oneshots

ai cares about us

We're going out to dinner with friends and then to the mall for some shopping and a little concert - see below.

I'm so excited to see my friends tonight.And the concert?It's by one of my favorite artists of all time!It's always so fun to see him live, I feel like I really get to know his music.Although this isn't the kind of music I'd ever listen to when I was a kid, I'm sure I would have loved it, even if I didn't like jazz.I think I'll be writing about the songs that caught my attention and gave me chills when I saw them at the concert, too.Maybe the ones that made me feel love and hope for the world around me.Sooooo....I heard today that the London Gay Men's Chorus had been banned from singing for England's annual Pride March.A coalition of religious and conservative groups had threatened legal action to prevent the performers from performing.According to a website that tracks the sort of hateful actions that pop up each year, someone stood up at a Pride event and shouted "Sodomites" during the chorus's rendition of George Michael's "Mother's Pride."The chorus members didn't stand up or respond to the asshole's comments.No one really does.That's how hateful folks are in our culture.This particular protest is one of the reasons I think we're in such a terrible place with regard to LGBT rights.I've lived all over the United States, and I have never heard any institution stand up and try to stop the inclusion of LGBT people.Not for me.Not for my family.And certainly not for the millions and millions of people in this world who want to join in the celebration of life.I don't think anyone even notices who's singing at these events.Because it's about love and joy.Because it's the spirit of a celebration of the human spirit.I don't care what religion you're walking with.I don't care if you have a special spiritual connection with the Lord.I don't care if you're "religious" or not.I don't care if you want to stand up to an asshole and say "You're not welcome here.Go home."I don't care if you're religious or not.As an ordained minister, I care.Because even though I respect your beliefs and values, I am also saying you are not welcome here.All of us are not welcome.We are going to have to be kinder.We are going to have to stand up.And we're going to have to stand up more and more and more.We are going to have to be peaceful, loving, and self - deprecating, and we're going to have to tell our stories.To everyone.Because it's the only way we're going to be able to change the hearts of the people who need to change them, the hearts of the folks who think hate is acceptable.I hope the chorus will receive the legal aid they need.They are such a great group of people.They work hard and they are wonderful.And I hope everyone gets a chance to see them perform.I hope the people who wanted to shut them down will have to wait, because the first place they'll have to show their face is at a community center or a wedding chapel.Those are the only places where they'll feel comfortable sharing their message of acceptance and love.You'll have to wait until they stand in front of the people who need to hear their message. That's when the hateful voices will be muffled by the warm, loving voices of the performers and community members.And it'll be worth the wait.I'm glad we have such