1984 and Anti-Gay Sentiments

At the core of this problem would seem to be the religious right. For thousands of years, Hebrew scripture, and the Christian bible have been used to illustrate anti-gay laws, handed down from a higher power. For example, one of the many quoted bible passages which is seen as a condemnation of homosexuality is the Sodom and Gomorrah chapter (Gen. 18, 19). (Although this passage is used as an example of how God does not accept homos

This, as shown above, is not an isolated incident. In another gruesome murder, Henry Edward Northington, a homeless, gay man in Richmond, VA, was decapitated. His head was then placed on a bridge, known to be a popular hang out for homosexuals. (Holmberg) Billy Jack Gaither, a gay man in Alabama had his throat cut, before his head was cracked open by an axe handle, and his body burned in the trunk of his car.

In defense of the government, there are some laws, which fight for the rights of GLBT individuals. One such law is the Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 1999 (H.R. 1082/S. 622). This law allows persons who commit hate crimes against individuals of a number of minority groups, to be prosecuted by law, whereas before this law, they could not be prosecuted differently.

The military is one of the worst culprits of anti-gay hate. This is especially evident in the Clinton administration’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. This is basically a policy a created by the Clinton administration which ensures that homosexuals, as long as they do not notify anyone of their homosexual status, will not be persecuted. However, the guidelines for the rule are easily evaded, or are often not even adhered to, as numerous gay people are hunted down and discharged.

Perhaps even more disturbing than violence in the military to due anti-gay hatred, and the government’s refusal to allow competent individuals to serve comfortably in the military, is the fact that America’s schools are havens for discrimination and homophobia. Just as children were taught in 1984 that sexuality was immoral, and that they should strike out against pleasure in sex, today’s children are basically taught, through non-education or mis-education by religious organizations, that homosexuality is a sin, and that it should not be viewed as “normal.” 76% of the nation's largest school districts provide no training for staff on issues facing gay youth.

Perhaps one of the most graphic hate crimes which made it into the media spotlight in recent times is the case of Matthew Shepard. Matthew Shepard was a 21-year-old college student from Laramie, Wyoming who was brutally murdered and left to die, tied to a fence-post. Two drunken, and drugged men committed the murder, using the butt ends of guns to beat Shepard to near-death. They then left Shepard tied to a fence-post in close to freezing temperature. He fell into a coma, and died a few days later.

A destruction of the diversity of our culture is a dangerous thing, which has been attempted before, in the Holocaust of World War II. Thousands of GLB peop

Some topics in this essay:
Don’t Tell”, Lock Steiner, George Orwell’s, Association APA, Sodom Gomorrah, Thousands GLB, Jack Gaither, Laramie Wyoming, Prevention Act, Ministry Love, hate crimes, glbt individuals, conversion therapy, military organization, anti-gay hatred, sexual orientation, organization receives information, homosexual feelings, matthew shepard, receives information, service gay, military organization receives,