As a member of LoT who has been here almost from the beginning (albeit infrequently until lately)...I am not well known by most of you, nor do I know most of you terribly well.

I don't know iSm's past behavior well, nor do I particularly want to be inundated with past details. Clearly, he has offended and retracted on more than one occasion, causing anger and hurt. Bigotry and hatred (whether in word or action) is inexcusable in any form. Having said that, iSm has apologized...several times. He cannot take back his words, even if they are physically erased. It seems that in the spirit of wanting to celebrate love and acceptance for all, we should try to graciously accept his apology at face value. That doesn't mean we accept what we said as okay, it only means that we accept his regret (and perhaps shame) for his words.

Almost 2 pages have been spent vilifying iSm's words. Maybe it is time to move along and return to vilifying the bigger injustice wrought by yesterday's vote.

I appreciate the outside view.

But he HAS done this before, too many times, and for me this may be the straw that broke the camels back. Especially since in the last one he proudly declared himself a racist. He thinks he can get a free pass at saying hateful things if he just apologizes afterwards, and I for one am tired of it.

I haven't decided if I'm going to the 2pm rally today. I'm feeling a lot of things.

1. I would love to go and be one of the numbers there.

2. I worry that there will be a lot of anger.

3. I'm kinda burned out.

4. Work is graciously allowing me to go, but I feel an obligation to stay at work.

5. Kinda feeling that the rally might be represented in the media as gays picking on the religious.

6. Parking around there is crazy.

7. Thinking if I don't go that I won't be able to hear what was said. Then again, there is YouTube.

Please don't think I am in any way trying to diminish your anger/hurt nor anyone else's. I'm not. I respect that I am far removed from your experience so my forgiveness may be easier in coming than if I had your experience (and I by NO means wish for that to be interpreted as I am somehow better or bigger for offering my forgiveness-- as I said, I have not experienced all that you and many others have). Bigotry and hatred is painful-- in all forms. I just hate to see this thread devolve into a referendum on iSm's behavior. I would rather see the anger directed at the bigger injustice.

Nonetheless, I respect my view may not be the majority's and will let this post be "my piece" (as my grandmother would have said) and leave it at that. I have no desire to add to any further anger (and please don't interpret this as me thinking that your post was an attack on what I said, I don't).

Steve,

For what it's worth (which ain't all that much), I forgive you. Just as I've forgiven the guy who split my chin in a bar for "sitting with that bunch of **** so I guess that makes you one too".

I've been where you were mentally last night, looking sideways at every person in my life wondering if they helped reduce me to subhuman status with their vote. It's a horrible soul-destroying place.

While I find the way you chose to express your anger hurtful, I believe you when you say you are sorry for the words you chose, and not just because other have rightfully called you out on it. I do not condemn you, nor will I nurse a grudge.

Just try harder not to hurt others because you are hurt or angry. Rather, use that anger to make a change for the better. You know how. You've already begun to figure it out.

My best to you in these trying times,

Sam

Heheh, obviously I agree with Bewitched that it seems a little bit of a streteched-out tangent to be going on and on about me and my turrets problem.

I appreciate people who are tired of it. It's old. And it's obnoxious.


What else more is there to say?



Maybe since we have/had 18 election threads (12 of them started in appreciated-humor attempts to get my goat), we can have a FVCKED UP INNERSPACEMAN thread and let this one get back to the real issue of bigotry againt fags and discuss my bigotry against negroes in a separate thread devoted especially to that.


But I'll have nothing to say there. I've apologized. I've explained the root of my hurt and guilty feelings, and expressed that they are insuffient to justify my faux-pas, and I've bemoaned my own continuing behavorial problems of --- omg - sometimes saying something offensive on the internet!


NEXT SUBJECT PLEASE.

Turnabout is fair play. The Mormons just kneed us in the balls and there's a pretty clear direction for our anger. Gloves are off.

I would like to think at if another member of our special little group said things they later regretted they would be forgiven - but not forgotten. someone should write a song about that. ;)

I don't think iSm is all that bad of a person that you can't forgive those comments though - is he?

Or does that just show deep down how he *really* is and he just covers it up the rest of the time?

I know I've said things in RL that I've gone on to regret. Luckily it's not in print and ready for everyone's review over and over.

I would hate to see iSm not post here anymore though. For the most part, I enjoy his sense of humor and the things he contributes.

And he such a faggot. ;)

Protest coverage on CNN

If you don't like someone's posts, put them on your ignore list & get over it.
Totally. WTF do mormons in Utah have to do w/ marriage in California anyway ?