Yesterday I was talking to someone for whom I have tremendous respect. The discussion moved toward a person we both know who is Mormon. They talked about all the good things which the Mormon chuch does and the great lives that the members of the church live.

Then I said, "Yes all of that and they are hateful too. They are anti-gay, oust you from their church if they learn you are gay and funded Proposition 8 in California which banned gay marriage."

The response I recieved was, "Don't judge them for that Joe."

"Wait! What???", I asked.

"Don't judge Mormon's for that they do a lot of good" this person responded.

The person with whom I was speaking is not Mormon but is Christian as well as caucasion, heterosexual, and lives in a upper midle class suburban neighborhood.

I tell you this because I suspect this person has lived a priviledged life and has never faced discrimination at the same level I have as a gay man.

I am differentiated enough to allow our positions about the Mormon's (or any other anti-gay group for that matter) to be opposed and different.

But it begs the question: Could the same be said about the KKK who are known to be terrorists and violent as well as anti-semitic and racist believing in white supremecy? 

If some of the people were "good" people would you not still judge them?
 
I am frustrating and angry to hear anyone say that a group who hates and passes laws based on bigotry and hatred deserves any of my good will--or anyone else's for that matter.

What do you think? Read my essay below and then tell me how you feel on my blog

http://joekort.blogspot.com/2009/04/do-you-know-your-hospitals-hospitality.html

Do Your Know Your Hospital's Hospitality?

At 5:00 AM, I woke to find that Mike, my partner of 16 years, was not in bed. I heard a hard thump from upstairs, then another thump.

Running to our kitchen, I found Mike on the floor, bleeding from several gashes in his head. Our kitchen drawer was open, its corner streaked with blood.

Mike—semi-conscious, mumbling—was in pain. I was in shock, scared that my partner—no, my husband!— might be seriously injured. I called 911.

Everything became a blur until the EMT and police officers arrived. “Did you move him?” one officer asked sternly.

“Yes. I tried to get him onto a chair, or—”

“Never move people after they fall!” His voice rose angrily. “You could have paralyzed him!”

Now wide awake, I heard an EMT worker on his phone, saying they had “ruled out foul play.” Had they suspected Mike and I had fought and I struck him? The EMT man in charge glared at me. “We need to take him to the hospital.”

Mike, more coherent now, asked me to come in the ambulance. “Is that okay?” I asked. “Whatever! But you’re riding in the cab, not in back with him.”

Normally, if any jerk—especially a homophobe—treats me this way, I give him a piece of my mind. But Mike was now my main concern. I had to be cool. “I’ll follow behind in my car,” I told him. He nodded.

To read the entire article and make comments go to http://joekort.blogspot.com/2009/04/do-you-know-your-hospitals-hospitality.html

Warmly,

Joe Kort, LMSW