Saturday, November 22, 2003
The Rapid City Journal
November 22, 2003
Forbidden works
The official explanations on behalf of the protesting Rapid City Christian High School All-State chorus representatives become problematic with a look at the lyrical source. The poem suggests mankind will improve itself and live in peace, to better honor God.
Perhaps a more honest objection would be that it sounded "anti-war." But it's the territorial fighting between religious viewpoints that don't belong.
Given a fundamental misinterpretation if not misrepresentation of the work's intent, the alleged "secondary issue" of the poet's sexual orientation may be the real story. Therefore, to stave off future protests from professionally offended, overprotective parents, prevent innocent victims from being forced to sing or hear the works of homosexual composers, I suggest as a city we ban the following from being performed within our city limits by public schools, choirs, or symphonies: "West Side Story," selections from Disney's "The Little Mermaid" or "Beauty and the Beast," the works of Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Franz Schubert, Stephen Sondheim, Benjamin Britten, "Amahl and the Night Visitors," or "The Nutcracker."
In promoting their views above all others, religious supremacists ignore why the Congregationalist Pilgrims we celebrate at Thanksgiving came to America: to escape from an oppressive church state.
November 22, 2003
Forbidden works
The official explanations on behalf of the protesting Rapid City Christian High School All-State chorus representatives become problematic with a look at the lyrical source. The poem suggests mankind will improve itself and live in peace, to better honor God.
Perhaps a more honest objection would be that it sounded "anti-war." But it's the territorial fighting between religious viewpoints that don't belong.
Given a fundamental misinterpretation if not misrepresentation of the work's intent, the alleged "secondary issue" of the poet's sexual orientation may be the real story. Therefore, to stave off future protests from professionally offended, overprotective parents, prevent innocent victims from being forced to sing or hear the works of homosexual composers, I suggest as a city we ban the following from being performed within our city limits by public schools, choirs, or symphonies: "West Side Story," selections from Disney's "The Little Mermaid" or "Beauty and the Beast," the works of Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Franz Schubert, Stephen Sondheim, Benjamin Britten, "Amahl and the Night Visitors," or "The Nutcracker."
In promoting their views above all others, religious supremacists ignore why the Congregationalist Pilgrims we celebrate at Thanksgiving came to America: to escape from an oppressive church state.
Sunday, November 02, 2003
The Rapid City Journal
November 2, 2003
Fund-raising means
October's "Marriage Protection Week" press conferences cloaked themselves as grassroots efforts, but a look behind the curtain finds 29 organizations with over a quarter billion dollars in their propaganda coffers.
Launching their PR offensive on the fifth anniversary of Matthew Shepard's death, the consortium's calculated media appearances were intended to create support for a constitutional amendment, creating a second-, if not third-, class citizenship for their gay and lesbian neighbors.
Were their actual goals those of reaffirming the sanctity of marriage (and not merely denying those they disagree with the use of the seemingly copyrighted term "family") these "better than you" moralists might address rape and domestic abuse, fundamentalist dogma of subservient wives, aggression, addiction, livable wages and unemployment.
However, none of these sells videotapes, or add names of the prayer/mailing lists proselytizing comic books quite as well as an enemy in the flesh.
Concerned Women for America calls gay couples "domestic terrorists," helping to demean those willing to accept the responsibilities that come with loving, committed relationships
Pro-marriage Goliaths claiming victimization by those they know only from obscure medical surveys, for without continually dehumanizing their faceless neighbors, they heavily pad their bank accounts, worshiping profits over prophets.
November 2, 2003
Fund-raising means
October's "Marriage Protection Week" press conferences cloaked themselves as grassroots efforts, but a look behind the curtain finds 29 organizations with over a quarter billion dollars in their propaganda coffers.
Launching their PR offensive on the fifth anniversary of Matthew Shepard's death, the consortium's calculated media appearances were intended to create support for a constitutional amendment, creating a second-, if not third-, class citizenship for their gay and lesbian neighbors.
Were their actual goals those of reaffirming the sanctity of marriage (and not merely denying those they disagree with the use of the seemingly copyrighted term "family") these "better than you" moralists might address rape and domestic abuse, fundamentalist dogma of subservient wives, aggression, addiction, livable wages and unemployment.
However, none of these sells videotapes, or add names of the prayer/mailing lists proselytizing comic books quite as well as an enemy in the flesh.
Concerned Women for America calls gay couples "domestic terrorists," helping to demean those willing to accept the responsibilities that come with loving, committed relationships
Pro-marriage Goliaths claiming victimization by those they know only from obscure medical surveys, for without continually dehumanizing their faceless neighbors, they heavily pad their bank accounts, worshiping profits over prophets.
