This really has nothing to do with surfing. It does, however, have something to do with something much more important. Something more important than surfing, you say? Yes, I do say. Surfing really isn’t that important. Fun, but not that important.
A long time ago, the helmsman of this fine little site sent me the picture above with the idea of putting it up on The Inertia. The following message was scribbled into the email:
How noble! That’s what I like about this place. We can talk about things. We can argue about things. Hell, we can disagree about things! And hopefully, raise awareness about things. Like the jerk on the left, and the courageous (albeit slightly cocksure) guy on the right.
After looking at the picture, I noticed that the God Hates Fags sign had a little .com on the bottom, leading me to believe, through my Sherlock-ian powers of deduction, that this was a website.
And what a site! So overflowing with ridiculous assumptions and finger pointing! So crammed with bigotry and hate-fueled bluster! So chock-full of vitriolic bullshit! So wonderfully, outrageously, horrendously offensive! My hackles are still raised.
I come from a family that’s an interesting mix of right-wing Republicans, free-spirited left-wingers, and a few homosexuals. I love them all. They’re my family. And they, for the most part, all get along. And the right-wing Republican part of the family doesn’t (to my knowledge, at least) walk around crusading against gays or misappropriate bible passages to justify their hate (as I discovered the makers of the ridiculous website on the sign choose to do).
I’ve got amazing friends who are devout Christians. And although we disagree on some things (which is healthy and good), they are some of the most honest, loyal, amazing people I’ve ever met. And they’d never hold a sign like the guy on the left is holding. That stuff needs to stop, like right now.
So please, next time you see someone doing something like God Hates Fags guy, make your own sign. Make it on a surfboard, a car hood, a piece of cardboard. Anything, really. Just make it. There are so many people that see this stuff and hate it, but don’t feel that they can do anything about it. Hey, guess what? Awareness is something. You can do that!
Because that guy on the left sucks, and everyone should know it.
