By: Candace Chellew
[posted August 19, 1998]
"Make no mistake. Terror is the tool of cowards. It is not a form of political expression, and certainly not a manifestation of religious faith. It is murder. Plain and simple. And those who perpetrate it, finance or support it, must be opposed by all decent people."
U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright made this comment about the terrorists who bombed two U.S. embassies in East Africa. When I heard her words, I couldn't help but think of the latest attempts by the religious right to spread terror in the name of faith with their attacks on homosexuality.
The attacks on gays and lesbians through "ex-gay" ads, and organized religious campaigns to oppose homosexuality are nothing more than spiritual terrorism. These conservative Christians truly believe by striking terror in the hearts of homosexuals and heterosexuals alike, they further their cause of faith. They truly believe that not only is their campaign of terror politically correct, but is dictated by the depth of their faith. Albright's words are mine: they are cowards.
Their terrorism may not destroy buildings, but it certainly can destroy lives. Just how many gays and lesbians have committed suicide over the past few weeks in the wake of these attacks? Was the ad with Reggie White the last straw, or was it the sermon they heard preached by their local minister about the evils of homosexuality that put the gun in their mouth or the razor blade to their wrist?
How many parents of gay or lesbian teens have sought out the help of one of these "ex-gay" ministries for their children, dooming them to years of mental and physical anguish? How many gays and lesbians believed the hype and now are placing their lives in the false hope of "change" offered by such "ministries"?
How many gays and lesbians were beaten and murdered in the wake of these terroristic attacks by these religious zealots? How many homophobic murderers were emboldened to "kill a queer for Christ" because of the hateful words of these men who purport to speak for God?
How many gays and lesbians, raised in a tradition of Christianity, struggling to reconcile their sexual orientation and their faith, simply gave up on Chrisitianity all together after these attacks? How many spiritual suicides did these people cause, speaking their "truth in love"? How many more gays and lesbians turned their backs on a God who loves them because they saw a church who hated them?
The blood of the physical and spiritual suicides and murders are on the hands of these spiritual terrorists. They might as well have pulled the trigger or handed the basher a club. They are responsible, and we let them get away with it. Mainstream society shrugs and says, "Well, I'm not gay, doesn't matter to me." Gays and lesbians shrug and say, "They're just a bunch of religious whackos, nobody takes them seriously."
But they are being taken seriously. The Republican party is an empty shell of itself because of the power wielded by these religious bigots. They have the power to ban same-sex marriage ceremonies from the Methodist church, and continue to keep gays and lesbians from serving in most mainstream churches. Everyday, conservative candidates win local and national campaigns for office. The "ex-gay" ads underscore the financial and organizational power that they have carefully cultivated. These are well-funded, well-organized spiritual terrorists, striking at will. We ignore their attacks at our own peril.
All decent people should oppose this insidious and cowardly form of spiritual terrorism, whether they are homosexual or not. We should not be letting those who perpetrate, finance, and support this form of religious terrorism off the hook. These zealots are no less dangerous than the people who planted the car bomb outside the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. They're planting emotional bombs that kill and maim just as effectively.
We can only fight them by being out and active in the world. When religious bigots speak, thousands of gay and lesbian Christians and non-Christians should speak back, living lives of integrity and honesty. We can no longer afford the safety of the closet. We can no longer afford to hold our tongues. We can no longer afford to let them speak for us. We must be about the business of showing the world that we are not the sinners they say we are. Instead, we must be out and proud, showing that we are productive, happy, spiritual, and fulfilled individuals, making valuable contributions to the world.
Make no mistake, these people are terrorists. We cannot be deterred by their threats or their lies. Live boldly, love wastefully, and show the world that gays and lesbians will not be intimidated by these cowardly religious terrorists.