Violators by Chipka
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Description
Last Sunday, I went—under oh-so-slight duress—to Chicago’s Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade. Though to be fair, it has become Chicago’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Questioning, Transsexual, Transgender, Straight, Pet owners, SUV drivers, Parking Meter non-payers Parade.
After living in Europe for two years, in Prague and in Český Krumlov, in Dortmund, Germany, as well, I found myself amazed at the almost barbaric manner in which Americans are so completely and vociferously polarized. I was (and am) troubled that in this, the alleged "land of the free" there is still a need for any sort of Pride parade. In the countries and cities I've had the humbling honor of living in abroad, there were no pride parades and no bars that speak of segregation that is, of course, never called that.
In the Czech Republic, especially, religion scarcely exists. Here, on the other hand, Jesus is has become a part of conversations ranging from taxation and fuel prices to whether or not women have the right to decide what to do with their own twiddly bits: it has turned into a weapon used against those with whom the "moral majority" does not agree. It is also the manner in which we pick and choose what to teach and what not to teach our children. Darwin and the established (proven) laws of science (which are the established and proven laws of nature itself) are called into question, while the “inerrant word of God” is taken as…well…gospel truth.
Ah, but as Tori Amos once stated: “I think the Good Book is missin’ some pages.”
I must admit that the Born Again Christian protesters (Born again? Did they not get it right the first time?) were the most interesting element of the spectacle, despite their flawed and oh-so-subjective morality. They were loud. They were strident. They couldn’t spell. They ended sentences with prepositions: my own personal pet peeve. I wish there was a verse in the bible that said: “Thou shalt not end a sentence with a word of connection.” Maybe there is, but I don’t see an earlier version of me actually making it into that 66-book anthology commonly accepted as a single, theologically definitive text.
At any rate, the dogma-riddled Born Agains were somewhat amusing, if simultaneously shrill and annoying. But as I listened to them, and the things they said about me personally (and through a megaphone, no less,) I wondered if they’d ever even read Proverbs 19, verse 9. It states, after all, A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish”. But then, maybe in an unexpected way, they could be onto something. Photographing idiots might just be a sin.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and hopefully you're all on the verge of a great weekend, and for those of you who celebrate American Independence Day, hopefully you're on the verge of a great one.
Comments (23)
beachzz
Eloquently said, Chip!! I've see more of this crap than I would believe possible, for all our "enlightened" ways. Ha! A good friend of mine was somewhere in LA with a friend, and they were giggling, being silly, and having fun. A man, from one of those horribly repressed countries, started screaming at the two of them, saying they were "Evil women, filthy, and should be killed". Caron, who is straight, let him have it. AND, since they were at an amusement park, went straight to security and demanded he be thrown, that her civil rights had been violated. This was in front of his two young sons, great example. Anyway, my point is, it's insidious in its regularity, that it STILL happens. Oh yeah, because she was SO vocal, and management was probably worried about a lawsuit, they gave both of them a year's worth of free admission; like they'd ever want to go back!!
MrsRatbag
Chip, I'm with you on this one. I always think of a line from an old Genesis song: "There's no need to sell if you're homeward bound."
tamburro
Great work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! +++5!!!! Hugs...Orlando
jackielhodges
Applause!!! Great shot. I love how the signs contradict each other. Everyone should read what you wrote there.
bimm3d
superb!!!!
Sea_Dog
Power image and narrative, Chipka. Very powerful.
mbz2662
Good work ~ (.... and about the missing pages... I think there is more truth to that than we know.) Have a super weekend!
auntietk
I've been sitting here writing and erasing, writing and erasing, for about fifteen minutes. I give up. That sort of thing mystifies me like nothing else in the world, and the more I think about it, the less I have to say. All I can do is shake my head.
photostar
A good time to remember the words, "beware of wolves who come in sheep's clothing." Now, is that the quack group from Kansas? Where everyone who belongs to their church is all related!!!
CoreyBlack
Yes, I begrudgingly went to this year's Pride Parade (after the first 25 years it gets just a touch boring,) also. I wasn't going to go, but then another friend offered me a ride on the Free Press double decker bus, so I thought: what the hell? I suppose the fundies are the last vestige of anything even remotely political in the parade (aren't we supposed to be commemorating a riot here?) But even so, I'm glad to see that their presence keeps shrinking year by year. When I first started going to the parade, there were a lot more of them and they were even more intrusive. They'd stand on rooftops and throw eggs, rocks, and things like that at you. I remember one year, (1986?) when the Illinois Nazi Party tried to crash the rally after the parade and things got quite tense before the police showed up. I distinctly remember them yelling "Seig heil!" and we'd yell back "Seek Help!" So, to see these few pathetic losers, even with their bullhorns surrounded by a phalanx of unifomed cops is almost a non-event by comparison. Very nice shot, and I like how you captured the contradictions of their own message. Does this mean that I can't use my shot of the same thing now?
alwaysonmymind
Great shot (of a dying breed?). I wonder how chances are that, in twenty years time, these men might be replaced with followers of another god, not content to be wearing signs and shouting through megaphones, but actually throwing rocks.
durleybeachbum
Hear hear, Chip!! Fantastic bit of writing. Somebody (sensible)once said, when addressing a Christian conference,something like "Many of you here, if you are Fundamentalists, will be very upset by what I have to say. The Bible is a collection of books written by many different folk across many centuries. It is like a telescope looking down the years giving us an insight into how folk have understood God. You, however, are worshipping the book not God." There was uproar!
VRG
"I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it." - Voltaire
romanceworks
I will never understand hatred, bigotry, intolerance, and violence, all in the name of religion.
Roxam
elsewhere on the parade route: http://www.thedailybackground.com/2009/06/30/photos-from-the-chicago-gay-pride-parade-2009/
ladyraven23452
I must say your right about all and i love the shot.
costapanos
Beautiful written and this image says so much! Thank you for sharing this!
elfin12u
sigh
wingnut55
interesting shot and interesting thoughts. Americans do tend to be assertive about almost anything and everything, and that lack of reticence can be a bit intimidating for foreigners or folks who have just been away for a while...
KatesFriend
Very well said Chip. I like to think that Canada is a little more at ease with these matters than our US cousins. Unfortunately, there are so many here who keep our current Prime Minister in power in the hope he will attain the prized majority government and roll back many of the rights that gays and lesbians have affirmed here over the years. At the same time Yet our PMS (Prime Minister Steve) and his supporters feel 'persecuted' when he is criticized for evoking God while performing public duties as Prime Minister.
nikolais
amazing is the way you expand the context with just a few clear-cut sentences, Chip! " be in peace with god whatever you conceive him to be....(M. Erhmann). too bad the principle is only followed by the few.
NefariousDrO
Having participated in a fair amount of politics over the years, I can feel your pain at what is happening in this country. I wish the "land of the free" meant that people would finally remember what Thomas Aquinas wrote about free will, and the necessity of allowing people to choose the wrong thing, because without free will there is no redemption. But I digress. I do like this photo, and agree with the sentiments you express.
anaber
Without freedom there is no peace either love.This concept is so more important as our freedom cannot block the freedom of others..only way to combat fear,injustice and intimidation. Freedom and solidarity walk side by side and there is no possibility of one without the other...and if life will be like this...so God is there,don´t matter the religion.I love the way you expresse your thoughts ..i feel it free.