22 June 2009
Beloved in God:
Around this time of year the issue of “freedom” crops us for us to meditate on and celebrate. This nation tells itself that all people are “equal” and we all share certain “inalienable rights.” The truth is something different: equal rights are not quite so equal for some who make up this great nation. Many years ago, Bud Knight brought me a page from his New York Times newspaper which had a pictorial presentation of the “not-yet” issue of equality in this good land. There were four photographs as I recall: one was of a long line of the poor waiting to be given food; another was of a large group of women; the third was a picture of people of color and the fourth, a picture of a priest pointing a crucifix at the head of a young man.
Members of minority groups in this good land still struggle to enjoy the same rights and privileges which the old majority still takes for granted. The “old majority” is made up of the white males, of course. The various minorities in our society today all have something going for them which aid them in being seen as minorities. It is their visibility. Most minorities are visible. Visibility can be a tool to keep before the nation the reality of a particular group in the society…a group still striving to claim and enjoy the same equal rights as the majority. Disabled people are visible. Women are visible. People of color are visible. Gays and Lesbians are not. This ‘invisibility” of the Gay and Lesbian members of this great nation allows the majority to ignore us. It is harder to press for equal rights when many members of this particular minority blend into the “big” picture and are not “seen.” How often does one hear, “I don’t know any gay people”?
What is striking about the picture of the priest holding the crucifix pointed at the head of the young man is that both of them are very attractive white men. One can look at the picture and just see two good looking white guys…or one can, with the eyes of experience, see one good looking man in a stiff white collar pointing a crucifix at a slightly younger man wearing the sort of clothes gay men often wear. I have kept this in my office since Bud gave it to me to remind me that as a priest I must never use religion to “lord” it over any one…gay or straight, male or female, young or old, able or disabled, rich or poor, black, brown, yellow or white. My privileged status as a white male priest does not afford me the right to use religion to control people or deny them rights which all members of this society should enjoy.
Still, the invisible members of any minority group…today it is gays and lesbians and immigrants…have a more difficult time pressing their case in our society due to their invisibility, I believe. It would be better if we were all a soft shade of green! Majorities have a more difficult time ignoring minorities when they can be seen.
That raises the issue of whether or not members of any particular invisible minority want to be seen. There exist in the Gay and Lesbian community strong differing opinions about “being seen,” about being known to be gay or lesbian. Anyone who has lived any length of time knows that there are reasons to hide ones homosexuality in a culture that can treat people as the attractive priest is doing in the picture in my office. When people cloak who they are, however, they are not living “fully.” When we cloak who we are we should not be surprised that the majority like it that way. It is a way of keeping us “in our place.” It is a way of keeping us from enjoying the freedoms and equality which this nation says it affords all its citizens. As long as we pretend to not exist, be certain that those with the power will let us keep up the pretense. It makes them more comfortable.
Freedom and equality will never be true hallmarks of this nation until its entire people can enjoy the same opportunities, can know the reality of being free to be themselves and not be denied any rights due the citizens of these United States. The picture Bud gave me captures a deeply sad truth about how some in this society mistreat others and get away with it. It was true years ago when Bud gave me the newspaper article. Sadly it is still true today. Work for the freedom of all Americans. Work for an America which welcomes all people and gives them all the same rights and privileges and responsibilities.
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