The Hop Against Homophobia Continues - Last Day

 

Today's the last day of the Hop Against Homophobia, but of course, the struggle continues. There always seems to be something or someone that society is against, isn't there? As if people can't be happy unless they're unhappy about something or someone. It's like they need a focus for their hate, to draw attention from their own inadequacies. Gay marriage threatens heterosexual marriage? Give me a break! Gay marriage has no effect on heterosexual marriages, any more than the reverse is true. Do you think gay people would blame straights for the failure of their marriages? Of course not, the notion is absurd. Why, you might as well blame other straight people. The truth is that marriage is what two people make of it. Success is not guaranteed - you have to work at it. That's all gay people want - the chance to work at their marriages and relationships. The same rights everyone should enjoy. What makes straight people special? Not a damn thing.

I have no doubt that one day gay marriage will be as accepted as straight, and people won't thinking anything of it, and generations to come will wonder what all the fuss is about, even as today's generation doesn't understand why there was ever a fuss about interracial marriage. Each generation is more understanding than the one before. But that does nothing for those gay people who would like to be married now, to live their own brand of happily ever after. Why should they have to wait for the tolerance of society? There's no earthly reason why they should.

If you haven't made the rounds yet, you can still do so by going here.  

I have recently been reading about an old murder case, one which was considered the Crime of the Century

in its time, followed by the Trial of the Century. Two young men from wealthy families, Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, kidnapped and murdered Bobby Franks, not for the money but to commit the perfect crime. The only reason they weren't hung is because their parents, being very wealthy and influential in 1924 Chicago, hired the best attorney money could buy - Clarence Darrow. He pled their case before a judge, no jury, and got them life plus ninety-nine years.

I have become rather obsessed with this case of late, having recently read Compulsion, by Meyer Levin (which I'll review later). It's the fictionalized account of this crime, and is a fascinating psychological study. I especially was fascinated by Judd Steiner/Nathan Leopold. There are many complex reasons for why these young men did what they did, which I'll expound on in my review, including their Nietzschean beliefs. But the one I want to speculate on here concerns their relationship to one another - Leopold and Loeb.

They were lovers, yes. They were homosexual. Perhaps they were a combustive combination. Perhaps if they hadn't gotten together, this crime would never have been committed. I don't believe Nathan would have done it, not on his own. Although at first, he was perceived to be the ringleader in their relationship, the instigator, it was later realized that was not the case. Although Nathan appeared to be the stronger of the two, it was Loeb who called the shots.

But I have to wonder something. They went to great pains to conceal their relationship because of societal

pressures and censure. Just imagine if they had been free to be open and frank about who they were. Is it possible they could have channeled their energies into something more productive?


If you force people to subvert their natural instincts, aren't you doing more harm than good? Something to think about.






I think the important thing here is that people should be free to love. No one has the right to pass judgment on that, and no one should. Don't be afraid of love, embrace it.

Don't forget about my contest.  Three people will receive their choice from my back list, and one will get a $10 Amazon GC. You just have to follow my blog, leave an email address and answer this question - who is my most recent obsession?

Go forth and love, and be happy!

Until next time, take care!

♥ Julie