Anyone hear about the nomination of Judge John G. Roberts Jr. to the Supreme Court? Anyone know much about this man? I will have to admit that I do not. I've not been following the stories about the nominees proposed to fill the Supreme Court spot vacated with the retirment of Judge Sandra Day O'Connor.
My commentary today will do nothing to enlighten you on the nature or character of Mr. Roberts - nor will it do anything to explain the process one must go through to get confirmed to sit on the Supreme Court. What really brought this whole subject up was a brief glance through the Dallas Voice over lunch yesterday.
A survey question was posed to several people and their answers provided. I do not want to assume that the interviewees are themselves gay - but because the article appears in a gay-oriented newspaper, I will assert that they become representatives of the gay community - regardless of their orientation. Why is this important? Because of the question posed and the answers some of them gave.
The question went something like this: Since Judge John Roberts has a history of helping out the gay community (cited some past case) do you trust or feel good about his nomination to the Supreme Court? This seems like an intelligent question. And some of the respondees gave what I consider intelligent responses - but there were some answers that just didn't sit well with me.
At least two of the responses posted in the paper had nothing to do with the character, legal record, or even personal feelings about Judge Roberts - instead, they centered on feelings about the man who nominated him - namely President Bush. In essence - they said they did not trust John Roberts Jr. because he was nominated by President Bush. As I read this, it was very apparent that these people, and others like them were ready to judge a book by the cover of a completely different book. And I thought to myself... why?
I have to admit that perhaps I'm a bit more bothered about this than I should be - only because I've experienced the same kind of judgment and discrimination at the hands of the "gay community". Not from everyone mind you - but enough to present a pattern. I've been chastised for not voting the Democratic Party Line and even been called "Republican" out in public, even though I've never in my life been a member of the Republican party. So I ask - is there room in the gay community for independent thinkers? How about independent political views or independent spiritual direction and religious inclinations? Is there a group of gay people that NEED everyone to pick a side? Do things have to be black or white in order for them to comprehend where everyone stands? If the answer is yes - do they not see the hypocrisy of that?
I've heard it said that the gay community (again - I don't really like to lump everyone together but I'm just illustrating what I've heard...) is the most judgmental and discriminating of others and of themselves - yet they constantly complain about others judging them. Having said that - and assuming there is some grain of truth in it - again it begs the question - "Why?" followed by "What do we want to do about it?" or "How can we change that?"
If you know anything about me - you will know that I don't care much for labeling myself or labeling others. That is very difficult to do (even for me at times) in our society that relies on such labels to figure out HOW to think about others. The labels help us to indentify how we are united or separated from others. Is that why some gays have become so label-conscious and so resistant to any label that implies ambiguity (bisexual for instance). It's as if there is some deep-seated need to pick a position and to have everyone else pick a position, a VERY clear position, and stay there. There also seems to be a lot of finger pointing at all those who have not picked a Black or White label - and that is followed with accusations of "hiding" and "denial" or out-and-out deceit!
Do I have the answers? No. But perhaps the first step to finding an answer is to understand the questions. And those may be different questions for each of us. We should look at who we are as individuals and as a community of mankind and ask ourselves how we judge others. We need to recognize what we have inside of us that makes us "require" a label for everything and everyone else in our world. Once we see our own limitations and the limitations we set on our own hearts, minds, and our very lives - then we can begin to examine them, expose them and grow beyond them. I think that only then will we find true freedom to be ourselves and to celebrate the true nature of others. I'll have to think about it - and I invite you to do the same. Try to find the walls you have created in yourself that keep you separated from those who may hold different lifestyles, different points of view, different political and/or religious values - and try find in them the true nature of humanity that is shared by us all. Then learn to open up to that humanity with a loving response rather than a judgment. It's a challege - and you are invited to try...
WOOF ya later!
- bbw
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