>> ^Yogi:

That's a really sweet story and I was totally with this "It Gets Better" campaign that they were pushing. But I still stick by my personal belief that we should make it better, you don't get things better in your society by waiting. You make it better, how about something like that for a pro gay rights campaign?


I think the "It Gets Better" campaign was, and certainly has become, more than just a message to talk young gay or alienated people out of committing suicide (as if that wasnt a worthy cause)

Anyone who has seen even one of these videos or messages from people who have been bullied their entire childhoods and are admitting it and have gotten through it, has either been on the edge of tears or they must be dead inside.

I've never been homophobic or anything like that, but it certainly has moved me in some way to be more sympathetic and aware of the problems that these kids face. Not that I wasn't before, but I'm saying it moves us straights too, thats all.

So what i'm getting at, is that this campaign has, perhaps more than politics or legislation, changed people attitude towards gay/lesbian/transexuality , which, after all, is the most important thing. If you think about the civil rights movement, for example, getting laws etc straight (no pun intended) is one thing,but changing people's mind might be the most important part.

Awesome video....

@Yogi
I think your sentiment is in the right place, but I'd assert that this campaign is a pro-gay rights campaign as well. (re-iterating @Stormsinger methinks)

That's all well and good, @Yogi, but it can't be done overnight. In the meantime, kids are still killing themselves. This "It Gets Better" campaign is at -least- as important as any gay rights campaign I've ever heard of.

And frankly, publicizing these efforts to help the youngest and weakest victims of hatred may well be the most effective means of making things better. Even most bigots don't actually want kids dieing...driving home the fact that they are, and -why- they are, can't help but make some of the hateful reconsider.

That's a really sweet story and I was totally with this "It Gets Better" campaign that they were pushing. But I still stick by my personal belief that we should make it better, you don't get things better in your society by waiting. You make it better, how about something like that for a pro gay rights campaign?

Isn't illegal action implying harm? What exactly are you suggesting?

>> ^Faye2441:

Perhaps thats where we differ in opinion. I wholeheartedly support harmless albeit illegal responses to perfectly legal but extremely harmful rhetoric.
>> ^shuac:
>> ^Faye2441:
She has her freedom of speech, but she doesn't get to say what she wants without fear of retaliation. This group thinks that they have divine authority to do and say what they want, so I at least like to see their feathers get ruffled a bit.
>> ^shuac:
While I do not agree with Ms. Phelps' views (check out my comment history, you'll see I'm a big supporter of gay rights), I do support her right to speak out about them. Restricting her freedom of speech should be disgusting to everyone, I don't care what she's saying.
I await the myriad downvotes (for this comment) with great sadness.


Yeah, that's perfectly fine. You should expect a little retaliation if you spout offensive stuff like that. So long as it's verbal/legal retaliation.

I noticed this video was from firedoglake. I used to support them back when I thought they were for gay rights. Then they started showing their bipartisan colors, so I left. They sent me an email and asked why I was unsubscribing. I told them not everyone that supports same sex marriage is a Democrat.

I think they probably sat around their computer for a day, scratching their heads, assuming I was a Republican (you can only be one or the other in America, right?), and then wondering what kind of "Republican" supports gay rights.

Or they could've just deleted it and moved on with their lives. That's probably more accurate.

P.S. I'm not a Republican

Perhaps thats where we differ in opinion. I wholeheartedly support harmless albeit illegal responses to perfectly legal but extremely harmful rhetoric.
>> ^shuac:

>> ^Faye2441:
She has her freedom of speech, but she doesn't get to say what she wants without fear of retaliation. This group thinks that they have divine authority to do and say what they want, so I at least like to see their feathers get ruffled a bit.
>> ^shuac:
While I do not agree with Ms. Phelps' views (check out my comment history, you'll see I'm a big supporter of gay rights), I do support her right to speak out about them. Restricting her freedom of speech should be disgusting to everyone, I don't care what she's saying.
I await the myriad downvotes (for this comment) with great sadness.


Yeah, that's perfectly fine. You should expect a little retaliation if you spout offensive stuff like that. So long as it's verbal/legal retaliation.

>> ^Faye2441:

She has her freedom of speech, but she doesn't get to say what she wants without fear of retaliation. This group thinks that they have divine authority to do and say what they want, so I at least like to see their feathers get ruffled a bit.
>> ^shuac:
While I do not agree with Ms. Phelps' views (check out my comment history, you'll see I'm a big supporter of gay rights), I do support her right to speak out about them. Restricting her freedom of speech should be disgusting to everyone, I don't care what she's saying.
I await the myriad downvotes (for this comment) with great sadness.



Yeah, that's perfectly fine. You should expect a little retaliation if you spout offensive stuff like that. So long as it's verbal/legal retaliation.

She has her freedom of speech, but she doesn't get to say what she wants without fear of retaliation. This group thinks that they have divine authority to do and say what they want, so I at least like to see their feathers get ruffled a bit.
>> ^shuac:

While I do not agree with Ms. Phelps' views (check out my comment history, you'll see I'm a big supporter of gay rights), I do support her right to speak out about them. Restricting her freedom of speech should be disgusting to everyone, I don't care what she's saying.
I await the myriad downvotes (for this comment) with great sadness.

While I do not agree with Ms. Phelps' views (check out my comment history, you'll see I'm a big supporter of gay rights), I do support her right to speak out about them. Restricting her freedom of speech should be disgusting to everyone, I don't care what she's saying.

I await the myriad downvotes (for this comment) with great sadness.

A gay man was beat to death in Uganda yesterday. Quite possibly [edit] for being gay. The Christian Right from America went over there and helped roil up the country against homosexuals.

http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/01/27/ugandan-gay-rights-activist-murdered

Yesterday. Yesterday. Repeat after me.

Yesterday.

>> ^quantumushroom:

How many people has this fool killed or caused to be killed?
Zero.
How many people has islam murdered just in modern times?
Many. And they're just getting started.

Atheism has no exclusive patents on reason or intelligence. Put another way, the atheist's capacity for self-delusion is equal to that of religious folks, it just comes out differently.

>> ^kronosposeidon:

>> ^blankfist:
>> ^kronosposeidon:
I know blankfist is a douchebag and all, but I'm thinking he tagged it Fear because of the homophobia of gay rights opponents.
But let's not forget that he is a douchebag.>> ^bareboards2:
Channels are a bit of an ink blot test. To me, this was a Happy video. To blankfist, it is Fear.
It's both, of course. Still. It makes me VERY HAPPY.

>> ^blankfist:
fear controversy



You two get a room.

We already did. You might want to change the bedsheets when you get home.

gay.

>> ^blankfist:

>> ^kronosposeidon:
I know blankfist is a douchebag and all, but I'm thinking he tagged it Fear because of the homophobia of gay rights opponents.
But let's not forget that he is a douchebag.>> ^bareboards2:
Channels are a bit of an ink blot test. To me, this was a Happy video. To blankfist, it is Fear.
It's both, of course. Still. It makes me VERY HAPPY.

>> ^blankfist:
fear controversy



You two get a room.

We already did. You might want to change the bedsheets when you get home.

>> ^kronosposeidon:

I know blankfist is a douchebag and all, but I'm thinking he tagged it Fear because of the homophobia of gay rights opponents.
But let's not forget that he is a douchebag.>> ^bareboards2:
Channels are a bit of an ink blot test. To me, this was a Happy video. To blankfist, it is Fear.
It's both, of course. Still. It makes me VERY HAPPY.

>> ^blankfist:
fear controversy



You two get a room. I promise if I won't ask if you don't tell.

What?? blankfist is a douchebag??? Surely not!


>> ^kronosposeidon:

I know blankfist is a douchebag and all, but I'm thinking he tagged it Fear because of the homophobia of gay rights opponents.
But let's not forget that he is a douchebag.>> ^bareboards2:
Channels are a bit of an ink blot test. To me, this was a Happy video. To blankfist, it is Fear.
It's both, of course. Still. It makes me VERY HAPPY.

>> ^blankfist:
fear controversy