The only way I’m trying to influence people is to be more kind and compassionate with one another

Exactly.

Embrace your humanity.

Do you really want the rest of us to pretend you're so thick that you don't understand the difference between a straight man marrying a woman and a gay man marrying a woman? Here is the difference, if you honestly, really want us to all pretend you're stupid enough to not understand it:

A straight man has the opportunity to marry a person he genuinely wants to marry. If homosexuals are not allowed to marry, then a gay man does not have the opportunity to marry a person he genuinely wants to marry.

That is what boxer was getting at with his response to you saying you should marry Jen. He was illustrating that perhaps a gay person marrying someone of e opposite sex isn't quite equitable to a straight person doing the same.

Kay?

Based on your other comments on this subject I have a hard time believing you really feel this way, because those comments are pretty contrary to what you've said here. Which is it? You have a problem with homosexuals being allowed to marry or do you not? Because at different times you've kind of said both.




Okay...this is very simple (and for the record, most of your post has nothing whatsoever to do with what you quoted me on):

Gay people are not asking for special treatment by being allowed to marry each other. They are asking for equal treatment.

Yes, some people may play the "gay" card but that doesn't mean that there isn't actual violence based on sexual orientation. You yourself admit above that it exists. So when it happens do we just say "that's life, deal with," or is it okay say it's wrong for someone to do such a thing?

I have gay friends. I also know some gay people I cant f***ing stand and I don't respect them. Who the hell is asking you to respect someone just because he or she is a homosexual? Where has that occurred anywhere in this thread? Where have I said that anywhere at all? Come to think of it, where has anyone else?

I'm not sure where you're directing your comments, but no one is telling anyone else they have to respect someone based on sexual orientation. That would be really stupid.

For the record if you didn't know, I happen to be straight myself so I am well aware that we don't have a "magical command centre where we assign bullies" to do whatever. Again, not sure why that's relevent to anything.

And people wonder why I almost never come around here any longer.

Thank you for that post, Eagle. You are indeed, an astute man. I wish I had your knack for brevity, but I'm afraid I don't.

Hypnotica seems to object to Gay Pride. Well, he may have a point that in some cities, on one day a year, homosexuals hold a festival that involves some flamboyance, makes a bit of noise and causes some inconvenience to shoppers.

Other such occurrences also occur. Take military parades, for example. I don’t like them. Why should my shopping trip to Truro (or Woolwich, the home of the Royal Artillery, when I’m visiting family in London) be disrupted by the High Street being shut off, sometimes for days beforehand so the route can be security checked, for the benefit of sailors and squaddies to strut up and down in their uniforms, with their bayonets fixed. And oh… those bloody awful marching bands making such a racket..!! Disgraceful.

And the children being taken out of school, dragooned into standing in the cold and rain for something they know nothing about. They should be in their classrooms getting an education instead of being forced to stand there, bewildered by it all.

When Amanda was in uniform, she and her colleagues had to police one such event in Truro City Centre and a right pain in the butt it was to her, too. She would much rather have been out catching criminals, which is what the public would much prefer policemen and women to do, but no….. She was taken away from doing that for the day so the sailors from Culdrose Air Station could have their wee parade to show off.

Does that sound intolerant? It should. It was meant to sound like that to illustrate intolerance to Hypnotica in a way he might understand. I’m quite sure he would defend such parades, being a soldier, or ex-soldier or whatever.

The point I’m trying to make, is that we need to live and let live a little. Homosexuals exist. We’re here and we’re not going to go away. And yes, we like a party and that may cause a little civic disruption from time to time, but hell, isn’t it all just a part of life’s rich tapestry..? As many straight people enjoy watching the Pride parade as are irritated by it. In fact, the “Ghaize” are quite happy for Heteros to join in a little…. Step up and have a dance…. Join in the party…. It’s a festival…..All are welcome..!!

And yet again, his attitude illustrates the rigid, narrow minded attitude of most military men. I’ll labour the point I made elsewhere on another thread (and have done a number of times in the past): They tell us that they do what they do to maintain liberty and freedom…. a tolerant and just society.

But of course, that’s not the case. Whatever the reasons for becoming a soldier may be, they can't tell us that they want to help maintain a just, tolerant and free society and then say that sizeable section of that society shouldn't be allowed to enjoy the same civil privileges (in this case, the right to have street parades, duly authorised by local councils) just because they belong to a social grouping that he doesn't happen to like. It's either freedom FOR ALL, or it isn't freedom AT ALL.

It's not so very long ago that homosexuals were banned from joining the armed forces. That law wasn't changed until 1999, and then only after a very long and protracted campaign by four former service persons who had suffered appalling discrimination, summary dismissal, the loss of their jobs, rank and pension rights, all without any right of appeal.

They became known as "The Rank Outsiders".

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Prior to that time, the MOD had always maintained that being homosexual was "incompatible with service life". Their position was that heterosexual men and women would refuse to serve with homosexual comrades and that to force them to do so would lead to a serious decline in morale.

In 1999, with the abolition of the ban, all three services became required to adopt Diversity Policies which set out clearly to other service personnel that homophobic discrimination is inappropriate and could lead to disciplinary action.

The RN and RAF quickly complied but the army dragged its feet for a while, until the weight of lawsuits against them for homophobic discrimination, such as the Kerry Fletcher case, forced the MOD to drag the Army kicking and screaming into compliance.

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To claim that soldiers all get on together is a joke. Stories still leak out into the LGBT community of service personnel being given unfavourable postings..... bullied..... being side-lined for promotion and other allegations, most notably by the Army.

I myself once worked with a man who had been dismissed by the Navy back in the days when homosexuality was illegal in the armed forces. The tale he told of his treatment when he was found out was quite harrowing. He was treated as a common criminal although he had committed no crime. Even now, when homosexuality is legal in the armed forces, he is shunned when he goes to his local branch of the Royal British Legion. Nobody wants to know him.

Comradeship?

I absolutely adore it when someone generalizes about an entire group of people, because another individual generalized about them.

Still as petty, angry and bitter as ever, I notice.

You (obtusely, in all probability) ignore the word "most", which disqualifies the allegation of generalisation of "all". But it's not unusual for you to make insignificant distinctions to satisfy your petulant agenda.

Still, I expect you to resume your petty hostilities now that I look in from time to time on here again. I noticed you were away quite a lot while I was away, but now I'm back you're coming in more frequently. Some (as distinct from all) might be almost flattered by such attention but I'm not.

Please don't use me as an outlet for your small-minded, childish vindictiveness a second time around. Either discuss the issues or go and do something else.

Better still, just grow up you stupid, pathetic little boy.

Good to see you too.

Guess I hit a nerve there.

Can you please resolve a great mystery.

What DID your message to Boxer say when you left?



Then you towo can continue your love hate relationship which is all well and good as it probably makes this place more popular. Everyones favourite couple (well not a couple).

I had completely forgotten about that. Still don't care though, and still wouldn't read it.

I do like the "42 year old cross dressing antelope" reference I made back then though.. I've lost my touch with regard to wittiness. Out of practice I guess.

Each and every group has had a problem recognizing the rights of the LGBT community. No Group can claim to be perfect. I could go to just about any Company in the world and find someone who dislikes /hates a group for their Race, Religion or Sexual Orientation.

When I first joined the service yes they did throw out Citizens for their sexual orientation. Just as many Companies did.

In some ways I would rather serve with a LGBT or Minority, for most of their lives they have had to learn how to fight to survive and that truly is a very sad statement on all of the world.