P E R" S P’E C T 1 V £
General Gayety
by Leslie Robinson . Contributing Writer
Doom for marriage and the family
"You never know what strange things you’ll
find when you snoop.
My girlfriend is away for several weeks, so
I’m Staying at her place, looking after the house'
and animals. While perusing her mail, I noticed
a solicitation from Dr. Donald E. Wildmon of
the American Family Association (AFA).
A lesbian receiving mail from the AFA is
like a Jew receiving mail from the American
Nazi Party.
Boy, I thought, did she get on the wrong
list. Perhaps an angry ex wanted to do some
thing more creative than key her car.
, Then I noticed the letter was addressed to
her mother. That explained it. When it comes
to conservative Christian fervor, her mom
makes Pat Robertson look like he’s faking.
The words printed on the front of the enve
lope guaranteed I’d take my snooping a step
further. 1 had to open the envelope. I hope the
U.S. Postal Service doesn’t hear about this.
Here are the words that hooked me: “If
you are alive in 60 days, you will witness one
of the most momentous days in America’s
moral history.”
_ Were I the intended recipient. I’d be con
cerned. If I’m alive in 60 days? Does the AFA
know something I
don’t? I thought it
was just indigestion.
I can think of
only two possible
, j explanations for the
■^AFA choosing to ques
tion whether the recipient would be alive in 60
days. Perhaps the group’s membership is eld
erly and the AFA decided to be frank and
rude. Or maybe the AFA folks, on principle,
always allow for the possibility that the
Rapture could alter the best-laid plans.
But of course it was the second part of the
statement that had me ripping open the enve
lope. What did Donald Wildmon and his
American Family Association consider one of
the biggest days in America’s moral history?
I wish I’d guessed wrong, but the fellow is
as predictable as Popeye with a can of
spinach. It’s Election Day that Wildmon has in
his sights, because that’s when Californians
can undo their Supreme Court’s decision
allowing same-sex marriage.
In his letter to the faithful — and nosy oth
ers — he lamented how the court “overruled
both the ‘will of the people’ and the design of
Almighty God.” He bemoaned how out-of-state
gay couples marrying in California will
unleash legal challenges all over the country.
In the most highlighted statement, he
aimed to scare the dickens out of his support
ers: “On November 4 — about three months
from now — if we do not stop the drive to
legalize marriage between homosexuals, that
battle will be lost.”
As California goes, so goes the nation. That
big sucking sound is the U.S. of A. going down
the morality toilet.
What can citizens do to prevent the immi
nent demise of the Ty-D-Bol Man? “For the
sake of your children and the future of our
nation,” Wildmon knows precisely how
Americans can help.
Californians will be voting on Proposition 8, a
constitutional amendment forbidding gay mar
riage, and the AFA is producing a documentary
called “Prop 8 and the Case Against Homosexual
Marriage.” The organization wants to distribute
the film to its California members and churches
working to pass the ballot initiative.
“I’m counting on you to underwrite pro
duction and distribution costs of this docu
mentary!’Wildmon wrote. That sounded a
mite pushy to me, but when you consider that
“it is crucial to our nation’s survival” that Prop
8 pass, how can 1 quibble?
On the payment slip accompanying the let
ter the AFA supporter commits both to help
pass Prop 8 and to pray for the nation.
Apparently doing just one isn’t an option.
As it happens, I feel like doing two things:
promise my girlfriend no more snooping and
add the letter to the recycling. America will
benefit from both. I
info: LesRobinsn@ aol.com . www.GeneralGayety.com
by Mitchell Luna
HIV Disclosure & Prevention: Stop legislating, start listening
“You have HIV” are the most difficult
words I have ever had to hear. At only 26 years
old in 1999, “How long do I have left?” was the
first question to come out of my mouth when
our doctor told me and my 19-year-old
boyfriend my test had come back positive.
Everything I thought my life was about
changed with three words, three letters, in
three seconds. Indeed, as far as I was con
cerned, life was over.
Growing up gay in the South, haters mas
querading as Christians told me that for being
gay I would get AIDS, die and go to hell. I
wondered if they were right, and 1 hated
myself more than ever.
Just like a smoker with cancer blaming a
tobacco company for my sickness, I was look
ing for anyone else to blame — anyone but
me. How could this happen? Who infected me?
Who was to blame? I had a policy of using
condoms except for in monogamous relation
ships with guys who maintained their alleged
negative status. Looking back, I know those
times were life-altering mistakes.
Supposedly my HIV status is a confidential
issue protected by law. Therefore, it is a contra
diction to mandate disclosure by any law or
court. Being HIV positive does not preclude
my rights as a citizen under the Constitution
of the United States. Thus, any law that
requires me to tell someone Lam HIV positive
is a violation of the Constitution. Some people
have been prosecuted in several states, includ
ing the Carolinas, for not disclosing their posi
tive status to allegedly negative partners who
subsequently sero-converted.
No doubt, government regulation of sex
could potentially make the world safer, just
as totalitarian government could eradicate
deviant behavior. Then freedom would
become but a distant memory of the deca
dent times when individuals were actually
entrusted with the power to make decisions
for themselves.
With new HIV infections rising, what will
be next? Could HIV positive people be quar
antined? What if HIV positive men accused
of not “disclosing” were labeled as “sex
offenders” and castrated? How long will it be
before we are again branded by pink trian
gles? No one is safe from the pack of soccer
moms and other wolves picking away at our
Constitution one piece at a time. Who will be
next? Will it be you?
Telling someone I have HIV is a private
issue to be decided only by me, not by the gov
ernment. HIV prevention efforts must evolve
into the 21st century or they’ll continue to
have the opposite effects of their intent. Stop
legislating and start listening. I
— Q-Notes strives to afford the Carolinas
LGBT community an open forum for
discussion and commentary. The views of
guest commentators do not necessarily
represent the official views or positions of
Q-Notes, its editorial staff or publisher.
Last Call
As a part ot our growing online presence, Q-Notes is searching tor up to three online start bloggers.
These volunteer writers would work with the editor to determine their specific coverage area and topic.
Writers would be responsible for at least two submissions per week We are especially seeking bloggers from
the Triangle Area, South Carolina and Western North Carolina,
Persons of color, women, gender-variant people, seniors and students are encouraged to apply.
• For more information, email editor@^-notes.com. ' ?
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SEPTEMBER 6.2008 • Qhlotes 5