The High Price of Intolerance

I don’t subscribe to our local newspaper or even pay much attention to it. The “news” is always yesterday’s news, because the printed word just can’t keep pace with the cable news outlets or the digital media. But every now and then I may pick up a paper I find lying around. That happened last week at work and I turned to the editorial page to see a Letter to the Editor titled: Collins Not a Hero.  For those who aren’t familiar with the issue, the writer “Jim” (no last name needed here) was referring to NBA player Jason Collins of the Washington Wizards. Only the week before, Jason Collins became the first professional athlete from a major sport to “come out” as being gay.   

Jim had some pretty clever ways to say he doesn’t approve of Mr. Collins. Jim starts his letter by saying, “Ok, let me get this straight”. Here’s an observation: when someone starts a Letter to the Editor by saying, ”Let me get this straight”, you can bet the farm they don’t have it straight. Jim’s primary point is that we shouldn’t give Jason Collins any credit for courage for declaring that “..when he wants sexual intimacy, it is with other men”, as Jim put it. Jim goes on to cite what he defines as real heroics, like supporting an orphanage in Africa, or “deciding to continue his NBA career on one leg”, or bravely suffering “losing his family in an airplane accident”. In other words Jim, and many like him, cannot recognize that people who are different display courage when they stand before the world to declare for themselves and others that they are slightly different, but still want to be treated with normal human dignity. Those who are the first to do so take the greatest risks, and deserve some degree of credit for their actions. Those who are “first” to take such a step don’t just do it for themselves, they do it for those who may be inspired to follow the example.

The old adage used to be: If you can’t beat ‘em- join ‘em. Now we are so polarized that the new way of things is to say: If you can’t beat ‘em- marginalize ‘em- minimize ‘em- and make them insignificant. That’s what Jim was doing. But, for those who know the pain of discrimination first- hand, or have the humanity to empathize with those who do, Jim’s all too clever argument is just another way to say, “you are not welcome in my world”. That is the essence of intolerance, and discrimination. The result of that thinking is more than just bigotry and inequality. The result is tangible pain and loss of human life. So when Jim makes the argument that people like Jason Collins is no hero, he is fostering the continuation of this damaging discrimination. In fairness, Jim may not even know the consequences of his attitude. If Jim, and others who agree with him, don’t know the real life consequences-they should look into it before they continue to minimize and berate the people who step out to make a stand for justice.

Let’s just agree that we discriminate against the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender) people of this country. In most of the country people who have a sexual orientation different from the mainstream heterosexual population cannot marry one another. They do not have the rights to inheritance, spousal insurance coverage, parenting through adoption, survivor’s benefits, next-of-kin rights, and a host of other privileges that attend to heterosexual married couples.  Aside from the marriage problem (in most States) LBGT people suffer any number of other types of formal and informal types of discrimination. Jim, it's more than just a sex thing.

One of the ways that change occurs is to gradually “normalize” behavior that was once thought to be abnormal. For example, in the middle of the 20th century this country went through a tremendous period of social change as we struggled to integrate African-Americans into the mainstream after our horrible civil war to end slavery in the previous century. It did not happen overnight, (and the struggle is not over yet) but it began to happen through thoughtful, purposeful planning that involved placing African Americans in normal situations for all to see. In sports, the story of Jackie Robinson breaking the “color barrier” in Baseball is legendary. The other major sports soon followed suit. The big breakthroughs came in the all-powerful medium of Television. The first cracks in the wall of normalcy came by placing African Americans in TV commercials. It showed African Americans using the same products as whites; washing their clothes, dusting their furniture, weeding their yards, and buying cars just like the mainstream whites. It was done on purpose, and it took courage (and some prodding) for the Madison Avenue types to do it. By the late sixties Diane Carroll was the first African American to have her own sit-com on TV. Uhura and Kirk shared the first interracial kiss on TV- and it didn’t take us long to “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” at the movies. Roundtree and Poitier became leading men instead of stereotyped characters. “Black” music became mainstream Rock and Roll. Change happened when the instruments of our culture lead us to accept what we would not accept before. Knowledge and exposure is a key element in educating us to give up our old biases.

It is that time again. Now the issue is justice, fairness, and legal equality for those with a different sexual orientation. The research is very convincing that LGBT folks are that way by nature. There is no evidence this is “just a choice” or a “lifestyle”. The only argument for discriminating against this portion of Americans is the religious argument which holds that homosexuality is a sin. That implies the religious notion of free will and it simply does not apply in this case. But for those who want to believe those tenants then by all means, live that way. The problem comes from the need to force others to live that way too. This is where the damage starts. Earlier on I mentioned tangible pain and the loss of human life. That was not just hyperbole.

No one really knows what portion of our population is LBGT. Some have estimated it to be about 10%. Recently the Gallop pollsters did a survey and they determined that 3.4% of Americans are LBGT. I think that figure is probably very low because it relied on self-reporting (in a world of discrimination), but even if we assume that’s correct, that means there are approximately 10,850,000 LBGT people in the country. Nearly eleven million is a pretty big number- and twice that number is probably closer to reality. The loss of life I mentioned is from the staggering rate of suicides in the LBGT community. I can hardly imagine the pain people feel when they know that their human urges and needs (and not just for sex- but for love, companionship and family) are seen as abnormal and their own society condones discrimination against them. Not only do LBGT people have the inevitable struggle to find their way in a disapproving world- they are more often the victims of violence because of their sexual orientation. The burden of that stigma must be immeasurable.

This issue is particularly hard for young people who struggle with sexuality anyway- no matter what the orientation. For all people ages 15-24, suicide is the 3^rd leading cause of death. Attempts by gay and lesbian youth account for 30% of all completed suicides. Studies show that LBGT teens are between 30 and 40 percent more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers. Young people unsure of their sexual orientation are more than three times as likely to commit suicide as their straight peers (Garafalo et al) In addition LBGT young people suffer far more mental health problems (primarily clinical depression, anxiety and conduct disorders) have far less success in school, and experience co-occurring disorders (mental health and substance abuse) at far higher rates than straight youth. They are subject to bullying, harassment, and assault at far greater rates than straight kids. These numbers represent real pain and real loss of human life.

 I disagree with Jim and his ilk. I think Collins is a hero. I think he’s important because he has made himself one more brick in the road to allowing LBGT people to experience normalcy. Normalcy leads to acceptance, and acceptance stops discrimination. It is the only way to stop the painful existence and inequality that so many suffer now. We tend to revere our sports heroes. So, it is fitting that Collins’ announcement can be seen as helping us accept LBGT people as they are. They are people we work with, people who want families and to raise children, people who strive for success, people who play sports; mechanics, accountants, teachers, grocery clerks, etc. etc. They are just people. The intolerance that our laws and our prejudices promote has a high price. The price is the loss of promising young people who find it preferable to end their lives rather than live in a world that cannot tolerate who they are. That is far too high a price to pay for bigotry and intolerance.

Thanks for looking in.

P.S. Just this week The Boy Scouts of America changed its policy to allow openly gay boys into the BSA- they still do not allow openly gay Scout Masters. News Flash, there have been gay boys and gay Scout Masters in the BSA forever. But hey, it’s a good move!  

 

 

People who Fly On Airplanes

I used to really enjoy air travel.  I didn’t have my first ride on an airplane until I was an adult. Having spent many long hours in the back seat of a ’52 Oldsmobile as a young kid going places with my family, my first flight was a revelation. Every sensation was new and very exhilarating to me. The sensation of take-off, and the never seen before sights of the earth below from thousands of feet up were all just great. Of course one of the best things about air travel was that you get places in a fraction of the time the Olds took to get anywhere. My first experiences of flying came courtesy of my job. Like many air travelers, I discovered that most of my fellow travelers on the planes were there on business. I was no exception. I worked for State government where the State Capital was on the opposite side of the State from me. Most of the bureaucrats in our state had no concept of geography or courtesy- so just about every meeting I went to was on their side of the state. That meant either taking a whole day to drive 300 miles across the state or hopping on an airplane and being there in an hour. I liked being there in an hour.

In the years since that first exciting flight or two, I’ve had a fair amount of air travel experience. Aside from the business travel I used to do and one amazing trip to Italy,  my wife and I had daughters who went to college in far off places- particularly our youngest who went to school in California for a couple of years, then decided that wasn’t far enough away so she transferred to the University of Georgia. Air travel was an absolute necessity for us then. But even then air travel just felt like a luxury. The waiting areas in the airports were spacious and filled with amenities. Family or friends could see you off, or greet you upon return the moment you emerged from the plane. Once in the air flight attendants were quick to provide food, drink and hospitality, seeing to practically any comfort you would like. Like I said, it was a luxury.

That all changed for us on a cross-country flight to Georgia in October 2001. You may recall there was a rather significant event about a month earlier. That event changed everything about air travel. It was quite literally shocking to see every corner of the airports guarded by active-duty military personnel with combat weapons, and to watch the searches that people were subjected to. It seems after that the fun went out of flying. Of course now the soldiers have been replaced white shirted, latex gloved TSA agents. Beyond that, it seems that the airline industry fundamentally changed too. Aside from the crazy security measures that accompany flying, the people who fly on airplanes have changed as well.  

I haven’t flown on an airplane in several years now- just haven’t had the need. But my wife still flies for business occasionally. So I will be at the airport to pick her up, giving me the chance to see those going through security and walking out of sight up to lonely boarding gates. You can’t get past the lobby without a boarding pass and government issued ID now. I also see the folks arriving. Most are solitary travelers with tidy looking carry-ons and the obligatory lap-top computer case hanging from the left shoulder. For the most part the traveling public is not the general public at all. People who fly on airplanes now are just about entirely the business travelers. The cost of air travel has also increased so much that business travelers are about the only ones who can afford to fly. The airlines never advertise special rates anymore. They used to be all over TV with enticements to travel. No more. They airlines have added so many additional charges and taken away so many services one could almost believe they don’t want anyone except the business traveler on their damn planes. So be it. I guess the air travel business has just changed and air travel now is just for the “business class”. They even invented a new class of traveler: ”Business Class”!   

The event that got me thinking about the people who fly on airplanes (and how that’s changed) was the unusually decisive and bold action of Congress to appropriate money to keep more Air Traffic Controllers on the job.  Courageous stuff! We don’t see this kind of bi-partisan law-making and patriotic legislating very often- so let’s hear it for Congress! They finally DID something. Oh, but wait. Maybe a little history on this event would be helpful.

It all started about a year and a half ago when Congress was so paralyzed by extreme partisanship and Obama hatred that they had to appoint a “super-committee” to attempt a budget fix. Congress and the President agreed that if they couldn’t come up with a fix they would institute automatic budget cuts that would be so painful they would just come to their senses and actually fix the problem. They referred to these horrible cuts as “sequestered budget cuts” and they were ugly enough that no reasonable person would want them to actually happen.  You guessed it. The Super Committee failed- didn’t even come close to an agreement. The Sequestered cuts were looming in the distance and everyone thought the Congress would do something at the last minute. Deadlines came and they did nothing. The sequestered cuts went into effect. The results of the cuts took a while to have an impact, but slowly the cuts nobody wanted, started to look real. On transportation, the sequestered cuts would require reductions in the number of Federal Air Traffic Controllers, and the closure of small airport traffic control towers (among many, many other across-the-board reductions in government programs). Fewer Air Traffic Controllers meant more flight delays or sacrificing air safety.

On the week the layoffs and furloughs were going to affect people who fly on airplanes, Congress looked up and said, “Hey wait a minute, that could mean OUR flights might be delayed or cancelled. That is unacceptable”. So they quickly passed legislation to reinstate funds for Air Traffic Controllers and fund the towers at small airports that were on the closure list. President Obama then caved and signed the bill. It was then I really started thinking about the people who fly on airplanes. I’m not talking about the once-a-year air traveler headed home for the holidays- I’m talking about the folks who fly all the time, the frequent fliers.

So who are these people on airplanes? Knowing who they are helps explain what Congress did. I tried researching the passenger profile of the typical frequent flier but there wasn’t much published. Just a guess here- but I bet the airlines have a pretty good idea who their best customers are, and it isn’t the college freshman trying to get home for a turkey dinner at Thanksgiving. The people who fly on airplanes are men and women who work for corporate America. They are the execs and the minor execs who spend their days enriching their companies. The major execs fly in private planes or are rich enough to own airplanes.  They are also the government employees in mid-management and above who fly from place to place having meetings, “collaborative partnerships”, and engaging in “task forces”, convinced that they are doing it all for you and me. They are the lawyers, the accountants, and the consultants that provide the expert advice and technical know-how to keep all the other folks on that plane in the power positions they occupy. And they are Senators and Congressmen/women who get their once-a-week free air travel back to the home district to “listen to the people”. I’m not entirely cynical about all this air travel and the people who fly on airplanes. I know that most of them work hard and they’re just doing their jobs. I know they contribute to the economy, and we need them. I am, however, very cynical about the hypocrisy of those who make the rules, saying that when the suffering starts because of their failure: namely Sequestration; the first thing they do is relieve their own suffering and the suffering of those wealthy enough to own airplanes or fly business class any day of the week. If there was ever a clear example of how this Congress bends over backwards for the money interests who own them, and their own personal interests- this is it!!

The effect of restoring tax dollars to support people who fly on airplanes, while doing nothing for other programs that are being cut, is that the average taxpayer is literally subsidizing the wealthy business types and those who own airplanes. God forbid, they should be inconvenienced. All the while Head Start programs all over the country are cutting back- and meals for seniors have been drastically reduced- military veterans are waiting unbelievably long periods to get benefits we own them- Medicaid dollars to states will be reduced-and vital infra-structure projects are sitting idle- jobs not filled. And that’s only a few examples of the effects of Sequestration so far. It is clear that our Congress will only act when the wealthiest among us need help, while forsaking all others who they see as parasites on the "business class". It has never been more apparent that the real parasites are the privileged class, while the middle class and poor pay for it all. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts is an expert on the way government bends to the will of the financial institutions and the wealthy while ignoring the needs of others in our country. Her analysis of the situation is simple, “the game is rigged”. Our democracy isn’t so threatened by deficits and debt, as much as it is threatened by the growing disparity of wealth that threatens the middle class and the ultimate strength of the economy. Unless the Congress and the President can change that direction the game will continue to be rigged in favor of people who fly on airplanes.

Thanks for looking in.