Murder

Gay Pride Month began with the murder of a gay man, after his home had been burned down and his dog decapitated. In San Antonio, Texas! A town I lived in for much of my life. And this was after he and his husband had complained to police, consistently, about the homophobic harassment by a neighbor. Of course, the cops did nothing about it.

I don't understand this. Even back in the 70s and 80s, with the sodomy laws in force, San Antonio's gay community was strong and vibrant. Very Latino based, but the bars were open to everyone, and there were also a couple that mixed gay and straight. Like the Bonham Exchange.

Same for Austin, just 70 miles northeast of San Antonio. When you got tired of the vatos, you could scout out the frat boys, 90% of whom were as WASP as they come. Pun intended.

I had very Catholic tastes, back then, which probably stemmed from me being an Air Force brat and growing up around all kinds of kids. I'd hook up with Latinos, Jews, blacks, anglos, and once with a guy who I think was Japanese...if I liked you, I was up for it.

But that is no more. Thanks to that Felon in the White House and the MAGAts in his coven, it has become open season on us...on anyone not white, Anglo-Saxon and Protestant. Don't you dare think you're safe if you're a white Catholic; too many Protestants still see the Catholic Church as the Whore of Babylon.

I know this because when my mother lived with me in LA, she would watch a Presbyterian minister named John Hagee with his sermons on cable, Sunday mornings. I came home one day to see him doing a presentation that explained why the Church of Rome was the seat of evil.

I loved my mother, and she could watch anything she wanted without complaint from me. I'd just go to a laundromat to do my laundry so I wouldn't hear that vile man's shit. He was our version of Northern Ireland's Ian Paisley. Both of them diseased, hateful monsters who used fear and prejudice to build their power and wealth.

Ian Paisley helped prolong the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Those like John Hagee have given the haters ground to believe their evil actions are just. And it always winds up in murder.

Always.