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Mr. X's avatar

While this is about LGBTQ, I wish to share my thoughts on CRT.

Over the Holidays, I read "The 1619 Project."

My heroes fell from grace: Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin.

Then, in the hands of the author, they rose again. They rose from the two-dimensionality of the painting in the Met "Washington Crossing the Delaware," and the marble statues, to life.

The founding fathers are now men, to me: both flawed and good. They were good men who capitulated to their baser instincts, too often. However, they came alive after reading 1619. NOW, they are men I can look up to. I can try to emulate their goodness and eschew their flaws. They are alive now.

I also was astounded by how many slaves rebelled -- aside from the Haitian rebellion, I never learned about the revolts. Reading about the revolts gave me further insight into the horror of slavery.

And I was stunned by the smaller laws put into place to obstruct freedom for black people and perpetuate slavery.

Now, when I see the success of the US, I can no longer avoid the notion that we did it on free labor.

This book was good for me.

I cannot speak of gay culture, but I would assume that in reading more about gay culture, I would respect both gay and straight even more.

Learning is good.

I just don't understand the hate.

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Mark Stephenson's avatar

What needs to happen is a broad boycott of major Florida entertainment venues, such as Disney, Universal, Sea World and Busch Gardens by LGBTQ people and allies such as myself until this dystopian "Gilead of the South" starts to hurt financially. I intend to write to all of the above as well as the Orlando Tourism Board telling them so. Never mind that I am not traveling until Covid is over. They don't know that. 8-))

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