BACKLASH

HOMOSEXUALS OPPOSED to PRIDE  EXTREMISM
It's the backlash, stupid!
by John McKellar

As tribute to his legislation which decriminalized homosexuality, the late  Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's portrait hangs reverently in many gay  establishments across Canada. Somehow, I doubt  that he will ever have to share that spotlight with his current successor,  the Right Honourable Paul Martin, even if same-sex marriage is codified  under Martin's watch.

For one thing, the unconcealable squeamishness on the faces of both Prime  Minister Martin and Justice Minister Cotler, when compelled to speak about  anything gay and lesbian, is hardly endearing. More important, as Bill C-38  approaches crucial second reading - and probable assent - gay and lesbian  social welfare prelates have issued an orange alert warning about the  likelihood of increased verbal and physical harassment against our  community. What a sad and ironic legacy for today's Parliament!

In our nationwide angst to be enlightened and inclusive, we have shamefully  ignored the danger that over-the-top gay activism poses to gay culture. Self-annointed gay  leaders have always been naively confident that 'homophobia' will disappear  with massive education of the benighted. But such relentless indoctrination  and forced affirmation cannot be achieved without severely compromising our freedoms. And since freedom always trumps diversity and tolerance, you  can rest assured that any perceived threat to freedom will result in a societal backlash against  all gays and lesbians.

Gay bashing, most often perpetrated by inebriated and fractious young males,  is always inexcusable. Blaming it on religious conservatives, however, is  thoroughly disingenuous. When scholarly debate and rational opposition are  stifled, the argument is forced underground and frequently re-emerges in fanatical and perilous form. With respect to same-sex marriage, opponents  are summarily mocked and marginalized, and proper research is given perfunctory consideration.

Since gay men are always the first to be purged in any sort of social  upheaval, I have no time for the preciously pious types who are offended by my observations or who resort to  infantile ad hominems. I'm passionate and undeterred in my efforts to save  the spirit of gay culture and to preserve the freedoms we have gained over  the past thirty years. Same-sex marriage threatens the liberty of gays and lesbians like nothing before in the modern era.

When media and politicians relentlessly spin same-sex marriage as a human  rights issue, rather than a social value, or as a matter of equality,  instead of parity, they insult the intelligence of Canadians. And when the gay lobby falsely claims that without access to marriage we are  denied the benefits available to our straight counterparts, their lies  impose serious danger upon all gays and lesbians. Indeed, every misrepresentation moves the hands of the backlash clock, which  are already approaching midnight, several seconds closer.

Since the AIDS crisis of the 1980's, gay activists have always been hostile  toward mainstream religion. That's one of the reasons there has never been a gay leader remotely close  to the stature of Martin Luther King or Ghandi, both of whom were deeply  spiritual. That's also why, notwithstanding the lame protection clause given to churches in the same-sex marriage  legislation, the gay lobby is eagerly ready to plant its stiletto heel firmly on the throats of the  obstructive religious institutions. One of their specious justifications would be that since gender and racial  equality exists in or out of church, therefore sexual orientation must receive the same consideration.

Truly, the most scandalous aspect of the current efforts to deconsruct  marriage is that the petitioners for same-sex marriage and the judges who  habitually rule in their favour are philisophically and socially incestuous.  If one reads the depositions presented to the courts by the advocates, it  becomes glaringly evident that the judges are making their decisions based  on a sanitized, selective and tendentious view of gay life. It's largely  sentiment and camaraderie. Canada is about to uproot one of civilisations  most time-honoured foundations and engage in radical social engineering,  simply so that some peoples' feelings won't be hurt. When the judges hand  down their rulings, they should include a paper advising how we gays and  lesbians can best shield ourselves from the jeopardy to which they so  unthinkingly expose us.

Since most peoples' sense of history begins the day after they're born, it's  hardly surprizing that scarcely anyone recognizes the social and cultural  ramifications of ignoring the lessons of the past. Homosexuality has always  existed and always repeats its cycle which ranges from repression to  decadence. It flourishes openly and with decreasing moral opprobrium during  peaceful, affluent and cosmopolitan times. Feeling ebullient and invincible,  we soar to new heights of arrogant pride, embracing nihilism and casuistry  as supreme virtues of enlightenment. Then we wonder what hit us as we crash and burn into a dark abyss of suppression and fear.

Is it futile for me to dream about participating in the first civilisation  in history that finally breaks this ominous cycle, which sweeps gays and  lesbians through such political and psychological extremes? To accomplish such, we first must ditch our maudlin victim and oppression  mentality. Then we need to re-establish our leadership in the creative arts which, to our eternal  shame, has taken a back seat to the bourgeois entitlement concerns of a microscopic minority. Also, we  must be honest and apolitical about our unique health issues, which have not  only decimated our own, but have burdened society as a whole.

Members of Parliament: consider this my impassioned - almost desperate -  eleventh hour appeal to put an end to this April Fool's joke called same-sex  marriage, which falsely claims dignity and legitimacy by attaching itself to  the worthy principles of compassion, equality and justice. Stop the backlash  against gays and lesbians before it really takes hold.  Politicians are well  insulated, as they should be, from the anger of a frustrated and misled  public. But who protects me as I stroll through the gay village?

Centuries ago, Plato cautioned that democracy would crumble and pave the way  to dictatorship, because a foolish majority would turn liberty into license.  Today, the backlash clock is ticking...and ticking...and ticking.

John McKellar National Director, HOPE