Source: American Chronicle
by Dave Muskera, M.A.

Like most of us who grew up in the 40s, 50s and 60s in rural America, you can bet your sweet bippy we rarely heard positive words about homosexuality anywhere - on TV, in newspapers or in any discussions or debates at city hall. In the 90s and later, raging public debates did in fact occur in city halls across the nation over the passage of gay rights anti-discrimination laws. Such events were often attended by bus loads of angry Christian fundamentalist who, were it not for the rabble rousing anti-gay groups sounding the alarm, would have been home watching Bonanza and blissfully unaware of the descending gay scourge. Had I had the opportunity to hear open discussion about homosexuality, I would have at least been given something more than the negative one-sided picture offered by most religions.

I find myself now thankfully thinking that the gay civil rights movement would not enjoy its current success (however humble) were it not for religious fundamentalists who have made the “gay agenda” their cause celebra. Their willingness to pound on doors, get petitions signed, stage anti-gay marriage marches and all the rest, has had the unintended effect (for them at least) of putting and keeping gay issues in the public eye.

And for every young gay person struggling with their sexual identity, there are now opportunities (not present when I was growing up) to hear about committed gay couples living productively in long term relationships, to hear about the positive contributions of gay artists, business people, doctors, architects, politicians and to read articles like this one at the click of their mouse -- all information that would be hard to distribute were it not (at least in part) on the tide created by the very well funded fundamentalist anti-gay religious right groups. Their use of the media and the Internet in the past ten or so years has prompted the production of a depth of gay information (history, events, gatherings, arguments and so forth)that my generation could only have dreamed of before 1990.

So again, allow me to extend a heart felt “gay thank you” to all those in the anti-gay movement who have so willingly given their time and energy. They may not know it, but their efforts have brought to the public eye the reality of the existence of gay people. Their zeal has helped to demonstrate that gay people are literally everywhere, in all occupations and in all social situations throughout the world (with the exception of Iran, of course). Their eye-bulging fervor and mean-spirited public efforts to deny gay citizens basic human rights have allowed for a more reasoned populace to see the inequality of such measures.

As the very public debates rage on, side effects will continue. More and more gay men and women will realize (at even earlier ages) that they don’t need to be ashamed of who they are and that life can be fulfilling no matter how many signs Fred Phelps and his kind carry on the streets. No matter how many “ex-gays” come stumbling out of ex-gay ministries, there will be even more young gay men and women who will find - with all the new resources of today’s world – peace with themselves, with their gay brothers and sisters and even with their concept of god.

Thank you Jerry, thank you Dr. Dobson, thank you George Bush, thank you Ted Haggard, thank you Pope Benedict – thank you, thank you all. Please keep your determination and continue your efforts. The worse thing that could happen to gay people and the supposed “gay agenda” at this point in history is for those in the fundamentalist far right to just shut the heck up about homosexuality. And, thank goodness, we know that ain’t going to happen any time soon.

Full article: American Chronicle: A Big Gay Thank You To Anti-Gay Groups