but now that polls show the public is favoring Marriage Equality, here comes every politician from county dog catcher to senator, all saying, “I’ve been on YOUR side all the time”. Leaders of the parade Brother Michael Childs BSCD Jubilee Cincinnati movement lately? They’re coming f r o m everywhere! It reminds me of a story of a man that wanted to harass a little storefront congregation, so he went out to a costume store and bought a “devil’s outfit”, with Needless to say, people began scre- aming and shouting, all trying to escape the wrath of the Prince of Hell. There was one rather portly fellow who had made it to a nearby window and trying to climb out, he found that he was stuck in the window. He finally wiggled himself out of the opening, back into the church, only to find himself face to face with “Satan”. supporters of the GLBT many want to be the next Harvey Milk? I swear, I’m waiting for someone with a bull-horn to appear screaming, “I’m here to recruit you”. All the other things that I have mentioned one could expect to happen with any event that would make the news. Yet in the midst of all this, one item has developed. So many are fighting to be the next leader of the community. I like to describe it as if there was a parade and everyone wants to lead the parade. Consequently, everyone becomes the “grand marshal” and that’s all there is to the parade. No one is there to follow. They are all there to be seen as the leader. “Give me my face time. Put me on the evening news. Call me a leader and an activist. Make sure I am recognized in the clubs.” Yet where were these so-called leaders when the handful of real leaders stood in the cold and driving snow, or heat of the summer, protesting against the same companies that today welcome the community with open arms, but in those days would not give the proverbial time of day to anyone Gay? Where were those “leaders” when the real leaders were being bullied and harassed in school because word had got out that they were Gay? Where were those “leaders” when the real leaders were having their jobs being threatened because of what their employer called “a deviant lifestyle”? Where were those politicians the day that members of the com- munity asked for non- discrimination policies to be passed, only to have the politician promise to follow through, but do nothing? And even more recently, where are And have you noticed how those “leaders” when the real leaders are having their employment and careers as an educator being challenged be- cause of their sexual preferences. You’ll find those “leaders”, those poli- ticians, those “activists” all fighting for that first spot in the parade. All waving to the crowd, saying, “I’ve been on YOUR side all the time”. Really?
-
Upload
mxchanak49 -
Category
Documents
-
view
89 -
download
0
description
Michael Childs was instrumental in getting support from Chris Seelbach, councilperson, Cincinnati OH to request and get agreement from the Mayor of Cincinnati, John Cranley to declare 5-22 (the birthday date) Harvey Milk Day.
Transcript of May 2014 - GLBT News - Mike Childs -Leaders of the Parade p6 excerpt
-
A church communitythat respects diversity
as much as you do.
536 Linton Streetat Reading Road, Avondale
www.firstuu.com9 and 11 a.m.. SundayService and Religious Education
Welcoming CongregationChildcare, Accessible, Audio Enhanced
When I was a kid I hatedgoing to church everySunday. Now, I hate to miss aSunday at The Gathering.
James Helm
Doug Slagle, Pastorwww.thegatheringcincinnati,org
Page 6GLBT News PE May, 2014
10:00 a.m.
Have you noticed thenumber of advocates and
pitchfork, red horns and longpointed red tail. He definitelylooked the part. One night,during one of the services at thestorefront, the man stormedinto the church and shouted,Im the Devil, and Ive cometo get you all.
Oh Mr. Devil, I-I-I dontknow these people. I-I-I donteven like going here. Ive beenon YOUR side all the time!
While, hopefully,this story brings a chuckle, Ialso hope you dont miss themeaning behind the story. Ithas become posh to be Gay.Straight people love to mentionthat they have Gay friends.Many employers, after learningthat you are Gay or Lesbianwill go through their well-rehearsed speech explaininghow that their company hashad a long standing policy ofacceptance, inclusion, andaffirmation of the GayLifestyle. It almost becomescomical as they inform you thatsome of my best friends areGay. Oh really? And while straights are doingthis tap dance on the tightropeof political correctness, manywithin the GLBT Community
have been astute enough tonote the opportunity for fameand recognition that the presenttime affords. Recently I waswatching the local news as itreported a court ruling that wasin favor of the community andhad been well publicized. Asthe reporter gave the story Isaw some that I knew standingbehind her. Suddenly, out ofthe crowd, two hands appearedpushing to the side two of thosestanding behind the reporter.This was done by a leader ofthe community as he made surehe got his face time. Have younoticed the politicians? Theyhave waited to see how thecurrents flow, but now thatpolls show the public isfavoring Marriage Equality,here comes every politicianfrom county dog catcher tosenator, all saying, Ive beenon YOUR side all the time.
Leaders of theparade
Brother Michael Childs BSCD
Jubilee Cincinnati
movementlately? Theyrec o m i n gf r o meverywhere!It remindsme of astory of aman thatwanted to harass a littlestorefront congregation, so hewent out to a costume store andbought a devils outfit, with
Needless tosay, peoplebegan scre-aming andshouting, alltrying toescape thewrath of thePrince of Hell.There was one
rather portly fellow who hadmade it to a nearby windowand trying to climb out, hefound that he was stuck in the
window. He finallywiggled himself out ofthe opening, back into thechurch, only to findhimself face to face withSatan.
supporters of the GLBT
many want to be the nextHarvey Milk? I swear, Imwaiting for someone with abull-horn to appear screaming,Im here to recruit you. Allthe other things that I havementioned one could expect tohappen with any event thatwould make the news. Yet inthe midst of all this, one itemhas developed. So many arefighting to be the next leaderof the community. I like todescribe it as if there was aparade and everyone wants tolead the parade. Consequently, everyonebecomes the grand marshaland thats all there is to theparade. No one is there tofollow. They are all there to beseen as the leader. Give memy face time. Put me on theevening news. Call me a leaderand an activist. Make sure I amrecognized in the clubs. Yetwhere were these so-called
leaders when the handful ofreal leaders stood in the coldand driving snow, or heat of thesummer, protesting against thesame companies that todaywelcome the community withopen arms, but in those dayswould not give the proverbialtime of day to anyone Gay?Where were those leaderswhen the real leaders werebeing bullied and harassed inschool because word had gotout that they were Gay? Wherewere those leaders when thereal leaders were having theirjobs being threatened becauseof what their employer calleda deviant lifestyle? Wherewere those politicians the daythat members of the com-munity asked for non-discrimination policies to bepassed, only to have thepolitician promise to followthrough, but do nothing? Andeven more recently, where are And have you noticed how
those leaders when thereal leaders are havingtheir employment andcareers as an educatorbeing challenged be-cause of their sexualpreferences. Youll find thoseleaders, those poli-ticians, those activistsall fighting for that firstspot in the parade. Allwaving to the crowd,saying, Ive been onYOUR side all the time.Really?
