God would never behave so badly

I am alarmed at the level of hatred, suspicion and fear I keep hearing out of the mouths of several MLAs this week in the legislative assembly.

This all seems to be in response to the subject of human rights and the inclusion of sexual orientation in the bill.

The saddest point of all is that they have tried to disguise it as legitimate, religiously or culturally appropriate and even wise. What bothers me even more is that this is being done by so-called Christians who are not too Christian in the hatred they are spewing.

For heaven’s sake (and I mean that), who gave them the right to speak for hundreds of us in Nunavut who do not think that way at all?
Many gay Inuit and non-Inuit and their parents, siblings, friends, co-workers and neighbours do not think like them in any way.

Imagine if you are a gay civil servant having to work in a place where many of your biggest bosses think like this? How must it feel in that workplace? Are there not laws that protect people from this type of harassment, and workplace wellness initiatives that guarantee a secure, respectful workplace for all? Of course, and all peace-loving people understand this.

Many of the MLAs are being pushed by their somewhat recently exported southern-U.S. Bible Belt, right-wing religion, which is egging them on, as if they must react so strongly in this regard or their loyalty to God (and church) will be questioned.

God would never behave so badly.

Hate is hate. Discrimination is just that — ugly, dangerous and hurtful.

Any group that gangs up against any other group, then sugar-coats it in the name of religion, is just as inappropriate as any other zealots who are willing too fair in the name of their cause — a frightening sight to any fair-minded, peace-loving, democratic individual.

Other MLAs tried to wrap it up in culture — that “everybody” is against it while many of their own constituents have no problem with it. Who is the “everybody” they keep mentioning?

The Inuit values of tolerance, acceptance, respect and connectedness are going to be thrown out the window for some.

It is really too bad that some of the MLAs in this session are totally confused and keep bringing in the same-sex marriage issue, thinking that is the topic — when that is not even in this bill that they are debating.

They are going on and on about something they are wrong about. No one really attempted to sort out their confusion and tell them they are on the wrong topic and the sad spectacle continued, much to the displeasure of the well-informed and the intelligent.

To make matters worse, the ones doing the most banging of tambourines in the legislature have not even figured out yet that if they defeat the bill, they have won nothing!

In fact, they have lost. The federal one still applies, which is far stronger in protecting the same human rights, including “sexual orientation.”
So, if the scaremongers feel their efforts have paid off, as they have changed hatred toward others, they will sure receive a shock when they realize the federal law is the one Nunavut will have to follow — and they did it to themselves!

On the whole, it was a sad sorry sight to watch some people still fighting for their own rights being in such a hurry to take away the rights of others.

All around me I see people shaking their heads in sorrow and disgust as they saw too few confront them and exercise courage and tackle ignorance, bullying, divisiveness and discrimination at its worst.

To those MLAs who were courageous and stood up to them and their discriminatory thinking, you are to be congratulated for your principles and your commitment to equality for your fellow human beings.

(Name withheld by request)
Iqaluit