This is pride month. There is talk of doing away with it and I suspect that will be the case sometime in the future. It will, at the very least be renamed much like Decoration day was renamed. As society shifts, so too, those “events” that are celebrated. I’m still wondering about just what it is we are supposed to be proud of. In my way of thinking it’s a misnomer, it should be, I’m not ashamed month. What exactly are we celebrating? The choice of your sexual partner(s) that’s what it is. I know, I’ve heard all the other reasons, the explanations, the cries of “love is love.” Still, when distilled down to the basic premise of the celebration we are celebrating the choice of a sexual partner.

We all know that there has always been gay people. They have been called by many different names over the years. Some societies have accepted that as a matter of course, with not an eyebrow lifted. Other have even thought of those folks as somehow “special” or gifted in some fashion. And yes gay people have faced discrimination, just as everyone else in the world does when whatever society they are living in disagrees with their choices. and that is the bottom line when it comes to all of that. It’s a societal thing.

We can argue and debate until those proverbial cows come home but the United States was founded on Christian values and traditions. But it wasn’t solely Christians, there were also Jewish folks and a small number of Muslims. Thing is, none of those religious beliefs, traditions, or values embrace the gay lifestyle. None of them “permit” that as an accepted thing. All preach forgiveness, but forgiveness isn’t the same thing as acceptance. I can’t speak with any authority on exactly what the Koran says. I’m no biblical scholar either, I don’t recall any passages concerning gay people and how to treat them. I was simply taught the golden rule in regard to all of that. I heard, “go and sin no more” that’s how I understand that. I forgive you, don’t do it again.

I do find it a bit disturbing this holding of parades to celebrate pride. Pride becoming a code word for gay. Everyone knows that is exactly what is being celebrated here, hopefully with the exception of young children that shouldn’t be exposed to adult themes. I fail to see what possible positive outcome these public displays of what should be private preferences will accomplish. I can only think the objective is to change our societies view concerning that. In my opinion that would be a degradation of our society, not an improvement.

Our republic was created with the idea that all men are created equal. The thinking being government should be limited, restricted to the business of legislating the society. There was to be no official religion and no religious test required to hold any political office in the land. Government was to legislate not pontificate! Still, the foundational thinking, the belief, the traditions and values embraced by those creating the republic were Christian based and in my estimation remain that way to this very day. It is estimated that 69% of the population identify themselves as Christians. That’s a clear majority. No parade, no month is going to change any of that. Pride and discrimination are both personal things, outside the purview of government. You can’t legislate either one.

This is Pride? It’s what is on parade.