Declining tolerance for gays
On paper, gay liberation strides forward: gays and lesbians can marry and
officials that refuse to cooperate can be fired. On the street, it's more
complicated.
From NRC Handelsblad reporter AREJN FORTUIN
Amsterdam, July 7 - "Everyone still walks a wide arch around our stand",
says Jan Krol, chairman of COC-Achterhoek/Twente. He stood the whole
evening on the street with his brochures. "People you know are gay are
unwilling to be seen with us. Some things never change. And it's hard to
find volunteers to stand in our booth."
Recognition of same-sex marrige was, though, the focus of Gay Pride last
week in Rotterdam. We still have a long way to go, according to Krol. "We
offer schools an information program. In all of last year we had exactly
two schools take us up on the offer. That's not much."
The second house of Parliament debated Monday over the fact that there's
little information about homosexuality in Dutch schools. Two-thirds of
schools don't include homosexuality in their sex education curriculum and in
many schools the information is incidental. Secretary of Education,
Adelmund, said that better information about homosexuality should be
available and supervision of schools in the dissemination of that
information should be more strictly enforced.
Parliamentarian, Rehwinkel (Labour) says that she is very concerned about
the situation in education. "We've achieved gay liberation, but now one
hears stories about people who have gone back in the closet. We have to
ensure that the sexual orientation of gay teachers and students does not
become known through lawsuits. The liberation of gays and lesbians is a
great achievement of Dutch society. That must also be clear to our
immigrant population which is very suspicious of homosexuality."
The parliamentary debate took place in a period with much media attention on
homosexuality. On Tuesday, the city council of Leeuwarden supported the
dismissal of a public servant who, because of her religious beliefs, refused
to perform a same-sex wedding. The Ministry of the Public is still
deliberating over a speech from the Islamic Iman Khalil el-Moumni. He
declared in the beginning of May that homosexuality is an infectious and
dangerous sickness. In the first part of August, the Ministry will decide
if El-Moumni should be sued. [Ed. The Dutch Constitution prohibits
discriminatory speech on the basis of gender, race, religion, or sexual
orientation.]
Two years ago, a pastor spoke out against public policy. He termed
homosexuality "a foul sin". The courts in Arnhem determined that this
expression was not punishable because it came from religious beliefs.
Two weeks ago, in Zwolle, an action group emptied a septic tank on a meeting
place for gays in protest of nudity and "orgies". Margot van Belkum, head
of COC Zwolle, thinks that the protest should not be given any significance.
"There's probably a homophobic element, but I can imagine that such
activities bother the neighbors. And people are bound to speak out about
it."
"If homosexuality is emphatically present in the public space, there will be
a backlash", says Vincent Lorijn, project leader of Rotterdam Pink, the
organization that organized Gay Pride (Pink Saturday) and Pink Week. In
that week, a city council member from the Christian Union party protested
the exhibit of a bed belonging to two married gay men in the center of City
Hall. [ed. I'm not clear about this one. There was a bed in the center of
city hall. But I didn't see it, so I don't know what it was.]
On the eve of Gay Pride, the police were very concerned about the
possibility of anti-gay incidents, but the event proceeded without incident,
says Lorijn. The increasing number of threats against homosexuals should not
be, according to Lorijn, blamed on young, immigrant men. "That's nonsense.
There's a backlash underway. You also hear homophobic comments from a lot
of soccer fans. The incident in Zwolle can't be blamed on Moroccans."
An example of the decreasing tolerance is, according to Lorijn, the absence
of the pedophile organization, Martijn, from the information booths of Gay
Pride. Martijn, present for years among the booths, was persuaded to
withdraw under great pressure from no other than the Dutch Police Union.
[ed. That paragraph was painful to translate. I can't imagine what Martijn
has to do with gay pride. I need to find out more about Dutch gay's
feelings about pedophilia, obviously. I know that pedophilia is illegal.
And in my opinion, it should stay that way.]
Gert Hekma, teacher of gay studies at the University of Amsterdam, fears
that, in spite of it's achievements, the gay movement will remain under
pressure. "I'm impressed by what's been accomplished, but there's a long
way to go. There is little drive to improve the situation in schools. In
addition, there's still a lot of resistance against what people see as
filth. The heart of Amsterdam is reasonably tolerant, but in Amsterdam-West
there's less tolerance. That is, in part, a question of social class and
persuasion. Earlier, gay-bashers were Dutch kids, now the Moroccans have
joined in."
Successes like same-sex marriage could lessen the alertness of the gay
movement, thinks Hekma. "Some of the gays and lesbians in Amsterdam think
they are safe, that everything's alright. They're safe like tourists
walking arm in arm in San Francisco who don't want to think about how it is
at home in Texas."
The real article: http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/binnenland/994484537586.html#top
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>Declining tolerance for gays
Sad, but too true. I have predicted this possibility some time ago: of
Holland losing her noble record of gay civil rights, and of the
homosexual issue eventually embroiling the entire world. We now see
the parts of this jigsaw puzzle falling into place.
After all, Holland is still a heterocentric culture, and thus remains
vulnerable to anti-gay foment...which is now, exactly what is
occurring.
>The liberation of gays and lesbians is a
>great achievement of Dutch society. That must also be clear to our
>immigrant population which is very suspicious of homosexuality."
Holland has recently condemned an Islamic priest for his diatribe
against gays...and is still deliberating what to do about it. I will
not be surprised if Holland backs out of fear of Muslim terrorist
responses.
>Two years ago, a pastor spoke out against public policy. He termed
>homosexuality "a foul sin". The courts in Arnhem determined that this
>expression was not punishable because it came from religious beliefs.
Because of religious beliefs? Wow this sounds so much like the
Christian Right's influence in government, here in Amerika! This
implies that Holland is already caving in to the rising tide of
homophobia. Of course, then, and Muslim leader can condemn
homosexuality, due to his or her "religious beliefs". I see the
writing on the wall (and it says: "Homos die!").
I will not be surprised if fundamentalist Christians joined with
Muslims to officially declare a war on gays, worldwide.
Surely, San Francisco/Northern California will remain safe haven? Not
likely...though gays may come flooding to this area, seeking haven
fromt the rest of Amerika...and find none. Yet, we may wind up carving
out our own haven by force, if not by cooperation. Desperate means for
desparate times. Will S.F. landlords start evicting their faggot
residents, once Prez-wannabe Bush officializes gay people a threat to
Family Values? How about S.F. employers, including those once gay
friendly? Will anti-gay sentiments rear their ugly head in Gay Mecca?
Yes, I believe so; it has already begun.
>Two weeks ago, in Zwolle, an action group emptied a septic tank on a meeting
>place for gays in protest of nudity and "orgies". Margot van Belkum, head
>of COC Zwolle, thinks that the protest should not be given any significance.
>"There's probably a homophobic element, but I can imagine that such
>activities bother the neighbors. And people are bound to speak out about
>it."
Margot's very casual response to this horrid act against gays, is
frightening. And we're talking about something that's going on in
Holland!
>On the eve of Gay Pride, the police were very concerned about the
>possibility of anti-gay incidents, but the event proceeded without incident,
>says Lorijn.
Really! Change is in the air, something is rotten in Denmark. Since
when did Dutch authorities start showing great concern for the
protection of gays who gather for their events? And why?
>he increasing number of threats against homosexuals should not
>be, according to Lorijn, blamed on young, immigrant men. "That's nonsense.
>There's a backlash underway. You also hear homophobic comments from a lot
>of soccer fans. The incident in Zwolle can't be blamed on Moroccans."
It seems to me--via news articles posted in the last two years--that
Muslim immigrants to Holland have indeed helped to foster a dangerous
climate to gays. Coupled with the incessant efforts of Christian
missionaries who impose their will throught Holland, and the neo-Nazi
movement under way in that area of Europe.
>The heart of Amsterdam is reasonably tolerant, but in Amsterdam-West
>there's less tolerance.
So even parts of Amsterdam are gay-intolerant, let alone parts of the
entire nation. This is not good at all. Just like phony-liberal San
Francisco.
>Successes like same-sex marriage could lessen the alertness of the gay
>movement, thinks Hekma. "Some of the gays and lesbians in Amsterdam think
>they are safe, that everything's alright. They're safe like tourists
>walking arm in arm in San Francisco who don't want to think about how it is
>at home in Texas."
So, just like Amerikan tourists who perceive Amsterdam as more gay
tolerant than it really is; the Dutch seem to think that gay
intolerance is not immediately surrouding, as well as within, our own
Gay Mecca. They feel they must look away as far as Texas...when they
don't realize that homophobia rages throughout most of California's
small towns and cities...include the avenues and suburbs of San
Francisco. Not to mention her neighboring states of Oregon, Nevada and
Arizona.
But do not despair, for much goodness will emerge, as gays across the
globe unite, fight back, and beat off these beasts!
Join the Blue Rose Militia now; form your own cell in your
neighborhood today!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Permission granted by author for anyone to distribute this
writing free of charge (including translation into any
language)...under condition that no profit is made therefrom,
and that it remain intact and complete, including title and
credit to the original author.
Ezekiel J. Krahlin
ezek...@my-deja.com http://surf.to/gaybible
--------------------------------------------------------------
THE BLUE ROSE MILITIA (world's first *queer* militia)
(c) 1997 by Ezekiel J. Krahlin
(Jehovah's Queer Witness)
(Note: The word "Thracian" is used throughout this manifesto, as an
empowering adjective intended to replace the word "Gay Male". Likewise
for "Hellenic" and "Hellene" to replace "Gay" in general, as in "Gay
Community". Credit for the idea of "Hellenic" goes to Fireweaver, an
Internet friend.)
Founded December 1, 1996 by Hellenic Rights activist Ezekiel Krahlin
(formerly Gene Catalano), The Blue Rose Militia is a
ParaNormalMilitary organization dedicated to the defense of homosexual
civil rights within the borders of the United States Of America. It
seeks to establish Northern California as a safe haven for the
homosexual populace and its refugees...via new and inviolable federal
and state laws, or through secession and formation of a new nation.
The Militia is a loosely bound federation of community clusters
throughout the nation, whose leadership is entrusted to the
inspiration of each local group. This new alliance is born of outraged
response to President Clinton's signing of the notorious "Defense Of
Marriage Act."
The Blue Rose Militia encourages all Thracians and Lesbians, their
heterosexual supporters--and other non-heterosexist types--to bear
arms at all times, in order to protect one's self and one's friends,
from the outrageous brutality of a homophobic populace. The Militia
implores its advocates to carry pepper spray as a minimal deterrent
from violent attacks...and supports the legal acquisition of more
serious arms for the sake of self defense.
While The Militia does encourage members and sympathizers to bear
arms, to a greater degree it supports the application of creative
genius to achieve its goals of homosexual liberation....
(...read the rest of this treatise at
<http://netjunk.com/users/gaybible/write/militia.htm>)
P.S.: In the event all pro-gay speech and symbols are banned, we can
use the blue rose as a replacement for the pink triangle, and words
"Hellene" and "Thracian" instead of "Gay".
---
Lavender-Velvet Revolution
http://surf.to/gaybible