Continued from yesterday...
I suppose the knowledge that the Columbus Gay Pride Parade was coming up was tucked away in some remote corner of my mind palace (as Sherlock Holmes would say). It just wasn't anywhere near the front door.
And if I hadn't skipped church for several weeks previous to the event (with nothing but stellar excuses for skipping, of course ) I would have known that the parade was last Saturday and that a group from Peace was going to march in support of gay rights.
Subsequently it came as a complete surprise last Saturday night when my daughter Theresa who was visiting for the weekend pulled up her Facebook page and showed me the photos of our pastor Doug Warburton and members of our congregation marching in the parade.
I suppose the knowledge that the Columbus Gay Pride Parade was coming up was tucked away in some remote corner of my mind palace (as Sherlock Holmes would say). It just wasn't anywhere near the front door.
And if I hadn't skipped church for several weeks previous to the event (with nothing but stellar excuses for skipping, of course ) I would have known that the parade was last Saturday and that a group from Peace was going to march in support of gay rights.
Subsequently it came as a complete surprise last Saturday night when my daughter Theresa who was visiting for the weekend pulled up her Facebook page and showed me the photos of our pastor Doug Warburton and members of our congregation marching in the parade.
Pastor Doug Warburton, flashing a peace sign.
My initial reaction reaction was, "Oh my gosh, I'm so proud of them!"
And I was proud of them, not only for standing up for what they believed in, but for believing in what they believed in.
And for being on the right side of history.
I believe that history is always evolving away from oppression and in the direction of human rights, though it's a slow evolution borne of long struggles and much suffering.
I once heard a historian say that when a human rights struggle is history, when it's the indisputable law of the land and has become the status quo, then the majority will defend the law because they want to be on the side of the angels. But during the actual era of the struggle very few will get involved or take a public stand in support of their unjustly fellow treated fellow human beings.
But last Saturday the members of Peace did get involved and they did take a public stand.
Which is why now I not only love being a part of Peace, but I'm proud, as well.
And I was proud of them, not only for standing up for what they believed in, but for believing in what they believed in.
And for being on the right side of history.
I believe that history is always evolving away from oppression and in the direction of human rights, though it's a slow evolution borne of long struggles and much suffering.
I once heard a historian say that when a human rights struggle is history, when it's the indisputable law of the land and has become the status quo, then the majority will defend the law because they want to be on the side of the angels. But during the actual era of the struggle very few will get involved or take a public stand in support of their unjustly fellow treated fellow human beings.
But last Saturday the members of Peace did get involved and they did take a public stand.
Which is why now I not only love being a part of Peace, but I'm proud, as well.
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