 Sex and the Single God |
Now I realize that the title to this article bears resemblance to the famous book, Sex and the Single Girl, authored by the trailblazing feminist Helen Gurley Brown. It does. And for a reason.
All remember Brown of Playgirl magazine and other fame, for many years now the doyen in my estimation of those women of the sexual revolution of years past. The revolution, won or lost by I'm not sure who, but fought by and played in by legions. But, anyway, Brown was certainly in the avant-garde and still remains in the trenches faithfully guarding hard won bulwarks.
There is silence now in that revolution. A kind of somnolence prevails. (Well except for that tiny little conflagration at the Master's last April.)
But a new war seems near. As with Lexington and Concord, skirmishes have already been fought.
No it's nothing like the feminist movement or the sexual revolution but maybe a devolution. Call it the sexual devolution. An evolution of structures toward greater simplicity or disappearance; a degeneration (a biological definition). We, society, have decided to simplify certain institutions. In this case the institutions are marriage and the priesthood.
Yes, men should be free to marry men and women to marry women. And the Episcopal Church, contrary to its convoluted and confused past, no longer need inquire into difficult questions concerning the sexual preferences of those who seek higher office on the road to God's higher kingdom.
Now I haven't been mustered on any movements of late. Probably because I don't sign up for too many causes. I figured the feminist movement should be left to the fairer sex. (Former NOW President Patricia is the fairer sex isn't she? I'm looking at a photo of her at a New Hampshire rally. She's not the cute one holding the "Keep Bush Away From My Bush" placard.) And I failed to rally in time for the sexual revolution.
But I do have my bona fides (that's 'boney fide ees' where I come from). Sort of, that is. When Emory University Professor Thomas J.J. Altizer gained national notoriety for espousing his famous "God is Dead" theory from a barstool at nearby Manual's Tavern in 1965, I was there. Well almost. I actually didn't arrive in Atlanta until August 1969 and didn't find Manual's till October. By that time Manual was back to discussing democratic politics and the clientele was back to Tech and Georgia football. (But I was there the day Mac the bartender tossed out the guy that ordered the soft drink. Manual's only sold beer in those days. The unfortunate had already been turned down when he ordered coffee. Big McClendon's famous words still ring. "Whadda yuh think, this is, a G**D*** airplane or sumpin!" after the soft drink request.)
But here I am. Ready. For the sexual devolution. Where do I enlist? Certainly a cause (causes?) worth fighting for. After all, this is all about discrimination. MLK was right. Where's Jesse? Sick? Oh well, Glen's here.
Serious. Slavery was wrong. Second hand smoke is harmful to health. Obesity causes lawyers...er, fat. Aw s**t, I mean...well its bad for you. And stuffing enough of almost anything down a white rat will cause cancer darn near 00.9981 per cent of the time.
Really serious. We all must join this battle. This is about gay rights. Abe Lincoln would have cared. Carrie Nation would have cared. Surely Manual would care. Patricia Ireland cares. We all must care. (Bill Clinton would have felt their pain-who cares).
I'm in a fighting mood. But, do I care enough? Darn right I do. Mother always wanted an evangelist. She'll be proud (but will she care?).
Unfortunately this war is controversial. Just like that Iraq thing. Seems the Christian Right is weighing in heavily in favor of discrimination. You know them, the Christian Right: the Baptists, the Pentecostalists, all the Holy Rollers, some Methodists even, etc. But, seems like even some of the right (oops), I mean correct thinking Christians-the Christian Wrong (?) are joining the Christian Righters on this one: the Catholics, the Lutherans, the Congregationalists, some Methodists, et al. And the Jews too.
Hollywood may be in favor of this war though. It appears Barbara Streisand, Martin Sheen, Sean Penn, Kim Basinger and Mike Farrell as well as many others support the war. Madonna and Britney were unavailable for comment. Both Woody Allen and Michael Moore indicated that they not only favored war, they both plan documentaries when it is over. A mystic dealing from the beyond reported, however, that John Wayne was against. He stated flatly "That'll be the day!" Elvis when sighted was disappointed to hear that Buddy Holly already had a hit record utilizing Wayne's famous saying.
Black America uncharacteristically was overwhelmingly in favor of discrimination. But remember, Jesse was sick.
After learning that a combined WSJ-Gallup Poll reflected that 94 per cent of Americans were for this form of discrimination (i.e. against the war) President Jacque Chirac and Chancellor Helmut Schroeder issued a joint statement in support of the war. On learning that George Bush polled with the majority they then enthusiastically embraced and kissed each other in front of the Eiffel Tower McDonalds. No word yet from Osama bin Laden or Saddam Hussein.
The Democratic nine were evenly split on the issue. They all agreed it shouldn't be a campaign issue though. John F. Kerry (he fought in the Vietnam War and was wounded and won metals you know) did say he wished Jesse would get well. A late comer to the evenly divided nine, General Wesley Clark, was more forthcoming however. He was definitely in favor. He then confirmed that he was against. He then asked, "Where's Mary?"
The leaders of Pakistan and India didn't understand the issues. They disagreed anyway as the Indian left New York for home while the Pakistani was last seen entering the United Nations building headed apparently to the General Assembly to commandeer a microphone.
The U.S. Supreme Court in banc is in recess in Florida and refusing communications of any sort as it awaits the 2004 presidential election.
Now, after learning of all these mixed responses to the issues I'm not so sure anymore. You know I think I don't really care. This seems like maybe it really is a religious thing. In spite of my religious upbringing and my Mother's fond wishes I'm not even an Easter and Christmas person when it comes to attending church. I do occasionally go to a funeral or wedding and sometimes that causes me to enter those holy places. I'm not much for long meetings and I'm not too good at listening to someone lecture me. OK. So they aren't lecturing me. But why do I feel guilty when they start bringing up those Ten Commandments and stuff like that?
Something I do care about that has been brought up as a result of these issues though. That's the proposed amendment to my United States Constitution. That has to do with changing the Constitution so that marriage can only be defined as a union or contract between a man and a woman. While I don't have the wording of the amendment at hand, if I understand it correctly it seems a limitation on someone's liberty. My Constitution heretofore has, with one exception (prohibition), been amended only to broaden liberties (with the further exception of certain more or less 'housekeeping' type measures, which are neutral in the matter of liberty).
Besides:
1. My Mother never hinted that there was a different way to marry (I mean other than to a woman). So I personally have not and will not think differently. Actually, really I mean, the subject just never came up.
2. Dad married a woman. He taught me to hunt and to care for and use a gun too. Dad knew something I think. Again, the subject just never came up.
3. I'm here to write this piece.
Finally, remember that old cop out. "I don't have anything against _________ (fill in blank-blacks, Jews, Catholics, Baptists, yankees, etc.). Some of my best friends are ___________. I just wouldn't want my daughter to marry one." How the heck does that fit in here?
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Read also previous issue' articles:
What it Was, Was Football
An American in Perish
The Baseball Way to Pleasure and Wisdom
What a Fine Mess
At My Table
The King is Gone- and So are You
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