Catharsis......

[osodecanela]

mudcub had this in his livejournal earlier today. The idea spoke to me. I've needed to say something directly to some of the people who supported prop 8. I actually wrote that letter he talked about below, and am letting it sit tonight, seasoning a final edit. Tomorrow I will print it up and mail it to 5 people. I'll also post it here.

And I challenge each person reading this journal to do the same thing. We are abstract, until we become concrete in other people's lives. It's easier to dislike or mistreat someone 'out there'. It becomes much harder when it becomes someone they know. Moreover, people need to know that someone is watching them, when they work to abridge someone's civil rights.

So as mudcub posted:

Here is what I want you to do. And not to just think about it, but to get off your ass and do something about gay marriage in the United States.
Step 1: Go to the list published today of the people who made financial contributions to Proposition 8. Pick five of them. Not a lot, just five. (http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1303282&view=received)

Step 2: Go to the free online white pages (http://www.whitepages.com/) and find the donor's name and address

Step 3: Write a letter. Mine is listed below. Please be polite but honest. Explain how the lack of gay rights in the US has affected your life

Step 4: Actually print out five copies of your letter, address five envelopes, and mail them

Step 5: See change happen. No, seriously. Change will happen. And not a pollyanna idea that the recipient of your letter will have an epiphany and suddenly become a gay rights supporter. The change will come from something else. Maybe you'll become more of an activist. Maybe someone will write an article about your letter when they receive it and it will start a discussion. Maybe you'll just feel good doing something tangible for gay rights instead of passively waiting for the courts to decide your fate for you.

Comments

[mudcub.livejournal.com]

So, not a lot of comments on my journal about my "pink mail" idear.

Are people 1) tired of being yelled at to be political? 2) burned out on the gay rights issue after the last election? 3) not interested in the issue 'cause they're single or have enough civil union rights? 4) too stressed out and busy with their lives to write a letter? 5) cowed and submissive and they don't they anything they do will effect change? 6) think it's a dumb idea and don't want to communicate with small-minded bigots?

The silence is deafening... myself included.

[osodecanela.livejournal.com]

responding takes time, and hopefully takes thought. For that matter how many people take the time to write to their congressperson or a "letter to the editor" of the local newspaper? How many take the time to vote or work on a political campaign?

Inertia is rampant for many, and gay folk are not immune.

Head over to my page to check out what I had to write.