IT WAS ONLY YESTERDAY

IT WAS ONLY YESTERDAY

   I was born on the backside to nowhere. My house was at the end of the road. The only thing that went past my house was the footpath used by the Indians who lived deeper in the Louisiana swamplands.  I was raised at the end of the trail, but with a little help from my friends, I turned limited opportunities into a series of smiley faces.   

   I knew the woods the same way a city boy knows the streets. For me to get lost in the woods was something never to happen.  I could say to my buddy, “Meet me after school over at Pine Cone Ridge, Cedar Tree Alley, or the old hollow cypress,” and he knew exactly where to go.  

   Deep in the woods behind my house was a swift flowing creek. I knew every log that crossed Indian Creek, and I knew on the other side was a vast territory of endless woods.  A venture to the other side required a gun because Louisiana had a large number of dangerous animals.

   What I experienced as a youngster would astonish the avid woodman of today. I survived the charge of the Louisiana wild boar. I saw a white wolf grab a pig and disappear with the speed of lightening. I watched the diamondback attempt to charm the red squirrel. I saw the old blue buck prance proudly through the forest with the grace of a thoroughbred stallion.  I heard the scream of the black panther and felt the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.         

    My closest neighbors lived about five miles away, but a mile meant nothing to a country boy. They all had large families but none had cars.  The only place we had to go was to school and church, so we created our own entertainment. In the back of the school bus coming home from the junior or senior plays, or returning from basketball games, we engaged in activities that would have surprised the church-goers of our community.  We were determined the city kids would have nothing on us when it came to living an exciting life.

    The woods provided a large playground for the younger generation. The adults had no idea of the wild social activities that went on in the woods. Boys experimented with girls and girls with boys, and occasionally the opposite occurred.

    All the girls knew the shortcut through the woods to take food to ailing Aunt Molly. And boys knew how to confiscate more than food from the girls who made a deliberate pathway through the woods.  Poor old Aunt Molly never realized how much pleasure her sickness brought to the young people of our community.

    A good place to meet friends on any summer day was on the way to the swimming hole. There was an ideal spot in the chilling waters of Indian Creek meant just for swimming. The swimming hole was deep and big enough to accommodate a large number of swimmers. Mixed with water moccasins and large catfish, it was a summer meeting place for teenagers, and if one word could describe it; it would be fun. 

    No one owned a swimsuit and if we did it was not allowed at the Indian Creek swimming hole. Male and female nude bodies were looked upon as the norm and norm was the usual in country living.

    We were a group of friends who probably knew too much about each other. But we were kids and we didn’t care. We were a tight-lipped group, and we kept secrets that have never been revealed not even until this day.

    On Sundays we knew how to put on the invisible robe of righteousness, give a quick wink to our friends, stare the preacher directly in the eyes, and sing the gospel hymns.  At a young age we had experienced hypocrisy, because we had seen the examples set by the adults.        

    We knew the best places to build the Saturday night camp fires, and even though no one had a telephone, we just knew to be there. We experienced the pleasures of a midnight dip in the cold waters of the old swimming hole. And even today, there is a lingering memory of the vision of the moonbeams that danced across the waters from the waves being made by nude, well-defined, suntanned bodies.

    Youthful days seemed to pass slowly but in the reality of time they passed quickly. We were eager to grow up and experience the bright lights of the big cities never realizing we were leaving behind the camp fires of paradise. But it happened. We quickly became adults but never dreamed that one day we would be the senior citizens. And as strange as it may seem, we now face the twilight of our lives. The days past quick and the nights are restless. We have a full understanding of the meaning, “Young men will see visions, and old men will dream dreams.” Retirement is made tolerable because we dream about being young, and in our dreams we relive those days of our youth. 

    Today, as I read the obituary of an old-time special friend, something strange happened. I started trembling and dropped the newspaper. Then I heard a roar. It came like a hurricane. It knocked me to the floor.  A vision appeared and suddenly turned into a flashback. I heard the voices and I saw the faces of my young friends.  We were on the school bus ride. We were laughing and talking with a joy so deep we did not recognize it as a source of pleasure.  Then the bus ride turned into a summer day at the swimming hole. The vision was clear. I was standing by the side of my obituary friend, and I reached out and put my arm around him. We were laughing, talking, and having a great time. Our youthful bodies were glistening in the sun. We were young, proud, and happy.  But the vision changed. Suddenly, I was seated on the third row of the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.  And this time I was listening to golden voices.

   Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine,

   We’ll understand it, all by and by. 

    The vision faded and I pulled myself into a standing position. Then in an uncontrolled voice I shouted, “I’m alive!” Still in a confused state, I used the words, “Master, what is it that you would have me do?”

   The answer came, “I command you to live each day with hope.”

  “Hope,” I answered, “Where is an old man’s hope?”

   “It is the hope for a tomorrow.”

   “But wisdom says there are more yesterdays than tomorrows.”

   “If given the opportunity would you return to the backside of nowhere and do it all over again?”

   “You bet ya!”

   “Then I’ll consider your request tomorrow.”

   “But what if tomorrow never comes?”

   The answer came with a paraphrase from the scriptures.

  “Even though a man liveth, without hope he is dead.”     

"WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS"

WHO ARE THE CHAMPIONS? 

     The song “We Are the Champions” was written by the rock and roll legend Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the British rock band Queen. The song was first released in 1977 and has been heard by millions around the world. Even though Freddie died on November 24, 1991, the world has not heard the last of this great musical talent. He was a flamboyant performer and is remembered as one of the greatest talents the world has ever known.

     Any great piece of music has multiple meanings. Therefore “We Are the Champions” has presented the world with a public debate concerning the meaning of the lyrics.  Some argue that Freddie was strictly referring to his life and the lives of the band members, whereas others believe the meaning goes much deeper. They believe he was referring to all gays as champions.

     There is no doubt he dreamed of the day when the lyrics of all his songs would be understood because he placed messages in the lyrics. Through his lyrics he addressed the struggles of gay individuals around the world. “I’ve had my share of sand kicked in my face, but I’ve come through,” he said. There is not a gay person on the planet earth who has not experienced the disrespect Freddie speaks of in his songs.

    He often spoke of the difficulties presented by living a life on the road rather than settling down to one single love affair. “It’s been no bed of roses, no pleasure cruise,” he said. He chose life on the road because there he could be a greater influence to the world. He knew he had been accepted into the world’s societies because of his exception talents. But he also knew that his acceptance would make it easier for other gays who would follow.

    “We Are the Champions” was recently played by the GOP as Donald Trump made his entrance onto the stage at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. The unauthorized use of the song has caused much controversy.  Since Freddie Mercury was an outspoken advocate for gay-rights, it is unlikely he would have given permission for an anti-gay American political party, particularly one that has done everything within its power to dehumanize LGBT individuals, to use his song.  There is one thing for certain Freddie—did not write this song, or any of his songs, to be used by a group of straight people to glorify themselves.  

    Many suggest that the use of this song at the anti-gay Republican Convention has caused Freddie to “turn over in his grave.” Even if this were literally true, there is a possibility that it may have had a positive affect. It is nothing less than a miracle that this song has been reintroduced to the world by an anti-gay political party. As a result, the world has gained a greater respect for the man—Freddie Mercury—and his lyrics. God does work in mysterious ways. 

  

  

PULPIT COVER-UPS

PULPIT COVER-UPS

 

    For years, rumors have circulated concerning the shenanigans taking place behind the pulpit. No one should take pleasure in repeating rumors, but investigative reports have proven many of the rumors to be true.   Deceptions have arisen within the ranks of gospel preachers. It is impossible to list all of the sexual assaults committed by this group; they have become experts in finding ways to cover up their deviate sexual behaviors.  If Jesus walked on the earth today, he would expose these hypocrites BIG TIME. 

    In general, the Christian ministry has lost much of its creditability.  Ministers have taken a dictatorial attitude on many social issues and have become deeply involved in partisan politics.  They have turned religion into a multimillion-dollar business and continue to ask parishioners for more.  Preachers have used the tax-free status of religion to hide billions from the IRS, and they have developed a lifestyle far above the working class.

    Ministers have overstepped the bounds of the gospel to a Christianized form of brain washing, and the results tell the tale. There is a good reason why membership declined in Southern Baptist churches by over 200,000 in 2015. It wasn’t enough for churches in the South to defend the institution of slavery and use the Bible as the defense, but they have continued to use hatred to discriminate against other minorities.

    Across America, preachers have made death threats to gays. Death threats are against the law, and not only that, they are overt public statements to promote social violence. Yet in a predominately Christian society, church leaders have been allowed to break the law and get away with it. Others who have done the exact same things have ended up in jail.     

    The right thing to do would be for gospel ministers to clean up their own acts of transgressions before making disparaging remarks about others. But there is arrogance among many gospel preachers who have taken the attitude of a dictator that reaches far beyond the bounds of a democratic form of government.

    Unfortunately the church has become a place where people go to find concealment for sins.  Using the good name of Jesus to cover up bad deeds is a practice done in the name of religion all over America.  If Christianity is to continue to thrive as one of the world’s major religions, these facts must be exposed.

   The false teachings of some church leaders have had a negative affect upon church-goers. In the name of religion, Christians have called the President all kinds of derogatory names and used slur words to describe gays and those who participate in the Black Lives Matter movement. But at the end of the day this has done nothing to solve the problem of citizens learning to get along with each other. Learning to live with others is not an impossible task, but it is a rewarding experience.

   To the dismay of many Christians, a new generation has evolved. No longer will minorities be pushed into positions of second- or third-class citizens. African Americans are not going to return to the cotton fields, and gays are not going to return to the closets.

   A few Christian ministers have publicly endorsed the GOP political platform, primarily based on the anti-gay rhetoric. The LGBT movement is the fastest growing social movement in America today.  Gays have been some of the first to publicly expose the cover-up transgressions within the leadership of the Christian church. And some Christian leaders have attempted to make the gay community pay the price. However, the Pope and a few other gospel ministers have come forward and denounced the evils being done against minorities in the name of religion. The surprising fact is that recent public opinion polls prove the majority of Americans agree.

  

SO, LET IT BE

            SO, LET IT BE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN 
                                      HEAVEN

    It is possible an all-knowing, an all-powerful, and an all-seeing God made a mistake in creating man. The creator had a choice.  He could create a preprogrammed robot or he could create a being with the ability to choose.  It is evident God chose the latter.

   In an omnipotent (all-powerful) environment, the existence of evil can be eliminated. Why an all-powerful God allows evil to exist is a question the most intelligent theologians have failed to fully answer. Followers of the Christian faith have for centuries asked why God allows it to rain on the unjust and why God allows evil men to prosper. The most important question is: Why are evil men looked upon as heroes in the eyes of other humans? This unanswered question leads more humans into atheism than any other.  Nevertheless, an omniscient (all-knowing) God has the answer, but it supersedes the knowledge of the human brain.

    Now the all-knowing God admits giving man a choice was a mistake.  The Bible is filled with examples of God’s frustrations with his creation. The Jesus Experience is the ultimate example of God’s displeasure with the behavior of the human race. It is possible God did not realize how far into the pits of evil mankind would descend. Therefore, he sent his own son in an attempt to rectify the mistake. 

    God thought when he blessed America—and allowed the nation to become the example of freedom for the world—he had made the right choice. But from the beginning, the pilgrims brought the seeds of hate to the new world. These seeds multiplied into a series of malicious acts until hatred shaped the character of the nation. Then men created a government in which one race was allowed to murder, rape, and enslave another race, and call it a democracy.  God’s displeasure with man’s choice is now displayed within a confused, unhappy, murderous, generation dominated by fear.

   The motivating force of evil is hate. However, there is nothing in the nature of God that involves hate. And if human interpretations of God’s words involve hate, the human interpretations are wrong. When the followers of the Christian faith participate in mean-spirited behavior they degrade the nature of God. It bewilders intelligent men and God when they witness the capabilities of man to create the forms of evil used in the past and present worlds.  A society, a nation, and the world is in considerable danger when the ways of evil men are accepted as the way to a successful life.

   A disappointed God now sits on the throne. He questions his own judgment. When given a choice, humans made a mess of the art of successful living. When hatred is made to be right and prejudice is glorified, the comfort zone for humans has been destroyed.  Evil has now reached unprecedented levels. Even God has difficulty understanding why sin has become the dominating characteristic of the human race. 

   In the creation experience man was given a choice and humans have predominately chosen evil.  In choosing evil over good, man has brought about his own demise.  Theology confirms God has no choice but to destroy his creation.  God is fed up and will not allow mankind the opportunity for a last minute act of redemption. God will punish evil. 

   Even though God will destroy man, presumptive theology believes he will not destroy the planet. It will take thousands of years, but the planet earth will go through a process of rejuvenation.  When this process is complete, once again God will create man, but this man will be different. The new man will have the common sense to choose good over evil.  Finally, God will be able to look upon his creation with pleasure. His satisfaction will be in seeing that man was given a choice and by his own volition chose good over evil.  With the creation of the perfect being, God’s plan for UTOPIA ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN will finally become a reality.     

LGBT WATERSHED MOMENTS

LGBT WATERSHED MOMENTS

(written by Ed Oakley)

In horror, I watched the reality unfolding in Orlando just as the news carried this event to all points around the world.  Tears came to my eyes as I realized this was not just another news cycle; the event had become personal.  I saw Anderson Cooper lose his composure and cry as he read the 49 victims’ names and what little was known about each of them.   The event became even more personal to me when I heard Patty Sheehan speak about the LGBT community in Orlando. Patty and I served as elected officials on committees at National League of Cities some 10 years ago.

In an attempt to fill airtime, reporters hurried to line up interviews with people having knowledge of the event, and they found ways to connect bits and pieces of information I thought unusual.  One reporter referred to the vigil held at Stonewall Inn in New York City in 1969 and reminded the viewer that LGBT historians refer to the riots that followed the vigil as “Stonewall,” the beginning of the gay movement.  The news anchor made a very poignant comparison: “At the Stonewall riot, law enforcement officers were dragging people out of the club to beat and arrest them for simply being present and being gay.  In Orlando 47 years later, other law enforcement officers were dragging people out of the club to save their lives.” The comparison was how far the gay movement had come in less than half a century.

Prior to this event in Orlando, I had taped the HBO series “The 1980s” and watched the segment on HIV and AIDS.  That caused me to think back to Stonewall—I was a junior in high school in 1969 and certainly not concerned with what was unfolding in New York. My only thought was to graduate and go to college.  I came out at the age of 22 as a college senior in 1974.  Five years had passed since Stonewall, and I had no understanding of the magnitude of that event.  Caught up in the Disco era, I made friends easily, went to gay bars no longer hidden on back streets, and thought I was in the mainstream.  In 1980 a fear took hold of the LGBT community—an unknown disease unlike any other in history was devastating the community’s men and women.  In addition to having seen the HBO segment, I read a book and play titled “And the Band Played On.” It hit me in the gut to realize that I’d lost ALL of my friends to this disease.  

In 1984 I moved to Dallas from Oklahoma City. The purpose: to escape the pain of having seen my friends become sick and die. In the new city, I worked and moved on with my life. One day in 1990 a politician—friend of the LGBT community—was pushing a change in the Dallas Zoning Code that was presented as a benign change.  I begin to study this change.  I came to realize that this was going to require dance clubs to obtain special zoning to exist.  I perceived this to be an attack on the gay clubs that others were not aware of.  I took up the fight for the LGBT community against this ordinance.  I met a man—Alan Ross—for whom the Texas Freedom Parade is now named. He lived through the 1960 gay movement, the 1980s AIDS crisis, and the LGBT movement in Dallas.  With his encouragement and help, I ran for Dallas City Council in 1993.  Though unsuccessful in that attempt, I ran again in 2001, was elected, and served until 2007, at which time I ran for Mayor of Dallas, placing second in a field of 11.  This made news around the world, the possibility of an openly gay man becoming mayor of a large city in America.  I drew support from Republicans, Democrats, LGBT, conservative businesspersons, ministers, the Black community, the Latino community—a very diverse group in Dallas.  We passed, for that time, the most sweeping nondiscrimination ordinance of any city, and it still stands today.

I give all this history because I think it lends credibility to my prediction.  Just like milestones in our LGBT history—The Stonewall Riots, AIDS, nondiscrimination ordinances, LGBT in the military, gay marriage, executive orders, human rights campaigns, to name a few—Orlando will become the turning point in politics in this country.  This is a WATERSHED EVENT that will change the course of history for what has become the hate mongering by politicians.  I believe this will begin the movement to purge all elected offices across the country of antigay, hate mongering bigots.  When polls show that 70% of the general public is okay with gay marriage and the elected officials continue to use this as a rally point, the politicians don’t realize the horse has already left the gate and it’s not going back. 

As I watched the news concerning Orlando pouring in from around the world, I witnessed grieving, compassion, help, concern, and condolences from very unlikely places.  I heard hate speech from some of the likely places—ministers and politicians. I watched interviews of people trying to backpedal on their past records of antigay stance. The one interview that stands out most clearly in my mind is that of the Attorney General of Florida. She previously had fought all the way to the Supreme Court to uphold antigay laws in her state; now, in front of the news cameras, she portrayed herself as a champion of the LGBT community. As people sat in their living rooms, surely they looked at each other and said:

“Enough is enough. You know our grandson is gay, our granddaughter is lesbian.  Yes, I know my boss is gay. My secretary married her partner. Well, I’ve always known my hairdresser is gay. The organist is a lesbian living with her partner, the church secretary. My plumber married his business partner, the city manager is gay . . . so is the police chief.”

In homes all over America people are realizing that what happened in Orlando could have happened to someone they know and care about.  This could have happened to their own families. The antigay rhetoric needs to stop. 

What our misguided political leaders are missing is this—Take a look at the 103 people we know died or suffered injury at the Pulse Night Club in Orlando.  They represent a microcosm of this generation—the future voters in this country. For them, sexuality was, or is, not an issue.  They accepted, still accept, people for who they are, not members of groups defined by archaic stereotypes. Just as what rose from Stonewall and from the AIDS crisis, this horrific catastrophe will give rise to a movement.  It will begin with this presidential election and all upcoming elections. With the help of technology and electronic data, any politician’s derogatory, disparaging, and/or homophobic remarks leave an electronic footprint, and that information will be used against them.  At some point in the future, I believe people will no longer tolerate homophobic words and deeds.

Just as Stonewall began the movement, and AIDS devastation forced politics on the LGBT community, and the 1990s refined the political movement, and the 2000s energized the political movement, I believe we’ll come to see the 2010s as a time during which our country witnesses a movement of understanding and acceptance of the LGBT community.

THE ORLANDO MASSACRE

THE ORLANDO MASSACRE

 GAY AMERICA’S WATERSHED 

   A public or private statement involving the intent to inflict harm to another person is a threat. When the threat includes the word KILL it becomes a death threat. Death threats are against the law, and when a death threat is made, the FBI is required to take immediate action. The individual is placed under surveillance, questioned, and possibly jailed. 

   In recent days, many statements have been made by preachers, television evangelists, and elected officials including the words “ALL GAYS SHOULD BE KILLED.” These statements meet all the requirements of a death threat. If a person of Middle Eastern descent were to make these statements, that person would be in jail. But because these people are from a so-called Christian background, absolutely nothing has been done.  The FBI should treat these threats the same way as if they were made by a person outside the Christian coalition.   

   If Americans truly believe the constitution of the United States—as in the Fourteenth Amendment when it directly states, “All citizens must be given equal treatment under the law”—then several preachers, evangelists, and elected officials would be in jail.  No one should be allowed to use the Bible as a reason for violence.

   It is common knowledge that the hate radiating from the pulpit is partly to blame for the acts of violence against gays. For over two hundred years gay Americans have been verbally and physically abused. There are laws in place, and, if enforced, they would stop this kind of the abuse. There should be a nationwide ban on death threats.   

    A tribute should be made to the 49 innocent Americans who lost their lives in Orlando and the 53 other individuals who have suffered terrific pain. The Orlando Massacre should be recognized, not only as a Watershed Moment, but also as a Pulse Point in the entire LGBT Movement.

                              (comments welcome --------- dervistippen@gmail.com)   

THE TIME IS NOW

THE TIME IS NOW 

   When a mass shooting of straight people occurs a gay person would never say, “they deserved to be killed.” If there was ever a time in American history when it’s appropriate to use the words “enough is enough” it is now.  We must not allow the lives of forty-nine innocent young Americans to be lost in vain.  We must make sure something good comes from this horrific act of violence.

   Now is the time that Americans must shun the voices of those who have tried to make a mockery from the deaths of those who are gay. We must turn our tears into actions. It is time for churchgoers to walk out of churches when preachers make such statements as “death to all gays.” We must make sure our broken hearts maintain the strength to continue the fight against bigotry. We must exercise our right to vote against political candidates who expound hate against LGBT communities.

   There is a unique characteristic in the power of love—the more it is challenged, the stronger it becomes. Therefore, love will never be defeated by bullets or by hateful words from pulpit orators. 

    I am proud to be part of a group of people who experience sorrow when any mass shootings occur.  Gay individuals have long accepted the fact that violence is not the answer.  For over two hundred years we have been subjected to violence that has come in many forms of hatred.  As a member of the gay community, I want to make this perfectly clear, we will not participate in hate, but we will stand and fight for our rights. And our stance is much stronger than any spineless preacher or applause-seeking politician has ever expected. One thing you can count on—we are the generation of gays who will never retreat to the closet.  The time is now that the world will not allow death threats to gay individuals go unchallenged.