Keep all sharp objects away from the bubble.
Welcome to San Francisco. On your left you'll see Steve and John walking down 18th Street pushing the double stroller with little Emma and Grace giggling from within. On the right you'll see a protest going on outside of the evil new chain (insert store type here: coffee bar, drug store, grocery store, video store, etc.) because there wasn't a community meeting to discuss the environmental and economical ramifications on the 6 blocks surrounding the store. Back there you'll see a homeless man masturbating under the freeway, and the police will let it happen. But he'll be arrested if he asks you for money. And right up ahead, you can see that you are indeed the minority being a straight, white person here. That the Bay Area has the largest Asian population outside of Hong Kong. And, that's ok here. We like that. It's called diversity. It's not just a bumper sticker in San Francisco. We do celebrate it here. But guess what? We live in a bubble.
All around our country hatred is building. Probably no more or less than it has in the past, but it's there. And as much as we like to think that the whole US of A is as open and caring and sympathetic and informed and political as us, it's just not true. And it's scary. People around the country actually hate gay people. Hate hate hate them. And they live in towns where there are no gay people. Because if you've outted yourself in a town full of haters, you leave. Or, you get beaten and tied to a fencepost and left to die with nothing but your sins. And all the rest of the queers in those towns see that and they know that if they want to keep their rural, Middle American lives sane and safe and stable, well, they better just keep quiet. And marry a nice girl. And start drinking more, because it makes you forget. And start hating yourself more for those evil dirty thoughts that no real man should have. And start beating your wife and children in a desperate attempt to soothe the broken soul of a man who could've had a normal and beautiful life if there wasn't all of this goddamn hatred.
And I can't understand any of it. I'm not gay, and I didn't grow up in an oppressed environment. Shit, if I were gay, my mother would have wanted to send out invites to my coming out party. I, though, am one of the lucky ones.
This type of hatred that is spreading through the country seems to be fueled by religion, though I can't see that being the main factor. I think that out and out hatred with such a passion of anything has to stem from inside. This collective hatred hasn't been seen since the civil rights movement. And to say that this can't be compared with racism is plain bullshit. Black people were denied basic rights just because of their skin color. Something they can't or wouldn't want to change. Gay couples are being denied basic rights just because of their sexual preference. Something they can't or wouldn't want to change.
How are we going to break down the wall of intolerance? The current administration has made it clear that it won't happen there. They're going to go a step further, in fact, and fuel it. Wait until the ads start running. This is going to divide our country.
Do I sound like a complete and total tree hugger if I say the only way to battle hate is with love? Kill ‘em with kindness? Fuck ‘em all?