Ten years already? Good God. Speaking of, IANAL, but I don't think it's legal for a church -- specifically a tax-exempt religious organization -- to advise voting for one particular ballot option. I recall four years ago churches being very coy about telling people to vote their consciences and then launching into spiels closely mirroring one particular candidate's platform, and that line was walked very gingerly with an awareness of what crossing that line meant. Not that the Catholic Church will ever be held accountable for this, of course -- God knows it's facilitated and disguised much more egregious acts and escaped any real consequences, so one e-mail is easily enough eluded
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"Today is the tenth anniversary of the murder of Matthew Shepard." My father-in-law once said that gays would come out if they nothing to hide--implying that there was something wrong with them because they weren't all out. Yet it's the threat of being harrassed, and sometimes even killed that has kept many gays in the closet. Whenever I'm reminded of Mathew Shepard, I remember what my father-in-law said, and wish people like him understood the realities of the situation.
Ironically enough, it's the mentality of my father-in-law and my brother-in-law both which helps to make life difficult for anyone who is gay. For example, I've seen them talk amongst themselves in a derogatory manner about a child (a child) whom they felt was gay due to the child's mannerisms (rolls eyes). I don't see how anyone could feel entirely safe, or accepted coming out to my father-in-law and brother-in-law and anyone else like them. Yet they complain that gays should come out if they have nothing to hide. It makes no sense.
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IANAL either, but I can imagine them losing their status over it. (Meanwhile, the Episcopal bishops in California are advising people to vote the other way.)
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My father-in-law once said that gays would come out if they nothing to hide--implying that there was something wrong with them because they weren't all out. Yet it's the threat of being harrassed, and sometimes even killed that has kept many gays in the closet. Whenever I'm reminded of Mathew Shepard, I remember what my father-in-law said, and wish people like him understood the realities of the situation.
Ironically enough, it's the mentality of my father-in-law and my brother-in-law both which helps to make life difficult for anyone who is gay. For example, I've seen them talk amongst themselves in a derogatory manner about a child (a child) whom they felt was gay due to the child's mannerisms (rolls eyes). I don't see how anyone could feel entirely safe, or accepted coming out to my father-in-law and brother-in-law and anyone else like them. Yet they complain that gays should come out if they have nothing to hide. It makes no sense.
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