Never in a million years did I ever think I’d be agreeing with Dale Warner on ANYTHING, but now I see what he is talking about. This is not funny in the least. I’m very disappointed in SJI for putting something so racist, discriminatory, and bashes Gays on an otherwise respectful blog. These kinds of jokes are one of the many reasons some people remain ignorant, members in our Gay and Lesbian communities are being assaulted, and why people refuse to stop being bigots.
This is the kind of sensationalistic, ignorant garbage that is causing both the Metro and Merc to go under. Good ridden to bad garbage.
So what is the point of this cartoon?
To demean one of humanity’s greatest prophetic teachings on love and compassion?
To demean people who have faith in a transcendent unifying power?
To demean imperfect people who are no better than you or I?
To demean the members of the Unitarian Church?
To demean love between people regardless of gender?
To demean Lesbians?
To demean Lebonese women?
To demean European Americans?
When are we going to speak to what we hope for and who we need to be so that we can transcend negative human constructs and stereotypes that no longer serve our species.
We are wasting bandwidth on these divisive issues. They are a distraction from what really matters in times like these…love sustained co-habitation.
Let’s move on.
Delorme
I do not understand why First Unitarian Church of San Jose was targeted by this cartoon. Our congregation has a long history of supporting GBLT rights, and the right to marry. How could Decinzo have gotten us so wrong. We are “Welcoming Congregation” (a certification earned for our anti-oppression work on BGLT issues). Every year a large contingent marches in San Jose’ Gay Pride parade. We are often contacted by the media as liberal religious voices to provide counterpoint to the religious right. We were signers of the Amicus Brief supporting the right to marry. Many members of our congegation (including our minister) stood outside of Walmarts and Targets in the “Decline to Sign” campaign trying to keep the definition of marriage intiative off of the September ballot.
Our congregation was so overjoyed by the court decision that we sponsored a wedding event where we provided free weddings with cake, champagne, flowers, and a photographer. Couples and their guests were warmly welcomed on the steps, we performed a ceremony personalized to their beliefs and preferences and were ushered into our social hall to celebrate.
When I look at the cartoon even without the text I think how could Decinzo have gotten us to wrong. Our members are agnostics, Christian, Buddhist, and pagan. We support each other finding our individual spiritual path. We are striving to be a multicultural congregation offering services in Spanish as well as English. Our social justice work has a long history and is known through out the valley.
Take a look at our website if you want to know more about us.
It’s BGLT, not just plain old BLT. The acronym had to be updated to specify green lettuce and force restaurants to quit trying to get by with the brown stuff.
I’m afraid if the salmonella-free folks have their way it will soon be a BGLSFT, at which point I’ll just change my order to a tuna on toast.
I can’t comprehend how anyone would see this piece as bigoted or demeaning to gay men and lesbians.
It seems obvious that DeCinzo’s intended targets here are the hypocrites who call themselves Christian and yet practice intolerance. That’s the point of the cartoon—that Jesus himself would be scorned by those who practice bigotry in his name.
I’ll admit that I’m confused about why Steven (a friend and colleague) chose to set the scene at the Unitarian Church.
I understand that political cartoons are supposed to make people think, but this cartoon is wrong on so many levels. It is not even funny. It only vocalizes an anti-gay sentiment that our society is continually fighting against. I am disappointed SJI would even CONSIDER put this up.
I had mistakenly thought that GL was GenderLess – you know like a politically correct name for eunuch or something. Or do eunuch’s fall into the ‘T’ category?
1. This does not evoke any anti-gay sentiment. It juxtaposes modern day Christians against the teachings of Christ. If you can’t see that, you’re an idiot.
2. He probably should have selected a more conservative institution to prove this point.
When I first saw the cartoon my thought was it simply satirizes the hypocrisy of modern “Christians” who spew hate, venom, and the call for violence versus the perceived tenets of Christianity.
I had to go back and look at it closer before I understood the objections to a specific church. Not knowing anything about that church I do not know if they deserve to be singled out or not. However, the religious nuts most deservedly need to be skewered.
Some of you just don’t seem to want to get it. If this cartoon’s joke were aimed at you, and misrepresented your views to the public, then I am sure you would not be so quick to dismiss it like you do. There are a lot of Christians that are inclusive, and do accept the LGBT community. As Ms. Rodriguez points out, her church does accept, and support the LGBT community. Secondly, if any of you had to sit in meetings and hear how many people from the LGBT were discriminated against and targets of hate crimes, you would not be so quick make fun of this.
#7 Eric Johnson – I understand the point you say Dicinzo is trying to make; this cartoon missed the mark.
1.) A great disservice is being done to this church by this cartoons public misrepresentation of the First Unitarian Church of San Jose’s position on Gays and Lesbians. That misinformation will automatically lead people to think things about this church that are not true, and therefore will make it a target of hatred.
2.) Not ALL Christians and not ALL white people are of the mind that the BGLT communities are Godless. Many Christians happen to be from the BGLT community as well.
3.) Nam Turk in Eastside, just because people don’t see something the way you do, or think something is funny does not make them an “idiot.”
4.) Jonathan Swift, “However, the religious nuts most deservedly need to be skewered.”
I disagree. Cartoons that “skew” people only help the ignorant to feel stronger in their misperceptions and their bias. They need to be educated. Hatred comes from ignorance and fear. Don’t forget, we have a very large immigrant population here in San Jose and they come from religions and cultures that harshly condemn homosexuality. In some countries, people of the BGLT persuasion are put to death.
You guys can joke about this all you want and I’m certain you will, that is your right. I personally can’t have a good sense of humor about something this serious. In the work that I do on a daily basis, I have seen the consequences of such hatred. When you sit in front of a 16 year old Transgender child who has been ousted by their family, or been beaten up, harassed, and/or tormented by their peers, it is very difficult to see ignorant cartoons that undermine all the hard work and education we try to do in the community. The smart remarks and jokes you are all making about those of us who object to this cartoon is a perfect example of the problem we face everyday out in the field.
Thank God the courts have finally found that discrimination, and depriving ANY group of their civil rights is unconstitutional, and illegal. There may be hope for us yet.
#13- Novice,
Is that an invitation to discuss this in an intellectual, tolerant of differing views, and respectful manner? If so, I’d be happy to take part in such a discussion.
In answer to your question: No I don’t hate the haters. I feel sorry for them because they allow misinformation, bad personal experiences, religion, and fear to drive them instead of having compassion, and wanting to educate themselves on another group, race, or religious belief.
Never in a million years did I ever think I’d be agreeing with Dale Warner on ANYTHING, but now I see what he is talking about. This is not funny in the least. I’m very disappointed in SJI for putting something so racist, discriminatory, and bashes Gays on an otherwise respectful blog. These kinds of jokes are one of the many reasons some people remain ignorant, members in our Gay and Lesbian communities are being assaulted, and why people refuse to stop being bigots.
This is the kind of sensationalistic, ignorant garbage that is causing both the Metro and Merc to go under. Good ridden to bad garbage.
So what is the point of this cartoon?
To demean one of humanity’s greatest prophetic teachings on love and compassion?
To demean people who have faith in a transcendent unifying power?
To demean imperfect people who are no better than you or I?
To demean the members of the Unitarian Church?
To demean love between people regardless of gender?
To demean Lesbians?
To demean Lebonese women?
To demean European Americans?
When are we going to speak to what we hope for and who we need to be so that we can transcend negative human constructs and stereotypes that no longer serve our species.
We are wasting bandwidth on these divisive issues. They are a distraction from what really matters in times like these…love sustained co-habitation.
Let’s move on.
Delorme
I do not understand why First Unitarian Church of San Jose was targeted by this cartoon. Our congregation has a long history of supporting GBLT rights, and the right to marry. How could Decinzo have gotten us so wrong. We are “Welcoming Congregation” (a certification earned for our anti-oppression work on BGLT issues). Every year a large contingent marches in San Jose’ Gay Pride parade. We are often contacted by the media as liberal religious voices to provide counterpoint to the religious right. We were signers of the Amicus Brief supporting the right to marry. Many members of our congegation (including our minister) stood outside of Walmarts and Targets in the “Decline to Sign” campaign trying to keep the definition of marriage intiative off of the September ballot.
Our congregation was so overjoyed by the court decision that we sponsored a wedding event where we provided free weddings with cake, champagne, flowers, and a photographer. Couples and their guests were warmly welcomed on the steps, we performed a ceremony personalized to their beliefs and preferences and were ushered into our social hall to celebrate.
When I look at the cartoon even without the text I think how could Decinzo have gotten us to wrong. Our members are agnostics, Christian, Buddhist, and pagan. We support each other finding our individual spiritual path. We are striving to be a multicultural congregation offering services in Spanish as well as English. Our social justice work has a long history and is known through out the valley.
Take a look at our website if you want to know more about us.
What’s all the hubbub about BLT’s?
I happen to love BLT’s and had one just the other day. Is it the salmonella thing that has people so riled up about BLT’s?
And don’t get me started about BLT’s having rights and not being welcome in church!
Novice,
Thanks for proving my point.
Novice,
It’s BGLT, not just plain old BLT. The acronym had to be updated to specify green lettuce and force restaurants to quit trying to get by with the brown stuff.
I’m afraid if the salmonella-free folks have their way it will soon be a BGLSFT, at which point I’ll just change my order to a tuna on toast.
I can’t comprehend how anyone would see this piece as bigoted or demeaning to gay men and lesbians.
It seems obvious that DeCinzo’s intended targets here are the hypocrites who call themselves Christian and yet practice intolerance. That’s the point of the cartoon—that Jesus himself would be scorned by those who practice bigotry in his name.
I’ll admit that I’m confused about why Steven (a friend and colleague) chose to set the scene at the Unitarian Church.
I understand that political cartoons are supposed to make people think, but this cartoon is wrong on so many levels. It is not even funny. It only vocalizes an anti-gay sentiment that our society is continually fighting against. I am disappointed SJI would even CONSIDER put this up.
Finfan,
Thanks for that.
I had mistakenly thought that GL was GenderLess – you know like a politically correct name for eunuch or something. Or do eunuch’s fall into the ‘T’ category?
It’s all so confusing.
1. This does not evoke any anti-gay sentiment. It juxtaposes modern day Christians against the teachings of Christ. If you can’t see that, you’re an idiot.
2. He probably should have selected a more conservative institution to prove this point.
#10
Definitely agree on point #1.
When I first saw the cartoon my thought was it simply satirizes the hypocrisy of modern “Christians” who spew hate, venom, and the call for violence versus the perceived tenets of Christianity.
I had to go back and look at it closer before I understood the objections to a specific church. Not knowing anything about that church I do not know if they deserve to be singled out or not. However, the religious nuts most deservedly need to be skewered.
Some of you just don’t seem to want to get it. If this cartoon’s joke were aimed at you, and misrepresented your views to the public, then I am sure you would not be so quick to dismiss it like you do. There are a lot of Christians that are inclusive, and do accept the LGBT community. As Ms. Rodriguez points out, her church does accept, and support the LGBT community. Secondly, if any of you had to sit in meetings and hear how many people from the LGBT were discriminated against and targets of hate crimes, you would not be so quick make fun of this.
#7 Eric Johnson – I understand the point you say Dicinzo is trying to make; this cartoon missed the mark.
The intolerance and hypocrisy expressed by the self-annointed ‘tolerant’ is intolerable.
Doest thou also hate the haters?
1.) A great disservice is being done to this church by this cartoons public misrepresentation of the First Unitarian Church of San Jose’s position on Gays and Lesbians. That misinformation will automatically lead people to think things about this church that are not true, and therefore will make it a target of hatred.
Please see link below.
http://sanjoseuu.org/Ministries/SocialJustice/wc.html
2.) Not ALL Christians and not ALL white people are of the mind that the BGLT communities are Godless. Many Christians happen to be from the BGLT community as well.
3.) Nam Turk in Eastside, just because people don’t see something the way you do, or think something is funny does not make them an “idiot.”
4.) Jonathan Swift, “However, the religious nuts most deservedly need to be skewered.”
I disagree. Cartoons that “skew” people only help the ignorant to feel stronger in their misperceptions and their bias. They need to be educated. Hatred comes from ignorance and fear. Don’t forget, we have a very large immigrant population here in San Jose and they come from religions and cultures that harshly condemn homosexuality. In some countries, people of the BGLT persuasion are put to death.
You guys can joke about this all you want and I’m certain you will, that is your right. I personally can’t have a good sense of humor about something this serious. In the work that I do on a daily basis, I have seen the consequences of such hatred. When you sit in front of a 16 year old Transgender child who has been ousted by their family, or been beaten up, harassed, and/or tormented by their peers, it is very difficult to see ignorant cartoons that undermine all the hard work and education we try to do in the community. The smart remarks and jokes you are all making about those of us who object to this cartoon is a perfect example of the problem we face everyday out in the field.
Thank God the courts have finally found that discrimination, and depriving ANY group of their civil rights is unconstitutional, and illegal. There may be hope for us yet.
Well, Novice, do you? Do you hate the haters?
#13- Novice,
Is that an invitation to discuss this in an intellectual, tolerant of differing views, and respectful manner? If so, I’d be happy to take part in such a discussion.
In answer to your question: No I don’t hate the haters. I feel sorry for them because they allow misinformation, bad personal experiences, religion, and fear to drive them instead of having compassion, and wanting to educate themselves on another group, race, or religious belief.
Christian – I’m afraid you got the wrong guy.
I’m just a poor slob who got stuck here in Babylon through no fault of his own. When the next opportunity comes to migrate to America, I’m on it.
Utterly disgraceful. Being a real pal from him for a decade. I’m sickened by his amoral cartoons.