It feels good to live in a society that has free speech, it is something I have always championed and would never deny anyone. It is this freedom which through history has had the power to change legislation and improve lives of millions of marginalised groups across the world. But we probably need to check ourselves and realise there is a distinct difference between freedom of speech and hate speech.
When I call for equality I do it without oppressing others, and in this instance I would make reference to those who use religion as a reason to 'fight back' against LGBT equality. My freedom and equality will never prevent someone from holding personal beliefs, it will also not prevent them from celebrating their beliefs with others. However, if a way of 'celebrating' involves hatred towards other human beings this is unacceptable. This kind of hate speech can be found all over the internet with very little way of regulation. I have been witnessing this on Twitter through @RevDennisMiller and @mraidenrussell, both of whom proclaim they have the moral high ground by denouncing homosexuality in the name of faith. The problem with this is simple, their actions feed a kind of hatred which really harms society and leads to ill health, oppression and goes against the wider understanding of the Christian faith. No religion teaches discrimination or hatred.
@mraidenrussell tweeted: "Homosexuals are the rejects of a bad production line, however they now have more rights then anyone. Won't be long before they are cloned."
@RevDennisMiller tweeted: "I actually live in the real world, one where fags are deviant sexual predators that pray on innocent young men and kids"
The two of them are rather relentless in the pursuit of LGBT oppression, tweeting several times a day against the fight for LGBT equality around the world. They also boast having thousands of people who follow to listen to their hatred. Now you could interpret this relentlessness in many ways, I don't need to speculate here I shall leave that to you. I am aware they don't deserve the attention I have given them in writing this, but what is worth considering is how they could have a negative impact young people who may come across their hate speech.
Recent research suggests 4 in 10 young LGBT people consider suicide. I remember being a young lad and hearing hate speech about gay people all the time, it left its mark. As a teenager I was threatened with a knife, once hit around the back of the head with a plank of wood, punched in the stomach and bullied on a daily basis at school. I didn't feel I could tell anyone about any of those things in case I got 'found out'. Those who spout hate speech are encouraging this behavior, just as we are seeing in some parts of Russia right now. It is down to each of us to make a stand against hate, silence it where possible, because to remain silent could spell disaster for the next generation.
In the meantime @mraidenrussell and @RevDennisMiller need to realise their call for homosexual oppression is falling on deaf ears, it only makes those of us who work towards the end of gay hate bigger and stronger.
When I call for equality I do it without oppressing others, and in this instance I would make reference to those who use religion as a reason to 'fight back' against LGBT equality. My freedom and equality will never prevent someone from holding personal beliefs, it will also not prevent them from celebrating their beliefs with others. However, if a way of 'celebrating' involves hatred towards other human beings this is unacceptable. This kind of hate speech can be found all over the internet with very little way of regulation. I have been witnessing this on Twitter through @RevDennisMiller and @mraidenrussell, both of whom proclaim they have the moral high ground by denouncing homosexuality in the name of faith. The problem with this is simple, their actions feed a kind of hatred which really harms society and leads to ill health, oppression and goes against the wider understanding of the Christian faith. No religion teaches discrimination or hatred.
@mraidenrussell tweeted: "Homosexuals are the rejects of a bad production line, however they now have more rights then anyone. Won't be long before they are cloned."
@RevDennisMiller tweeted: "I actually live in the real world, one where fags are deviant sexual predators that pray on innocent young men and kids"
The two of them are rather relentless in the pursuit of LGBT oppression, tweeting several times a day against the fight for LGBT equality around the world. They also boast having thousands of people who follow to listen to their hatred. Now you could interpret this relentlessness in many ways, I don't need to speculate here I shall leave that to you. I am aware they don't deserve the attention I have given them in writing this, but what is worth considering is how they could have a negative impact young people who may come across their hate speech.
Recent research suggests 4 in 10 young LGBT people consider suicide. I remember being a young lad and hearing hate speech about gay people all the time, it left its mark. As a teenager I was threatened with a knife, once hit around the back of the head with a plank of wood, punched in the stomach and bullied on a daily basis at school. I didn't feel I could tell anyone about any of those things in case I got 'found out'. Those who spout hate speech are encouraging this behavior, just as we are seeing in some parts of Russia right now. It is down to each of us to make a stand against hate, silence it where possible, because to remain silent could spell disaster for the next generation.
In the meantime @mraidenrussell and @RevDennisMiller need to realise their call for homosexual oppression is falling on deaf ears, it only makes those of us who work towards the end of gay hate bigger and stronger.