Homophobia: Bad Karma will get you...

[Wetzelbill]

I heard an interesting story not too long ago.

I'm from a small rural area, right on the edge of an Indian reservation. Most people tend to be a little suspicious about differences. Racism. Homophobia. They exist, but people aren't wild-eyed and frothing about these differences, mainly they are incognizant about them. Most people where I'm from have never even known a black person or someone who is gay. This ignorance comes out from time to time. Even some of the best people I know have said things that made me cringe. Not unlike how Obama spoke of his white grandmother. But, by and large, these issues aren't a big deal because there isn't much diversity to begin with. The county is split about 60-40 between Indians and whites, and racial relations have gotten better over the decades. Other races are virtually nonexistent, and the few that are around, tend to blend in with the Indian population because they are typically mixed with Blackfeet blood. Homophobia would be a bigger problem, but there just isn't many gay or lesbians who live there. They wouldn't be overly welcome if they did live there though.

And this brings me to a guy I know.

I once heard him and another friend gay-bashing. I said I was for gay rights etc, and they didn't excoriate me for it or anything, they just said they weren't and that they hated gays. They even talked about being gay-bashers and maybe beating up a gay man or something, but, I'm sure they were just talking about that. Their views were hateful though. The problem is, neither one of them even knew or were friends with anybody who was gay. I asked them if they did, and they said they weren't ever friends or knew any gay men and they wouldn't want to know any. Fine. I had gay friend and I mentioned I knew the guy when I was at college etc, and he was a great person and so on. Again, they didn't have a problem with that, but they just said neither of them wanted to know or be friends with anyone who was gay. Fair enough, I guess.

Then I got to thinking. See, we did know a gay male. He was a relative of a family myself and the one guy were close to. Now this gay male wasn't totally out, but it was common knowledge he was gay. And, for as long as I remember, he was always the butt of jokes or people would tease each other about this guy etc, because he was gay. The gay male would always be over at the family's house and myself and my friend would always stay there etc. I know my friend was always making fun of this gay guy, he never tried to beat him up or anything, but he was always hard on the guy. We all teased him too, but really not in a mean way. It's important to understand, that often on Indian reservations, especially Northern tribes, people tease each other alot. Almost brutally. So most of us never teased the gay guy any more than we teased or made fun of ourselves. But my one friend, he would always go a little far teasing the gay guy, and would constantly make fun of how he talked etc. He and a group of other guys his age even began to use the guy's last name as a pejorative term. Such as if you did something and they wanted to make fun of you, they'd refer to you by this guys last name. Sort of like if I was to try to insult somebody by calling them a "Bush" or something like that.

Well, anyway, like I said, my friend was always overly hard on this guy, and had made hateful homophobic comments over the years. Maybe a lot of it was immaturity, not sure, but he was definitely homophobic and he definitely was disrespectful towards this gay guy who we all knew.

Over the years, I never thought any more about it. Then I heard something a week or so ago.

It turns out my homophobic friend's dad ended up leaving his family for another guy. I know this would have to hurt my friend, because he constantly was making fun of gay people or using the one guy's name as a pejorative or using the word "fag" etc. I suppose some would call it poetic justice, but I would have to disagree a little because there is more to it.

What would that be?

My friend's dad didn't just leave his family for another guy. He left his family for the guy who his son always used to make fun of and treat like shit.

Now THAT is poetic justice. :)

[TomInTib]

1. It'll look you right in the face...

Instant Karma's gonna get you

Join the Human Race

And we'll all shine on...


KnR con mucho gusto

[BlueJazz]

2. Whoa!....Maybe in time the Son can accept the situation. You know the bottom line..

...is, "Do you want your loved ones to be happy"
If the Father is happy with his choice, more power to him....and best wishes..

[Melynn]

3. I wonder if the son suspected his dad was gay?

That might explain his attitude toward gays. He was afraid his dad was gay.