Aug 08, 2008   | COMMENTS     

To the Editors: Re: “Police: hatred of gays, liberals led man on shooting rampage” (news, Aug. 1)

On Sunday, July 24, the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, Tenn., was attacked by a shotgun-wielding man, resulting in the loss of two innocent lives and wounding of seven others. We share in the shock and grief expressed at this act by people of good will in our community and we are communicating that good will to the Unitarian Universalists and clergy members in Knoxville.

As an association of congregations, Unitarian Universalism has long advocated the exercise of free will and conscience in matters of faith, promoted respect for diversity in religious practice and society at large, and championed the rights of those suffering discrimination, particularly when dogmatic religious beliefs are used to justify that discrimination.

It is reported that our reputation for such “liberal” stances may have been the reason that the attacker in Knoxville selected a Unitarian Universalist congregation for his rampage.

It is indeed shocking, but ultimately not surprising, that such violence should be visited on members of a religiously liberal faith tradition. As a religious organization, Unitarian Universalism does not seek involvement in politics for its own sake, but finds itself involved in the issues of the day by way of addressing them from moral and spiritual perspectives.

While most who disagree with us do so with respect and reason, this violent individual, motivated by hateful political ideals, decided that our involvement was sufficient to justify the church in Knoxville as a legitimate target.

Given the threat from such individuals, it would be tempting to reduce our advocacy on controversial issues, adopt more hostile attitudes toward those whose views differ with our own, or even to restrict access to our church for the sake of physical security. We will, of course, do none of those things.

As was the case when Unitarian Universalists faced threats during the civil rights movement, we will view this attack as a reminder of how much the world needs our continued commitment to equality. Drawing on the Christian tradition, one of many religious sources from which we derive wisdom and inspiration, we will continue to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

And most of all, we will continue to open our doors and our hearts to the community, offering worship and programs that benefit everyone in our community.

DAVE MILLER, BONNIE LEPOFF
& BRYAN GEORGE
Sterling, Va.

Editors’ note: The writers are members of the Unitarian Universalists of Sterling board of trustees. The letter was co-signed by the entire board.

‘Gay’ is not an inclusive term and alienates some readers                                    

To the Editors: Re: “Budding activists visit Washington, Maryland for Campus Pride events” (news, July 25)

I recently attended Campus Pride’s 2008 Leadership Camp, which was covered in the Blade. Camp was a life-changing experience, and I’m so grateful to the donors who funded the event.

Meeting with leaders of national LGBT organizations inspired me to be more involved in the LGBT movement and gave me the skills to do so effectively.

I was pleased when I returned home to discover the Blade had covered the event. I hope more people will discover Campus Pride and its excellent Leadership Camp through the Blade’s coverage.

 However, I felt the article, which referred to all attendees as “gay,” did not truly convey the diversity of Campus Pride’s LGBT & Ally Leadership Camp.

Many of the students who attended identified as transgender and heterosexual, transgender and bisexual, gender-normative and bisexual or gender-normative and heterosexual.

As a bisexual camper, I felt alienated by the Blade’s coverage and felt that defining all of the campers as gay excluded me.

We spent a lot of time at Campus Pride’s camp focusing on the diversity of the movement, and especially discussing the special needs of transgender and bisexual identified persons who can feel invisible within the movement. Using the term “gay” to refer to all LGBT and allied people is one way in which this invisibility continues.

This invisibility has created confusion and pain within my own life. I have struggled to find my place within the LGBT and allied community when in heterosexual relationships, fearing that I wasn’t queer enough to find acceptance within the community I love so dearly.

We must have both bisexual and transgender acceptance and visibility within our own communities. I hope in future coverage, the Blade will not use “gay” as an umbrella term, but rather LGBT & Ally.

SARAH FIELDING
Marlboro, Vt.