5/10/2009

More transparency and less hostility

We have all heard calls for more inclusiveness and homosexuality is normal. It is also normal to teach children that homosexuality is an alternative lifestyle, and sexuality is normal, including pre marital sex. I have ventured into Catherine Lim's blog and read her article which suggested that parents should not imposed their values on their children. But is the Aware CSE programme imposing its values on children? The general impression I got is that many sophisticated adults, with many years of experience and widely read and travelled, assumed that children, in the early teens, are smart, well informed like them, and mature enough to make life choices on value loaded issues like sexuality, premarital sex, etc. And in her blog, there was one Beka who claimed to be a youth and very knowledgeable about such things, implying that all children are as knowledgeable and well informed as him/her. I asked him/her for his/her age as a 'youth'. From her post, I believe he/she will be a youth in her late 20s or 30s or older. There is no comparison to a child in her lower teens or pre teens. At those tender age, they are very vulnerable. Anyway, I got a few presumptious responses for my post in Catherine's blog that were clearly hostile and arrogant. Of course they called me presumptious, arrogant and ignorant. And I can clearly see where they are coming from. To be fair, to be transparent and open in our discussion over such 'normal issues' it is better that we know the background of the person speaking. I mean just the person's sexual orientation. This will help to make one understand why things were said in such a manner, and the values and experience that formed the basis of the positions taken. I am straight and hetero. I am normal. I do not feel ashame or any need to hide this information. And if the homosexuals do believe that they are normal, than they too should not feel ashamed to reveal their orientation. Then we can have a healthy discussion, with a better understanding of why the other is taking such a position. And this is a discussion between mature adults, not between arrogant and demanding individuals who only want others to see their points of view as the only right view. Homosexuality and heterosexuality are not something that we can ascribe right or wrong to them. Let's talk about them with some civility without getting emotional as if one who does not agree is an enemy and going after the other's lifestyle.
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8 comments:

  1. CatFightLoverMay 10, 2009 10:42 am

    Jimmy Mun who commented on your previous post put it best:

    "The real gay activists have clear objectives. Pity the tools that get dragged along thinking they are being "liberal".

    I might like to change "tools" to "fools" if Jimmy doesn't mind.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMay 10, 2009 2:03 pm

    Redbean wrote:
    "I am straight and hetero. I am normal."

    Go print in on a T-Shirt and wear it. Front and back. [laughing]

    Francis Chua

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMay 10, 2009 2:13 pm

    The Push by a minority to get homosexuality accepted is upsetting many.

    Argument such as man should love other man has been badly misinterpreted to mean man can express that love carnally to another of the same gender. Love for other man simply means man(humanity) should have kindness, care, sympathy and respect for all other fellow beings regardless of their genders.

    To equate a physical relationship(carnal) to love is a very worrisome misrepresentation. Love, use in general, means ones' concern and care for others. There are loves (feeling of respect/personal emotional feelings) for specific others such as parents, siblings, teachers, pets, antiques etc. And there is universal love for all fellow humans/living species anywhere of any denomination.

    Love specific to a sexual relationships between two private individuals is different from all other loves in that there is carnal relation. Traditionally and normally this love happens between opposite sexes. Sexuality variants exist since time immemorial, some countries legislate Laws specifically to deal with same gender sexual intimacies, others are rein by religions and ethnic traditions. Some countries outlawed such relationships while others permit or do not interfere.

    Such same gender sexual relationships are highly controversial, the reason why it has generated contradictions, conflicts and debates.

    In SIN, such relationships are 'illegal', however, our rulers have openly said that sexual acts between two adults(of whatever gender) done in private are not targetted for Law Enforcement. This, i must say, is a magnanimity bestow by the Authority which homosexuals should be happy and thankful.

    To lobby for public acceptance by pursuing for legal recognition of same gender sexual relations is one push too far. When all turns blind to accommodate the private needs of some individuals, the latter should not be asking for more.

    I have difficulties putting this topic in a clear concise manner, hope it does not cause confusion.

    patriot

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  4. Jaunty JabberMay 10, 2009 11:45 pm

    Self-Declaration of Redbean is essential and a good move to set a origin to all the projection of comments he had over topics relating to homosexuality.

    Many readers post comments over this topic without declaring own sexual orientation and gender, this tends to lead me ponder a few questions whenever I read their comments, questions like: is this person a male/female, hetero or homo or bi to have viewed the issue in such a way? Why this person protest? What make him accept or don't accept?

    Now I am going to declare too, I am straight and hetero, I am normal.

    I don't find the pun suggestion to print a T-shirt that shout-out "who I am" amusing. Francis, please restrain from telling people what to do, in this space of free speech, you have the liberty to voice out whatever you feel, but trying to act as if you are smarter than any other bean here is impolite.

    ReplyDelete
  5. CatFightLoverMay 11, 2009 8:50 am

    I also wish to declare:

    I am Straight, Hetero and Normal.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousMay 14, 2009 1:55 pm

    Jaunty Jabber wrote:
    "I don't find the pun suggestion to print a T-shirt that shout-out "who I am" amusing. Francis, please restrain from telling people what to do, in this space of free speech, you have the liberty to voice out whatever you feel, but trying to act as if you are smarter than any other bean here is impolite."

    Okay. :-)

    Francis Chua

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jaunty JabberMay 14, 2009 2:05 pm

    Dear Francis,

    Thanks for taking that little note. : )

    Jaunty

    ReplyDelete
  8. Chua Chin Leng蔡镇龍 aka redbeanMay 14, 2009 2:07 pm

    hi francis and jaunty, it good that we can jab at each other in a friendly way.

    cheers everyone. we shall all be friends here.

    ReplyDelete