I was watching the local news coverage of weekend rallies planned by Idaho's/other States' opponents to California's recently passed Proposition 8 - which negated the CA Supreme Court's May '08 decision to allow same-sex marriage.
The newly-minted public policy decision by CA's electorate to deny their Supreme Court from determining the state's public policy on same-sex marriage was met by a mini-firestorm of resentment and anger. (Hmmm...for some reason, I never saw the McCain/Palin team hosting regional rallies two weeks after the election implying hate or anything else, but I might have missed them...See, they lost the public policy debate for President/VP....and the debate was over.)
In fact, cleverly woven into the signs were various uses of the term "H8". Pretty good use of symbols, I thought - though I disagreed with them - still, creativity should always be given its due....even when it might be disingenuous.
Hate? Because the public has decided over and over again that same sex marriage is inappropriate for the United States? The President-elect is not in favor of it. Neither is Joe Biden, nor Teddy Kennedy. Even Elton John doesn't want same sex "marriage". They all prefer civil unions...but not marriage.
Do they hate same sex couples? So, why the use of the word "hate"? Is there ever a time when this word can be rightly used?
Well, historically we can say "Hitler hated the Jews". Correctly, we can say " the KKK hates minorities."
And if you lived through the civil war in Lebanon, as did Brigitte Gabriel, you can say that many Arabs hate the Jews and Israel....and , from her life story, be accurate.
In fact, she's written a very personal memoir of the years she and her parents lived in a bunker during that time, entitled "Because They Hate.". I'm reading it right now. I'll put her bio, etc below so you can read up on her and visit her website.
I suppose this weekend's news reports, coupled with being deeply in the middle of her book caused me to wonder out loud: " Do the soft-seated fill-in-the-blank cubical employees and others who attended the downtown rally in support of same-sex marriage REALLY even have a clue regarding H8?" I'm just not sure.....but I bet Ms. Gabriel has an opinion.
Den
Brigitte Gabriel
Author, Speaker & Expert On The Middle East Conflict
Ms. Gabriel began her career as news anchor for “World News” an evening Arabic news broadcast for Middle East Television seen throughout Israel, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Cyprus and Lebanon.
She covered the Israeli security zone in Lebanon and the Palestinian uprising in the West Bank. Her work is of international scope having brought her in contact with world figures such as Margaret Thatcher, George H. Bush, Queen Nour El Hussein, Itzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres.
Ms. Gabriel immigrated to the United States in 1989 and started a television production and advertising company.
Her clients included ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, CNN, Discovery, TLC, History Channel, “Oprah Winfrey Show,” “20/20,” “World News Tonight” and “Good Morning America” to name a few. An Urgent Warning to the West
After the tragedy of September 11th, 2001 Ms. Gabriel founded American Congress for Truth.org a non profit organization dedicated to educating millions of uninformed Americans about the threat of radical Islam to world peace and national security.
She is a member of the board of Advisors of the Intelligence Summit and lectures nationally and internationally about terrorism and current affairs.
Gabriel is the author of the book Because They Hate: A Survivor of Islamic Terror Warns America. She is a regular guest on national TV news channels and various radio stations. She speaks four languages, Arabic, French, English and Hebrew.
TOPICS:
"Betrayed by my country, rescued by my enemy, Israel."
" Honor killing in the Arab world. The truth behind female suicide bombers."
" The threat of Islam to World Peace and national security."
" The truth behind the Israeli/Arab conflict."
“ Showdown with Nuclear Iran”
PRAISE:
“Rarely in my career, which extends to almost three decades now, have I had so much overwhelming response to any particular guest as we did to Brigitte Gabriel.
Toni Macrini, WNIS Norfolk, Virginia
“ I’ve worked in PR all my life. I have trained speakers, I have written for speakers, Brigitte Gabriel is the most effective and passionate speaker I have ever heard.”
Heather Stein, ZOA, Pittsburgh, PA
" I have never had a reaction to any guest during my career at the station like I have had to Brigitte Gabriel. She's fantastic.
Al Rantel Show, KABC, LA
What you are going to hear is staggering. It’s so important that every Jew and non-Jew understands and hears what Brigitte
Gabriel has to say.
Charles Bernhaut, Co-host “Israel Update” NYC
“ Your presentation was excellent. The anecdotes as you related them and the passion you communicated energized everyone in the room. We need this exposure to prevent the apathy which sets in sooner or later.”
Nancy Carney, Program Coordinator, Republican Party, VA
For further information, visit www.americancongressfortruth.com. Watch the streaming video of Brigitte's interview concerning her life and background.
“So many times in history in the last 100 years, citizens have stood by and done nothing, allowing evil to prevail. As America stood up against and defeated Communism, now it is time to stand up against the terror of religious bigotry, hatred and intolerance.”
Comments