finding it hard to get worked up

[Connor22]

I don't know if I'm the only one, and it may just be down to where I live or whatever, but does it just seem like equal rights for gays is just about the least worthy cause to get worked up over? (except maybe that donkey charity... I don't really think they have a case) I mean I respect people who do get all worked up over gay rights but personally I find issues like poverty and hunger to be a lot more worthy of getting all pissed off about, I mean people who are anti-gay just really don't have a case any more...
am I the only one who thinks this way?

[Black Cat]

Well here's how I see it: Hungry and poor people have rights we as gays do not. Just because you're poor doesn't mean your government won't allow you to get married, have children, or even pay taxes together, but just because we're gay we can't do any of those things? Yeah, that makes sense.

[Z3ni]

YEah I'm not bothered about gay rights.. but thats probably becoz I'm not out yet lol

[Rikudo]

I don't think it an unworthy cause. But I just don't find much motivation for things like DADT, gay marriage etc. Cause they don't really affect me. But I can see how others would care.

I agree, there are much greater things to worry about in the world. There are people all over the place dying of starvation everyday, but we cant get married? Well, we will get right on it, as soon as we are done screaming at people about our rights. The starving children can wait, we are more important.
I think we should just shut up for a while and solve the other problems.

[lostinthought9]

I'm confused here, when did anyone say that world hunger, or poverty, wasn't an issue? Or that it wasn't important?

The answer: Nobody.

Just because it seems like our legislature has been focusing on LGBT rights recently, doesn't mean that it's serving as a blockade for other issues that plague our nation.

Sure, I'd love to see poverty rates decrease, but I'd also like to have the same rights as everyone else.

[SlickyPants]

Maybe it's because you're still relatively young and it doesn't quite affect you yet but let's just say hypothetically you were older and you've moved out on your own. One day your employer finds somehow (word of mouth, rumour or otherwise) that you're gay and fires you and now you can't buy food, pay your rent. Another scenario: maybe your landlord finds out your gay or you live with your partner and he serves you with an eviction notice. Wouldn't you be pretty worked up if you were fired from your job or kicked out of your home just because you were gay? I sure would be. I'm not sure what it's like in Ireland but I'm sure others have fought long and hard or are doing so to ensure that you and others aren't discriminated against.

I think comparing gay rights to hunger and poverty is like comparing apples to oranges. One costs nothing. It is simply a matter of changing the law to protect a minority while the other costs money. Fighting for your right to be treated equally in society (or convincing others to side with you) does not preclude you (or others) from donating their time or money from other charities.

I for one am fortunate that others have gotten worked up about gay rights. It may sound a little extreme but it still happens in other parts in the world but I'm thankful that I don't have to worry about getting murdered and having the police look the other way. I'm glad that I won't be strung up in the middle of town for being gay. I'm glad I don't have to be worried about being fired or kicked out onto the street just because of something that is nobody's business anyway.

Anyway, that's just a little bit of food for thought.

[Celestial]

Originally Posted by ER73

I don't think it an unworthy cause. But I just don't find much motivation for things like DADT, gay marriage etc. Cause they don't really affect me. But I can see how others would care.

Same, but my indifference shouldn't affect others who would appreciate those things far more than me.

[Bryan90]

Fighting for one thing doesn't preclude you from fighting for another. Some people get worked up on certain issues and others get worked up on other issues, and together they end up advocating for more issues.. It would be quite boring (to me) if we expect everybody to be worked up about one issue...

[alan t]

The reason I disagree is the following - problems like hunger & poverty require work, money and effort to solve. However, giving rights to gay people requires no resources. It's simply a matter of people changing their idiotic views. If they would just agree to treat gay people equally then nothing more would have to be done; in fact fighting it takes more resources. So asking for equal rights for gay people in no way interferes with progress towards other problems.

[starfish]

I'm not a big hay rights advocate, but thats not because I find it unworthy. It is just that I carry a different torch.

the way i see it is rights are things that people get because they're human. saying we don't have rights is like saying we're not human, instead we're like some sort of subspecies. and because of that it's ok to hate us, and actually, that's killing people too. maybe not as many people because there are less of us than there are hungry people, but it's saying that as a minority, we are less important. and i just don't like being thought of as less important than any other human.

anyway, our fight doesnt take away from the fight against hunger and poverty, we don't want food or money. we want the government to jot a few words on some paper so that we cant be compared to cattle.

[tijuana212]

While I understand the significance of the gay rights movement, I'm not going to let the government get into my personal life. If I want to live with another man, by all means, I will. If I want to say we're a couple, I will. Of course, maybe I don't understand the significance of legal marriage at this point, and it's a no-brainer that it should be granted to all, but what's more important is ensuring that all humans are treated with respect, regardless of sexual orientation.

The reason it appears as though gay marriage is a bigger issue is that it's easy to sensationalize. It's difficult to get pundits to argue over whether or not we should make an effort to stop world hunger or increase humanitarian efforts. Getting a heated crossfire on video about moral issues like gay marriage, on the other hand, is easily done.

[Austin]

I think they are two seperate things. It's okay not to care so much about the gay right's movement as hunger and poverty. Obviously the later is more important. The thing is, people are (usually) very selfish. That's why it would be a real shocker if some rich person sold their mansion and buy a smaller house and give the extra money to the poor, while not trying to grab attention for themselves. People always have and always will be selfish. More for yourself, even if it means less for everyone else. It's also hard for people to empathize with people half way around the world, in a place they have never ever been. Or if they have never been starving or poor, they cannot really know how it is. It's much easier to get involved in something more close to home and something you really know first hand. Poor people across the world (and ones in america) don't even exist 99.9% of the time in the minds of people. You think about giving some money to the poor but you'd rather buy that new phone. If people were starving right outside your door, families, with children so skinny you can see their bones and ribs, you're much more likely to give them money than if they are overseas. Anyways. It's hard for people to really care about things they don't really know. That's reason #2.

The world will never be perfect, don't expect it to happen overnight, or even in your lifetime. Because of human nature there will always be war, starving people, and poverty.

Originally Posted by Black Cat

Well here's how I see it: Hungry and poor people have rights we as gays do not. Just because you're poor doesn't mean your government won't allow you to get married, have children, or even pay taxes together, but just because we're gay we can't do any of those things? Yeah, that makes sense.

Hungry and poor people have rights but gay people do not? mhm... last time I checked most hungry and impoverished people lived in countries without very many rights. Personally I think gay people (mostly) have it WAY FUCKING BETTER than poor/starving people. I'd rather never have any of the rights you mentioned than starve and constantly worry how I'll get my next meal.

[Revan]

To me it's two different sides.

On the one hand, yes I completely agree that hunger and poverty are more important to fight about. But the problem is in this case, more people like arguing over and targeting gay rights and gay marriage, and I feel like I need to fight for my right to NOT be killed or beaten up because of who I am. While it's true, homeless people also do get murdered as well, but its due to violence but not because of who they specifically are.

Now, when people start looking more at poverty and hunger, I'll fight for those people. But until then, I will stand up for my rights.

[partietraumatic]

I kinda agree. I think gay rights are a worthy cause. But it doesn't wind me up. I think possibly because, thankfully, I live in fairly liberal places, I've never experienced homophobia. I find it hard to get motivated or interested in gay rights, like I do for other things. I recognise their importance to other people, and I sometimes feel bad for not caring, but i simply don't have any emotional connection with the fight for gay rights.

I guess this is because, at my stage in life, the rights that gays lack in my country do not impact on my life. So possibly i will become more passionate as i get older.

[merlov1]

It's true it's an issue sort of, like the big white elephant in the corner if you will. But there's always prioritising. Obama's deferred abolition of DADT to the US military leadership in a 'review' for heavens' sake; not everyone has guts, or 'true grit'. So there needs to be effective lobbying and use of opportunities.

[Lexington]

I don't believe everybody needs to devote their lives to the cause. We all need to choose our battles. That said, three points to be made:

* One shouldn't use this argument to dismiss or belittle those who DO take these causes seriously, and those who work (sometimes tirelessly) for them. Never forget that the reason that you can be gay and out, the reason that DADT and gay marriage are even an issue, the reason that you even have a resource like Empty Closets is because you're standing on the shoulders of giants.

* You might suddenly change your mind when you find somebody you'd like to marry, or a gay friend or relative gets kicked out of the military, or a friend tries to kill himself. Sometimes, people need an issue to hit close to home before they get motivated to act on it.

* To claim that one can't get worked up over gay rights issues because "there are other more pressing issues in the world" is more than a bit disingenuous unless you've been actively working on those "other more pressing issues in the world".

Lex