Are we the "cockroaches" of society?

[Frédérique]

In case you missed it, Sean Harris, a Baptist pastor in North Carolina, said this last Sunday... :straightface:

"So your little son starts to act a little girlish when he is four years old and instead of squashing that like a cockroach and saying, 'Man up, son, get that dress off you and get outside and dig a ditch, because that is what boys do,' you get out the camera and you start taking pictures of Johnny acting like a female and then you upload it to YouTube and everybody laughs about it and the next thing you know, this dude, this kid is acting out childhood fantasies that should have been squashed. Dads, the second you see your son dropping the limp wrist, you walk over there and crack that wrist. Man up. Give him a good punch. Ok? You are not going to act like that. You were made by God to be a male and you are going to be a male.”

This pernicious diatribe was trotted out in support of anti-gay legislation coming up for a vote, but I see that support among North Carolinians for the proposed anti-gay Amendment 1 has dropped to a record low. That’s good. I consign this venomous outpouring to the “lunatic fringe” of conservative thought, if there is such a thing, but I think Pastor Harris merely voiced what he feels every self-proclaimed "decent" American is thinking. I actually came across this anti-crossdressing bashing on a discussion forum for artists, and I was going to contribute to the thread in Media, but I thought I would look a little further into this curious notion of MtF crossdressers being “cockroaches” instead...

A cockroach is a pest, specifically an insect; in fact pests, by definition, are destructive insects. Of course, human beings can be likened to insects if they are small, unimportant, or contemptible – if we were small and unimportant, why even mention us? Well, we crossdressers, seen as homosexual by anyone unfamiliar with the broad slice of society and myriad sexualities we represent, are pestiferous – this means we are, by what we represent, dangerous to morals or to the welfare of society. They’re talking, or thinking, about gays, but we, the boys who dress like girls, are put forth as a glaring example of effeminate behavior, something that they feel needs to be squashed, much like a bug, if society is to survive...

It’s all about morals as they pertain to procreation. Sometime last year I wrote a thread about this, stating that, when you come right down to it, “It’s all about procreation.” All conservative individuals see us as a problem, because we may be deviating from the straight and narrow that keeps society moving along. Of course, there are conservative MtF crossdressers, but let’s not let truth spoil the fun just yet! Every member of society is expected to do his or her “duty,” under the watchful eyes of the supreme being of your choice, and this means boys will be boys, girls will be girls, and never the twain shall meet, unless procreation is on the menu. To this end, the boy cannot subvert his “chances,” or his expectations, by willfully ditching his manhood; in fact he has to exhibit virtuous, manly behavior to attract a mate and perpetuate society...

More importantly, a boy has to grow into his role as a man, and conduct the direction of his actions toward moral or spiritual “development.” This means not doing anything in defiance of his birth gender, such as wear panties, create breasts from scratch, or paint his lips in a pleasing shade of deviancy. No, he has to attract girls, by being attractive to them, and they, in turn, are supposed to look attractive for his sake. In this heady atmosphere of heterosexual expectations, you may be able to understand why same-sex marriage is seen as so threatening to the status quo, namely those ignorant people who cannot conceive such a revelatory thing. Tolerance is slow in coming, in the bastions of conservatism, but at least it IS coming for homosexuals – meanwhile, little Johnny, the boy in the dress, needs to be squashed like a cockroach before his “expression” is encouraged. This is very sad...

A boy wearing a dress may be engaging in a cute anomaly that might soon pass, no big deal, and he will soon revert to his inherently boyish nature. Or, it may be the beginning of a lifestyle, and little Johnny will spend the rest of his life straddling the genders others keep apart for the good of society. You are what you are, from my point of view, but try telling that to someone who insists on “going by the book,” and not deviating one iota from this imaginary chalk line we are supposed to follow. I mean, who says I’m not virtuous in my sexual conduct? Who says I am devoid of ethics? Also, who says that I’m so dangerous to society that I need to be squashed, suppressed, or eliminated like some kind of human pest? Looking around, I see many MtF crossdressers who are happily married, with children in the mix, managing to keep their crossdressing alive against any odds that may come their way – it isn’t easy, but we are a benign presence, living peacefully in an increasingly hostile environment, doing our collective duty...

Whenever I hear someone decry homosexuality, or MtF crossdressing, or whatever it may be, I assume that the person most likely had his or her cherished expression squashed at the very moment of discovery, and they go on a crusade of misery for the rest of their lives. Is it really that bad when a boy wishes to dress as a girl? I mean, even if he keeps doing it, in defiance of all he sees and hears, what’s the big deal? There are so many people in the world, individuals all, and there is plenty of room for experimentation along gender lines, wouldn’t you say? The relatively small number of deviants we represent will not invert society, or stop the world from spinning; in fact I don’t see us having any effect at all, if procreation is what worries everyone. In any event, if you squash me, many more will take my place, tuned-in to this NATURAL urge that cannot be stopped...

In my way of thinking, it is not moral to denounce any aspect of human behavior, just because you cannot understand it, or will not tolerate it. And yet, the moral mouthpieces of society do just that, doing us, and themselves, a disservice. The condition of my health, prosperity, and happiness is forever linked to MtF crossdressing, and I am imbued with the courage of my convictions. In other words, I’m RIGHT, and I always will be right – this attitude came about because I, the boy who wanted to dress like a girl, was not squashed like some pathetic insect. I was allowed to flourish within the parameters of society, albeit somewhere near the edges, but I have survived intact. It is WRONG to squash hopes and dreams, no matter what they may be, and it is very wrong to impose a “one size fits all” type of conduct on blessed individuality...

Don’t tread on ME! Don’t punch me, either – I’ll just cry... :sad:

Well, I’m off to “do” La Cucaracha! Thanks for reading...

[Kayla C]

Dear Frederique...
Your analysis is a little long-winded, but articulate and fully on the mark. I completely agree with you...
While we're on the subject of squashing, I'd love to see this self-righteous creep squashed like a cockroach! What a venom-spewing hatemonger!
Sorry but this stuff brings out the worst in me... especially having suffered from a physically abusive father who derided anyone that was in the least bit different.
Kayla C

[Wildaboutheels]

Sad fact is, the world is full of ignorant people like pastor Harris. What makes it far worse, is that because of the internet and all the various media outlets today, far more folks will read his nonsense and similar garbage from others and feel bad or possibly humiliated or somehow "guilty" because of who they are or what they do in [all likelihood] the privacy of their own home.

Like all things, this interconnected world we live in today, is a double edged sword.

[Barbara Ella]

We may be like the "Cockroaches" in one sense only. It is accepted that in the long run it will be the cockroach that survives and thrives long after man has shot his last wad. In the moral sense of our world, I firmly believe we are the cockroach that will prevail long after false self serving moralists have shot themselves and their brethren in the foot. We will survive.

Barbara

[NathalieX66]

Sean Harris, the Baptist minister is the cockroach of society.
Did he ever ask how you felt? Did he ever demonstrate any concern for those who are gay, les, or trans? Did he ever want to find out what their struggles are truly like?

How about the fact that he advocates parents committing acts of violence toward their own children? You can actually read some passages in the Bible that do advocate this, such as certain passages of Leviticus or Deuteronomy from the Old Testament. There's nothing "Christian" about it, because it's all Hebrew scripture, and before Jesus. .....thus the hypocrisy. I don't want to get into a reigious or political discussion, but this man is wrong on so many levels.

[sierra_g]

Not to get all Biblical, but the Bible says (not exact words)...
...that all are sinners in the eyes of God
...that all sins are of equal weight
...that nobody on Earth has the right to judge what another is doing
...that anyone who puts faith in Jesus Christ will be forgiven by God
...that Jesus died for all sinners sins past and future
...that you don't spread hate, but instead spread love
...many other passages that go against what this guy said

The world is more complex than anyone can comprehend. There are forces at work that no one will ever understand. We are still learning about the human body, and we have theories of what might be at the bottom of the ocean. We are still very young and still don't know ANYTHING for sure. That guy is acting dumb. ♥

[Organza]

Everyone is doing well with this pathetic, hateful, and violent Harris. My little addition is my favorite line from any play:

"Nothing human disgusts me, Mr. Shannon, unless it is unkind..."

Hannah Jelks, _Night of the Iguana_

[Simply Joslyn]

freddy i don't know how to say this but you are one of the most intelligent people i know, your words speak so true and with such focus, look at me have a little man crush on you:heehee:, your posts speak so much albiet in not so few words and since I have add I tend not to be able to read all of it all the time, but I know I'm smart just incredibly unfocused so when I take the time to read your full posts you should know there is something special in the words you say, now after my strange words are over I'll get back on subject.
I live in pretty much a hick town and they're all as closed minded as possible, my girly side had been crushed more times than flys on the ceiling (not by me though I tend to think of each creature as having a soul, and well if something bigger than you came along one day would you like to have you're life halted right then and there under their feet), if you showed any sign you weren't chuck norris manly you were classified as gay and seeing as I'm not I became a bottled up shell of nothing, never trusting anyone I wasn't close friends with. And so when my urges started to peak and the shell began to crack, I hated myself more and it only drew my urges to expand and although I'm still hiding it I'm still a bit ashamed just a little mind you but I've come to love the female side of me, even though I still hate how I look as a dude. My point being that little kid who wants to wear that dress can't be bottled up or it'll lead to a path of self hate and destruction.
Society needs to learn as a whole that lines and borders are set to RESTRICT us, don't follow them. revoult against them. Our nation was founded by the outcasts of the old world, people who couldn't stand the restictions, and so they founded this place and yet I still can't travel out the door in a dress without the chance of having my legs blown to bits by hick neighbors. Fight the power my flower childs and you shall see all that was meant to be! Thats kinda catchy might have to have a new siggy but that would mean no fight club:sad: and there I go off into my own tagent, but if this is still being read keep telling it like it is and should be freddy we're all listening

[SabrinaEmily]

Does he imagine that trying to browbeat a gender-variant child into gender conformance produces anything but a self-hating gender-variant adult?

If so, he's the delusional, ignorant one. But we already knew that, didn't we? One look at threads here shows what that attitude produces twenty, thirty, fifty years on. (And I don't mean to say that you're all self-hating, but that gender variance doesn't go away.)

[Lori B]

I caught some of that on talk radio today...it is what it is..won`t let it bother me:hugs:

[jayme357]

No way am I going to get into an intellectual analysis with Freddy. I know and understand my limitations. Suffice it to say, you are awesome, and in my own special way, I love you. Thanks for giving all of us a rational framework so we can ask and answer the questions as to "why".

[docrobbysherry]

I'd LUV two ad a rimork heer. Butt, eryone no rooches cain't tipe r spl!

[Sandra1746]

Just a thought, cockroaches were around before the dinosaurs and they are still here. If we are cockroaches we are also SURVIVORS. We CD-folk survive the ill-will of society and yet we persevere. May the 'good' reverend go the way of the dinosaurs too, and quickly.

Just my opinion.

Hugs,
Sandra1746

[KellyJameson]

The very act of being a moral mouthpiece is immoral because it is done by those who wish to exploit the fear and ignorance of others to their advantage. They do not think or care about the consequences of their actions but only what they may gain for themselves. They are the echo of all the tyrants that have come before them and the more power they are given the more destruction they will bring, they only feel alive when the air is filled with hate. They are the true cockroaches that survive the nuclear blast and always seem to be in our midsts

[Miriam-J]

Yet another instance of religion fostering hate and suppression rather than love and expression - a great tradition of most religions. Perhaps we should pray for his soul ;-)

I expressed in a recent response to another of Freddy's OPs that I couldn't feel superior to anyone. I think I found an exception now, and I'd love to squash each and every one like him.

Miriam

[ArleneRaquel]

I know many in the LGBT community and most are kind, compassionate people, with some notable exceptions, roaches are people like Pastor Sean Harris, who pervert Jesus teachings.

[StarrOfDelite]

freddy i don't know how to say this but you are one of the most intelligent people i know, your words speak so true and with such focus, look at me have a little man crush on you:heehee:, your posts speak so much albiet in not so few words and since I have add I tend not to be able to read all of it all the time, but I know I'm smart just incredibly unfocused so when I take the time to read your full posts you should know there is something special in the words you say, now after my strange words are over I'll get back on subject.
I live in pretty much a hick town and they're all as closed minded as possible, my girly side had been crushed more times than flys on the ceiling (not by me though I tend to think of each creature as having a soul, and well if something bigger than you came along one day would you like to have you're life halted right then and there under their feet), if you showed any sign you weren't chuck norris manly you were classified as gay and seeing as I'm not I became a bottled up shell of nothing, never trusting anyone I wasn't close friends with. And so when my urges started to peak and the shell began to crack, I hated myself more and it only drew my urges to expand and although I'm still hiding it I'm still a bit ashamed just a little mind you but I've come to love the female side of me, even though I still hate how I look as a dude. My point being that little kid who wants to wear that dress can't be bottled up or it'll lead to a path of self hate and destruction.
Society needs to learn as a whole that lines and borders are set to RESTRICT us, don't follow them. revoult against them. Our nation was founded by the outcasts of the old world, people who couldn't stand the restictions, and so they founded this place and yet I still can't travel out the door in a dress without the chance of having my legs blown to bits by hick neighbors. Fight the power my flower childs and you shall see all that was meant to be! Thats kinda catchy might have to have a new siggy but that would mean no fight club:sad: and there I go off into my own tagent, but if this is still being read keep telling it like it is and should be freddy we're all listening

First Point I want to make: Not that I'm a big Chuck Norris fan, mainly because he's not a good actor rather than because of his beliefs, but in one of his movies his character voiced the line that, "The bravest man I ever knew was a homosexual."

Second Point I want to make: Organized religion is one of the plagues inflicted upon Humanity when Pandora opened her box.

Third Point I want to make: Any crossdresser who considers herself to be a Political Conservative in present day America is probably parnoid.

[Marleena]

The very act of being a moral mouthpiece is immoral because it is done by those who wish to exploit the fear and ignorance of others to their advantage. They do not think or care about the consequences of their actions but only what they may gain for themselves. They are the echo of all the tyrants that have come before them and the more power they are given the more destruction they will bring, they only feel alive when the air is filled with hate. They are the true cockroaches that survive the nuclear blast and always seem to be in our midsts

I think Kelly has said it for me. Besides minority groups like us are the easiest to attack because we are different from the general public.

[Kate Simmons]

It's easy to go along with the crowd. Much more difficult to be an individual. Most of us have chosen the more difficult path.:)

[Foxglove]

Hi, Freddy! Good post. This issue is currently being discussed on the Media Forum, where there's a link that allows you to listen to the man himself. The discussion on that thread is getting a bit vitriolic now.

The whole affair is a bit chilling for me since that's the type of atmosphere I grew up in. As soon as I got old enough, I ran far, far away.

As regards cockroaches, this is the "Transgender Battle Cry" that I came up with not long ago:

"We are Transgender, and we are like cockroaches! We're everywhere, and you can't get rid of us!"

Best wishes, Annabelle

[Karinsamatha]

I agree with you Frédérique.

The unfortunate people who don't feel alive or safe unless they are attacking someone because they are not on the "normal" baseline are the people I do feel sorry for. Perhapse they are the one's with the mental defect.
The other people or "roaches" such as Sean Harris. Are the people who need to be removed. The USA was founded by a group of square peg's that did not fit anywhere other than here. I should think our four fathers are spinning in there graves because of people like this.
To tell a child he or she can't explore self is a travesty. If from that one act we loose the cure for cancer or a artist who can paint, or move people like you do Freddy. Is a tragedy for all. All because someones father / mother said that is wrong you are a girl / man act like it.

[Ally 2112]

Yet if a girl is a tomboy it is ok it is cute don't worry ? Bullys need to put other people down to make themselves feel better

[Vieja]

So I am a cockroach and to be hated. What the heck I can live with that. Opinions of people I can't respect do not annoy me.


Vieja

[Tina B.]

Pastor Harris is just trying to spread the love of the Christian church, to the rest of the world, he just wants to save your soul! I got that all out and kept a straight face while I typed it. Give me a break, the man wants to be on the TV, he wants everyone talking about him, so he hits out at some stupid thing like this, and everybody puts him on the air, he doesn't care what you think of him, as long s you think of him, he is a media *****, best to be ignored. State after state, polls show people are getting used to the idea of gay marriage, adoption, and many other things that Harris and his type are against, times they are a changing, and people like that will do what they have to to slow it down, or stop it if they can, but most of the world does not want to go back wards. He is just a bug on the windshield of life, a mess to have to look at, but no real treat to the windshield.
Tina B.

[Sarah-J]

As expected, Frederique, well-written and thought provoking. I'm glad you qualified your "All conservatives" comment with "Of course, there are conservative MtF crossdressers, but let’s not let truth spoil the fun just yet!" (Yeah, I tend to lean to the right on a lot of things. I may be a minority around here and it's likely a sign that I might be "loosening up" a bit, but I was always a tolerant, live-and-let-live kind of person.) That said, there is not one comment in your post or in any of the responses that I disagree with. I've always endeavored to at least try to understand both sides of an issue which brings me to:


Did he ever want to find out what their struggles are truly like?

Why in the world would Mr. Harris want to "sicken" himself by reading up on such "abhorrent behavior" and try to appreciate or at least understand what people who don't think like him may go through? (That was, of course, rhetorical and I hope the sarcasm came through... kind of difficult to do in this medium.)

Your question, Nathalie, is I believe, at the root of a lot--if not all--of the intolerance of anything different, regardless of religion, politics or even to an extent, social status. It doesn't seem likely that Harris bothered to try.

I also can't help but wonder if there isn't some projection in his tirade... has anyone looked to see what's in his closet? :2c:

[Babeba]

Please read this through before you judge, but - I am actually pleased to hear rhetoric like that employed by pro-horrible-legislation advocates. It just highlights how ridiculous and perverted those ideas are. How can anyone actually take that guy seriously without realizing what a whack job he and his ideas are? No wonder the support for that amendment is at an all time low!

Recently in the province where I live, we had an election where absolutely everyone who was a pundit was convinced this new ultra conservative party was going to take at least a minority government, if not a very strong majority... We're talking 70 out of 88 seats. There are three things that kept them down to 20 seats in the ultra conservative farming communities their support base was from:
1) the candidate who claimed he was at an advantage over another candidate in his riding because he was white (and the lack of response from the party leader)
2) the candidate who said all gays should burn in hellfire (and the lack of response from the party leader)
3) strategic voting in the cities where the liberal/socialist types held their noses and voted for the old conservative party because at least they weren't quite as bat shit crazy.

I don't know how effective that third part would have been if the idiots in the first and second part had kept their mouths shut. Likewise, zealots like this pastor fellow do more to help the side of rationalism than to harm it.

[Joana Santos]

Maybe if Pastor Harris, if I may say so, would encourage parents to be more supportive and to allow the children to wear whatever they felt like, would have a much more filled congregation? Or is it that he feels like he's loosing his "audience rates" and he needs to steer up a controversial issue to hide the fact that people is getting more information everyday and religion, by itself, is starting to loose the audience battle?
In this case I tend to giggle to a saying, "If there's no enemy, how can one assemble an army to fight?"

Joana, proudly cross dressed.

[Stephanie47]

So, this pest on society donned his first article of feminine attire while in elementary school. I went on to attend the premiere high school of the largest city in the USA; attended the most prestigious public university in the city; volunteered for the draft to save from brother from going; served as an infantryman over the pond and was wounded twice; worked my entire life and never drew a penny of welfare or unemployment; married; raised successful college educated kids; served as a deacon and an elder; retired; and, I love to wear dresses and full lacy slips.

I love having been a cockroach.

[Foxglove]

Please read this through before you judge, but - I am actually pleased to hear rhetoric like that employed by pro-horrible-legislation advocates. It just highlights how ridiculous and perverted those ideas are. How can anyone actually take that guy seriously without realizing what a whack job he and his ideas are? No wonder the support for that amendment is at an all time low! . . .

. . . Likewise, zealots like this pastor fellow do more to help the side of rationalism than to harm it.

I agree with this. LGBT people are always going to face opposition. But I think in a convoluted sort of way it's good for us if that opposition becomes extreme and is voiced by obvious nut-cases. It can help steer decent and reasonable people in the right direction because they find people like Harris so distasteful. They moderate (or perhaps abandon) their opposition to us because they don't want to be deemed guilty by association.

Annabelle

[chelle]

People who talk as this pastor has usually have a close kinship to the problem they are so adamently opposed to.
Chelle

[Shananigans]

No, no, no...

I am terrified of cockroaches. They freak me out so bad that I can't even kill 'em. I would say my SO is more of a butterfly, if he were a bug. But, he would be a rather strange butterfly, capable of changing form at will.

Maybe the bug analogy is no good. I don't like any bug, to he honest. And, butterflies freak me out just as bad. (They are still bugs at the end of the day).

I'd also like to say that Pastor Harris probably shoves cucumbers up his a$$ on the weekends. I wouldn't be surprised if we have another Ted Haggard situation on out hands.

I understand that religious people are all about procreation...but, it's usually the hateful ones that are gayest and deepest in a closet of hate.

Teddy Haggard liked to have sex with male prostitutes while smoking meth...then, he'd preach about how all gay people are a threat to society.

See, being gay isn't a threat to society...but, if you are so deviant that you are screwing a male prostitute in a cheesy motel room while getting high on meth...then, yeah, you are probably what is wrong with society. But, they have to suppress that "gay demon," because it means that most other gays are as screwed up in the head as you are.

Then, one of those gay prostitutes tells a journalist about you. And, the gay community points and laughs while the silly Christians that supported his intolerance bury their heads in the sand. I also understand that he is a very wealthy man. And, though Jesus did not say anything about gays, he did have it out for rich people. Being rich wasn't his thing at all. But, you know, how many hate-spewing pastors read the Bible? That's whole "what would Jesus do" thing...

Anyway, I seriously wouldn't let people like that bother you. No one takes that motherf*cker seriously. And, the people that are taking him seriously will bury their heads in the sand in a few years. These kind of rampages are usually very predictable.

[Foxglove]

People who talk as this pastor has usually have a close kinship to the problem they are so adamently opposed to.
Chelle

I don't think we should assume this to be true. I think there are various possibilities here. They've been mentioned already in this thread or in the other thread on the Media forum where this issue is also being discussed.

(1) The man is gay, bi, or TG himself.
(2) He thinks he has a large audience and he's playing to them, trying to make himself popular.
(3) He's got a very twisted notion of what religion should be.
(4) He's simply a nasty person.
(5) He's taken some sort of abuse in his life, perhaps as a child, and now he wants revenge.
(6) Perhaps a combination of some of the above, or perhaps all of them, or perhaps something else that we can't guess at. People aren't always easy to figure out.

In any case, he's a cockroach himself who needs to be sprayed.

Annabelle

[Babeba]

I don't think he needs spraying... I think he's doing a great job of ruining himself all on his own.

[Foxglove]

I don't think he needs spraying... I think he's doing a great job of ruining himself all on his own.

OK. It's just that I was hoping to get the job. I could use the money.

[Sarah Doepner]

The good pastor needs to find himself a new and less irritating hobby than his current one of misrepresenting humanity.

[christinac]

Them Carolina woods are teaming over with self-righteous religious crack pots. I wouldn't wish the event on my worse enemy, but try having an encounter with the Church of God of Prophesy. They are worse than the Baptist.

[GBJoker]

I'm perfectly fine with being a cockroach of society. Roaches eat the the disgusting deterioations from organics, such as dead bodies, and plants. Their waste product helps other bugs and plants to grow.

They are... Necessary. Inevitable.

On the procreation part... Ever notice how the church priests, who are of course, pure blooded freedom and democracy loving Americans, use the same phrases and ideologies as Marxists, communists, fascists, and socailists? They ARE Marxists. Esposing eugenics, of course, just like Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, etc.

Also, based on what I am perceiving of the members of this board... There are virtually no procreation problems here. :p

Your last paragraph and few sentences come so close to the truth... So... close... Please, take that last step...

[CarlaWestin]

To this know it all preacher, a quote from one of the physically well developed members of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBYFREnH32g), "How would you like to have your azz kicked by a guy wearing a tutu?"

[Foxglove]

I wouldn't wish the event on my worse enemy, but try having an encounter with the Church of God of Prophesy. They are worse than the Baptist.

Now what's this about the Baptists? I grew up in a Baptist home myself. I'm sure you've heard this one:

What's the main problem with the Baptists?
They don't hold them under long enough.

Best wishes, Annabelle

[emmicd]

Federique,

I was captivated by your writing and how you express something so important to this forum amongst us girls. We represent a microcosm of society and to me it is very important to be true to yourself and be able to express who you are. If a boy is feminine and wishes to wear a dress I believe he should and for so many of us here we can relate to that experience. We have for way too long been made to feel guilty for having these feelings and for unfeeling people like this pastor who is supposed to preach understanding rather than hatred should be forced to put a lid on what he says. Take his ability to express his thoughts and ideas away if they are only to hurt and insult. In my book I ignore these people and don't let them bother me. They are ignorant and they will be thought of as so by most. I do believe there is more understanding of transgender and I will not let these sad individuals affect who I am and bravo for that boy who wears a dress in public. That is something I wished I could have done. Maybe then I wouldn't have to transition at a much later time in my life. i say bravo to his parents to for allowing him to wear the dress!
emmi

[Julia_in_Pa]

Procreation is certainly not needed at the rates that we currently see around the world.
Thank God we have seen huge drops in births in western Europe, Japan as well as here in the U.S.

The one good thing about a severe recession/depression is that people who actually think prior to having children don't have any during a turbulent economic time.

The goal for many groups is to bring world population down to net zero or below for population gain.
Just enough for repopulation or better yet a long extended period of net loss of population in order to allow the earth to repair itself.

There are many groups that advocate for population control and I agree with them.

This seems to be a real problem with evangelical Christianity that pushes the faulty biblical statement of " Be fruitful and multiply " .
This is proof that most information found in ancient texts have nothing to do with modern society or the care of it in order to ensure that said society will be viable and robust for generations to come.

I'm not a cockroach. In fact I consider those that are weak in mind and manipulated by religion into a physical act of procreation to be less than I and manipulated by an organized effort. They are in need of being tightly controlled as to not allow their faulty ideals to permeate society and cause further damage.

It's up to each one of you to do your part to ensure that the population remains as is.


Julia

[ArleneRaquel]

Are lower birth rates a good thing ? American Social Security payments are based on the taxes taken in from the younger generation, so perhaps a decreased birthrate is counterproductive in providing the future solvency for the system.

[Julia_in_Pa]

Hi Arlene,

As more people die off less monies are needed to provide health care and other services.
A shortened life span due to chronic health issues IE diabetes and heart disease only add to the favorable numbers on the front end.
So you are indeed correct in stating that more people living longer will be a huge issue for less population in the future but people's life expectancy in this country has dropped from a generation ago.


Julia

[Frédérique]

Perhaps we should thank Mr. (Pastor) Harris for providing us with so much fodder for discussion! :heehee:

Yesterday I was reading a piece in the local newspaper, written by an agricultural columnist, and it seemed to verify this “squash the cockroach” attitude that prevails in the hearts and minds of those who hate anything queer...

This man, this columnist, has a young son, and they were in a vacant lot near their home, looking at the dandelion seed tops together. Encouraged by his father, the boy blew the seeds off the stems, letting them drift hither, thither, and yon. I’m sure this was a cute scene, but the father soon upped the ante by picking up a stick, and, by imitating his golf swing, lopped off the seed tops much faster, “killing” several at a time...

Seeing this, the boy picked up his own stick and used it to mow down the dandelions, using such force that the stick broke – he screamed for a BIGGER stick, and the father provided one, leading to wanton destruction of all dandelions in the immediate area. At one point...

“His little mind outran his feet, and before he could stop and pick up the stick he tripped and launched himself head first. Not to worry. He never said a word, picked up the stick and proceeded to stand up and looked about for the dreaded “dandy lions” he was about to slay with his new BIG stick. His smile stretched from ear to ear as he waved the weapon over his head. When he finally found the first dandelion, he proceeded to club it into the ground. He didn’t give up until the plant was indistinguishable from the black soil. The smile never left his face.”

The father/man went on to describe how his son would not relinquish his war club, using it to unleash his own “scorched earth” policy on any and all weeds in the vicinity, at least until dinner time. “Theodore Roosevelt would have been proud,” wrote the man, echoing his own pride in his son’s unabashed display of masculinity. Never mind that the situation is worse than before, since the dandelion seeds are now floating all over the place, because boys will be boys...HURRAH!

Violence and aggression are encouraged in boys, and we are supposed to dominate all forms of nature, including our own, in an effort to not give in to effeminacy. What if a boy thought the dandelions were pretty, and he picked a delicate bouquet of them, presenting them as a gift to someone he loved? Do we squash such beauty because it’s dangerous to society? I know I’ll never see a story along those lines, written by a man I mean, in the newspaper, because it goes against the very foundations of behavior that society is based upon...

Of course, Pastor Harris wants to club all queers into the ground, until they are indistinguishable from the soil, since they represent the “weeds” that spoil longed-for societal perfection. This hatred of weeds, or pests, needs to be fostered in the young, and, since our agricultural columnist knows all about noxious weeds, he’s proud to see his son doing his mindless “duty.” Personally, I think dandelions ARE pretty – my elderly female neighbor said that to me the other day, and I agreed with her wholeheartedly. I would, of course, since I am one of the “weeds” of society, akin to a cockroach, trying not to be clubbed into submission...
:straightface:

[Foxglove]

Purple, this is a beautiful story. I'm copying it to a document and saving it on my computer so I can remember it. If you want to do me for copyright infringement, go ahead, but I won't delete it.

Thanks, Annabelle

[kimdl93]

I often wonder what motivates people like this particular 'reverend 'Harris. Was he quashed as a child....is he hiding still? Perhaps, but we'll never know unless he's outed like so many of his hypocritical brethren.

Wenonah nay indeed be like roaches to the extent that we have been part of soceity a long time and despite the hostile environment we survive.

[Courtney_Glenn]

I have a few choice words for this preacher, none of which I think i'm allowed to say here.

[Nicole Erin]

Some Hillbilly preacher from a redneck state wanting attention - don't give him any.
This is how fake chruches get rich - they start hate rhetoric and become famous.

[Piora]

Just a thought, cockroaches were around before the dinosaurs and they are still here. If we are cockroaches we are also SURVIVORS. We CD-folk survive the ill-will of society and yet we persevere.
Just my opinion.
Believe me, there are special seats in hell just waiting for this "pastor" and his ilk.

I wanted to thank Frédérique for yet another great post.

As Sandra pointed out above, yes we ARE survivors. After all, in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust, the only living thing still around will be the cockroaches.

[NicoleScott]

Frederique, two immediate thoughts after reading your post:
1) A boy's desire to wear a dress has nothing to do with his sexual preference. The pastor still doesn't know this.
2) The pastor still thinks that a beating can change that desire.

[Foxglove]

2) The pastor still thinks that a beating can change that desire.

He's right about that. He'll change it from something joyous, the expression of what you are, into something driven underground, where it festers, gnaws at itself, evolves into wild fantasies, becomes laden with guilt and shame and finally turns you against yourself. If he knew that, I'd say he'd probably be pleased with himself.

Annabelle

[Sandra1746]

Purple;
That story from your Grandmother brought tears to my eyes, it was that beautiful and profound. I too copied it and have shared it with my wife. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Peace and Love,
Sandra1746

[Organza]

Perhaps we should thank Mr. (Pastor) Harris for providing us with so much fodder for discussion! :heehee:

Yesterday I was reading a piece in the local newspaper, written by an agricultural columnist, and it seemed to verify this “squash the cockroach” attitude that prevails in the hearts and minds of those who hate anything queer...

This man, this columnist, has a young son, and they were in a vacant lot near their home, looking at the dandelion seed tops together. Encouraged by his father, the boy blew the seeds off the stems, letting them drift hither, thither, and yon. I’m sure this was a cute scene, but the father soon upped the ante by picking up a stick, and, by imitating his golf swing, lopped off the seed tops much faster, “killing” several at a time...

Seeing this, the boy picked up his own stick and used it to mow down the dandelions, using such force that the stick broke – he screamed for a BIGGER stick, and the father provided one, leading to wanton destruction of all dandelions in the immediate area. At one point...

“His little mind outran his feet, and before he could stop and pick up the stick he tripped and launched himself head first. Not to worry. He never said a word, picked up the stick and proceeded to stand up and looked about for the dreaded “dandy lions” he was about to slay with his new BIG stick. His smile stretched from ear to ear as he waved the weapon over his head. When he finally found the first dandelion, he proceeded to club it into the ground. He didn’t give up until the plant was indistinguishable from the black soil. The smile never left his face.”

The father/man went on to describe how his son would not relinquish his war club, using it to unleash his own “scorched earth” policy on any and all weeds in the vicinity, at least until dinner time. “Theodore Roosevelt would have been proud,” wrote the man, echoing his own pride in his son’s unabashed display of masculinity. Never mind that the situation is worse than before, since the dandelion seeds are now floating all over the place, because boys will be boys...HURRAH!

Violence and aggression are encouraged in boys, and we are supposed to dominate all forms of nature, including our own, in an effort to not give in to effeminacy. What if a boy thought the dandelions were pretty, and he picked a delicate bouquet of them, presenting them as a gift to someone he loved? Do we squash such beauty because it’s dangerous to society? I know I’ll never see a story along those lines, written by a man I mean, in the newspaper, because it goes against the very foundations of behavior that society is based upon...

Of course, Pastor Harris wants to club all queers into the ground, until they are indistinguishable from the soil, since they represent the “weeds” that spoil longed-for societal perfection. This hatred of weeds, or pests, needs to be fostered in the young, and, since our agricultural columnist knows all about noxious weeds, he’s proud to see his son doing his mindless “duty.” Personally, I think dandelions ARE pretty – my elderly female neighbor said that to me the other day, and I agreed with her wholeheartedly. I would, of course, since I am one of the “weeds” of society, akin to a cockroach, trying not to be clubbed into submission...
:straightface:

My father was raised in a family that was slightly to the right of Attila the Hun. His mother sent me religious tracts all through my youth, including one bitterly hostile to homosexuality that made me wonder -- what's wrong with that? Once she sent me one that literally accused Barry Goldwater of being soft on communism :)

Anyway, he lived a long life with my mom, an atheist liberal, and he gradually changed his views. But he was always the perfect male -- not in the sense of being brutal or macho, but in courage, amazingly hard work, persistence, strength, support, faithfulness, and everything else that's good about men. When he was near the end of his life he began a memoir and he wrote eighty pages that took his childhood to age ten. I read it with fascination. He grew up in rural Missouri, and his true love was...flowers. He used to run for miles during lunchtime to find a wild flower garden and then spend every available minute there before running back in time for the bell. I guess I never knew him until he died.
Lisa

[divamissz]

Mr Harris*, please, come and try to slap my wrist. I'm a great believer in "The Chicago Way..."

*I refuse to call him "Pastor" as he is an abomination to the church and Christ's teachings in my eyes.

[Tracii G]

Well I must be odd I'm a conservative politically as far as the 2nd amendment and opposed to government's nanny state philosophy and its willy nilly wasteful spending.
3 tour Vietnam combat vet and all the mental baggage that comes with ending hundreds of humans lives.Yet I believe in God and live a pretty clean life.
I have been called all kinds of names by people on the street freak,Homo,fag whatever but they have no idea how I feel. I don't hate them for what they say I just feel sorry for them.
I do agree with my local fairness ordinance and think it should be nation wide.
Discrimination based on gender/skin color,gender identity or religion is wrong.
That pastor is just a homophobe and is using his pulpit to spew his opinions and that is not what a pastor should do.

[NicoleScott]

The pastor isn't the first and won't be the last to use this gimmick: society has a problem, and my religion can fix it with your help. So send your money to God, but make the check out to me.

[Leeiah]

pastor is a straight up idiot.

[Abby74]

My great state. I think some like to be on t.v. People like that are mostly in the smaller towns.

[KarenCDFL]

Yet if a girl is a tomboy it is ok it is cute don't worry ? Bullys need to put other people down to make themselves feel better

Hi Ally,

I am sure most of have heard how most organized religions treat females. So why would any sane person expect to hear anything other than the swill and hate that came out of this "man of god's" mouth.

Why would anyone expect any different?