Winds of Change, Or Perhaps It’s a Breeze

 by James Hipps 

It seems as many times as I find stories about how those from the religious right are digging their claws into the anti-gay rhetoric deeper than ever as they desperately hold on to the right to discriminate, I almost find an equal amount of press regarding how changes in attitudes towards acceptance and inclusion are growing.   On a regular basis I read a post that demonstrates the change in attitudes amongst the general population, perhaps especially the younger voting block, where LGBT issues are more or less becoming non-issues.

But then again, I find those tired old excuses being touted for reasonable justification for discrimination.

Just as today, I was reading a post on Isthmus.com about a young Republican leader turned Democrat because of LGBT issues.

According to the post:

The 23-year-old Eau Claire native, who graduated from UW-Eau Claire in May with a degree in music, comes from a religious and conservative family. So she saw participation in the College Republicans as a good way to meet people and stay active in current events.

Anderson eventually rose to be the College Republicans’ statewide chair. Gay rights was one of the issues that she became increasingly exposed to, and, increasingly, the GOP’s stances regarding it bothered her.

It’s one of the many reasons she recently quit the party and became a Democrat.

“It’s one thing to be uncomfortable with differences; it’s another thing to campaign against them,” says Anderson, who is still religious and considers herself pro-life.

But Anderson sees signs that public attitudes toward gay people are changing, even among stalwart Republicans.

And then there was this one I found on the Charleston City Paper, which is a response to the Presbyterian church’s outlook on LGBT issues:

“Not that it’s not an important issue,” said the Rev. Spike Coleman of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian. “For some people it’s very important, I realize that, but for most members they’re worried about their jobs and families and children.”

And the Rev. Cress Darwin, of Second Presbyterian Church stated:

“Often it’s about property, local power, about not wanting to be told what to do, not wanting to surrender to something you’re not totally comfortable with. A lot has to do more with personal fears than it has to do with what’s right.”

I believe the fact the Presbyterian church even held a debate about gay issues shows there’s been change in attitudes.

But, just as I start to feel better about attitudes in general, I run across post like the one I found on Richmond Times Dispatch that talks about how repealing DADT is part of a “homosexual agenda” and it’s part of a liberal, evil plot to take America down.

Just before the Memorial Day weekend, Congress disrespected the solemn holiday by taking the first steps to pass legislation that would weaken the culture of our military. The full House and a Senate committee voted for amendments to the annual defense authorization bill that would repeal the 1993 law stating that homosexuals are not eligible for military service, commonly mislabeled “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”By doing so, Congress opened the door for Obama administration Pentagon appointees to impose the “LGBT” (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) agenda on the armed forces.

And of course, the great mind behind such a statement list the reasons why a repeal would be detrimental to the nation, including, but not limited to:

Findings in the 1993 law remain valid. The statute affirms “there is no constitutional right to serve,” and the military is a “specialized society” that is “fundamentally different from civilian life.” In living conditions offering little or no privacy, homosexuality presents an “unacceptable risk” to good order, discipline, morale, and unit cohesion — qualities essential for combat readiness.

And…

Americans honor and take pride in our military, the greatest in the world. We do not want it used as a laboratory for social engineering experiments, nor to pay off on President Obama’s political promises. The military’s unique standards and culture should serve the ultimate purpose of defending the nation — fighting and winning wars, not advancing ideological agendas.

So yes, change is happening, but rather than feeling the winds of change, I have a feeling we’re simply getting a breeze, which means we’re in for a long, slow journey.