A couple weeks ago, I was on Facebook doing what any normal person does – creeping around on other people’s profiles – when I encountered a rather disconcerting notion.
In my cyber-stalking, I found a friend who was a member of the group “Fred Phelps is gay.”
What? I don’t understand what the intended message of this group could possibly be.
The subject of this statement, Fred Phelps, has negative connotations for some.
The adjective used to describe him – gay – also poses some troubles for certain members of our society. However, the two combined present quite an oxymoron.
Fred Phelps is a heinous human being.
Almost anyone whose last name isn’t Phelps would probably tell you that. He is a bigot in its most basic sense.
He goes around Northeast Kansas and the nation spreading messages of hatred, claiming God hates and intends to punish all homosexuals.
His definition of “homosexual” is also quite loosely construed.
Any person who offends this easily offended, frail, old man qualifies as a homosexual, open for picketing, badgering and insulting.
The concept of homosexuality is offensive to some, as well. For some, religious arguments are sufficient to deem same-sex sentimentality an offensive act. For others within our society, the foreignness of same-sex relations is deemed disgusting or inappropriate. Regardless, all anti-homosexual arguments stem from social stigmas assigned to those who refuse to buy into reproductive, heterosexual propaganda.
I see several potential explanations to this group’s existence. The most obvious would be Fred Phelps has homosexual tendencies, and the creators of this group have some sort of insider information, allowing them to make a valid claim that Fred Phelps actually is gay.
A second explanation would be the word “gay” is actually being used in the context of joyful and happy, but as Phelps is so spiteful, I’m kind of doubtful about that one.
It seems the most likely explanation is rather that the creators of this group intended to insult Fred Phelps and all he stands for by calling him gay. Well, isn’t that special.
Gay, when used in this context, is intended as a derogatory term. The insinuation therein is an intrinsic problem exists with the mere act of being homosexual.
Oh, the irony’s so thick you could barely cut it with a drag queen’s stiletto heel.
Those insulting Phelps for his open hatred toward homosexuality are using rhetoric that demonstrates a deep-seeded bias against homosexuality.
This could be compared to saying Adolf Hitler is a Jew, Pat Roberts is a dirty Mexican or members of the Ku Klux Klan are (choose your racist term aimed at blacks).
It’s utterly pointless, and it lacks all progressive potential because those who are trying to condemn Phelps’ message are supporting it by using anti-homosexual language.
Heterosexism is so prevalent in American society that people who claim to support homosexuality use rhetoric that should be offensive to homosexuals.
The same is true of racism, sexism and every other “ism” there is.
The point here is not directed at those in the Facebook group “Fred Phelps is gay” but rather everyone.
That’s because every single person has some sort of bigotry embedded in his personality through his upbringing and previous experiences.
Anyone who would argue that my claim is unwarranted must be reading this from a deserted island or at least, somewhere far from Baldwin City.
A first step toward improving relations between people with inherent traits for which people are generally hated must be to stop using labels for different groups in derogatory ways.
Basically, quit being so gay and learn to love people.
Did you hear how offensive and ironic that was? Seriously, stop it.