Padre Steve on “‘Targeting’ Pride” …

Posted on by under History, Law and justice, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Re-blogs, Social commentary

One week from today will be the beginning of Pride Month, and I have grave concerns for the nation, especially for the LGBTQ community.  Pride Month is meant to be a time for celebration, a time of great joy for people who have been repressed and suppressed for centuries and are finally getting the respect we all deserve.  But this year … this year feels different, for there are threats of violence against the LGBTQ community … threats stoked by politicians like Ron DeSantis, fueled by religious leaders and media outlets such as Fox ‘News’.  There was that ludicrous “scandal” about Bud Lite beer, and more recently employees of Target stores nationwide have been threatened and harassed, ultimately causing Target to remove or relocate some of their Pride merchandise.  I am incensed … everybody should be!

There are two “men of the cloth” for whom I have great respect.  One is John Pavlovitz, whom most of you are familiar with, and the other is Padre Steve Dundas, a recently retired lifetime Army and Navy Officer and Chaplain.  This morning, Padre Steve posted the following on his Substack account, and his words simply must be shared.  He is angry, as am I, that humanity and caring for others seems to be taking a backseat in this nation to prejudice, hatred, and violence.

“Targeting” Pride

Steve Dundas

25 May 2023

It seems that emboldened Christian extremists in the South, read MAGA States are making headway in their efforts to force major retailers to remove LGBTQ+ merchandise from their stores. Their efforts are criminal. They have wrecked displays, damaged merchandise, and threatened employees at Target stores throughout the South. In response, Target has removed merchandise from some stores or relocated it to less visible places in their stores. See this article: https://apple.news/AK07RIGLTR3u1RTJNdp6wIA

The attacks are being driven by intentionally misleading reporting from Fox News, other Right Wing propaganda outlets, as well as Republican political leaders and Right Wing Christian Nationalist “Pastors”, and organizations like the American Family Institute.

My thoughts. First, I don’t think that Target or any other retailers should bow down to hate filled violent anti-LGBTQ+ persecutors. I think that they should call Law Enforcement and have those that damage property, and threaten or harm employees or other customers arrested, and press charges. Not to do so is to embolden them to commit more acts of violence and vandalism, in other words to precipitate an anti-LGBTQ+ version of the Nazi Kristallnacht. It is no different, it may be smaller in scope, and not yet back by the police power of the State, but in every State where these attacks are happening multiple laws are being passed to limit the civil rights of LGBTQ+ citizens.

Second, if the shoe was on the other foot, and people opposed to Christianity went into a Target and vandalized specifically Christian religious merchandise in seasonal Easter or Christmas sections, or went to the “Inspirational” books section and destroyed Bibles or books on the Christian life, what would happen?

Please click link to read the rest!!!

42 thoughts on “Padre Steve on “‘Targeting’ Pride” …”

  2. There are two shortcuts to death. Stupidity is one, bravery is the other. Evolution should be selecting these traits out so the theory needs some work. I know and have known many courageous men. I also count myself amongst the stupidest of men.( I once found myself about five feet above a moving train after racing past 7 stopped cars lamenting “why are these people in my way”). Both are extremely dangerous to ordinary folk. They forget to ask themselves, should I?

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    • Thanks, my friend … yes, I am proud of him for his views, too … there are too few in positions of religious leadership who feel the same. More and more, I’m losing hope for humans and this world. Sigh.

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      • That you must stop! Everyone is entitled to live a dignified life. The mouse looks into the mirror and sees a lion, the lion sees a mouse. To “go into” is such a rare thing all by itself let alone unarmed, it should not be expected. The Padre was culled and lived and worked within this subset of rare men. They are rare but they are there and if the need becomes clear they will go “into”. I imagine that they will resent having to again.

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  7. I may be mistaken, and Steve, if you read this, please let me know, but did you mean “pogrom” towards the end of your post, instead of Program?

    pogrom: In general usage, a pogrom is an outbreak of mass violence directed against a minority religious, ethnic, or social group; it usually implies central instigation and control, or at minimum the passivity of local authorities.

    This was how I read your meaning.

    Jill, thank you for this reblog. So many people are saying things similar to this, but coming from a member of the Christian clergy I hope it carries extra weight with those who are Christian, for some Christians are a major part of the war on 2SLGBTAQ+ and other minorities!

    This is why I feel the citizens of the USA, especially, but really all citizens of the world, must speak out against Republican/Conservative parties and forces. If you live in a democracy, please use your vote to overwhelm and crush those who are committing and supporting these atrocities, for they are atrocities against humanity, and against life itself. Even if we can agree on nothing else, we must band together and take away power from those who hate, and tnose who convince others to hate.

    (Jill, if you could copy and paste this comment into Steve’s Substack blog I would greatly appreciate it. I am at war with Substack over their policy that one must be a paid member in order to comment on a Substack blog. Not everyone can afford to subscribe, and this penalizes those who are poor or are on fixed incomes, for it prevents their voices from being heard!. My own Substack blog does not require a subscription fee to comment, though of late I have stopped using it because of this very policy!) Thank you.

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      • Thank you. Some Substack blogs I can comment on no problem. Most of them ask for $5/month. A paid subscription. You know me. I’ll never pay for the right to comment.

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    • Thank you for your comments, and I appreciate them. As somewhat good historian with an amazingly deep knowledge of things like Pograms, I used that word intentionally, and I seldom use it in terms of the United States. Unfortunately, it is becoming a reality as Right Wing Christian Nationalists co-opt the government, media, and the law to persecute those who don’t believe like them. Peace,

      Steve

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      • Hi Steve, I guess the problem is that there is no such word a”pogram” and my eyes read it as program, for which I apologize. The word is properly spelled with 2 o’s, pogrom. I am not meaning to nitpick, but a word as odd as this needs to be correctly spelled so those who do not know it can find it in a dictionary.
        Otherwise I agree completely with what you have said, though from an atheist point of view.

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  8. Unfortunately, the shoe is already on the other foot. Christians are already under attack—if not directly by the LBGTQ + community, then by the government which is openly doing it for them. Just my opinion. Forcing LGBTQ + values and practices on the rest of the country is indeed attacking it. Like I say—this is only my opinion based on observation. Let the market tell Target if they are being wise or no.

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    • Say what??? How is LGBTQ people simply wanting equal rights “forcing LGBTQ values” on the rest of the country??? Do you think that when Black people want and fight for equal pay, that is forcing Blackness on white people? Nobody is saying you must be gay or trans … either you are or you aren’t, it’s not being forced on you! And just how are Christians being “under attack”? By whom? All I’m asking is that Christians learn to live and let live — believe as you will, but don’t expect everyone to share your beliefs. I’m not a Christian and would resent sending my child to a public school where he or she would be forced to recite a prayer. Yes, the market will determine what Target sells or doesn’t, but the violence and threats are NOT RIGHT! We are supposed to be better than this.

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      • You forget that the current administration is literally forcing it down the peoples’ throats by even linking the school lunch program to whether or not girls can be safe in school bathrooms. Just as much violence and prejudice is being perpeytrated by Those encouraging the LGBTQ + MOVEMENT, in government and elsewhere. I don’t expect others to share my beliefs, but expect each person to choose for themselves! Anyway—if it were just a debate with no children being hurt or women being raped by transitory “females” it wouldn’t be as hot an argument for either side, would it? Thank you for re4sponding relatively civilly—as I am trying to do as well By the way—I’ve seen FAR MORE VIOLENCE IN THE NEWS DONE BY AGITATORS OF THEM THAN ACTUAL EVENTS DONE BY “US”. yOUR EMOTIONS are getting ahead of you. Sorry for my bad grammar—I’m typing into a pretty tiny window at6 close to midnight in my neck of the woods. Finally—for me—if children were not forced in school and elsewhere into the LBGTQ + lifestyles, and it was seen that that community is not blameless for violence and coersion, and choice WERE available for parents abouut their own children, then our discussion would not be as one-sided as you present it. Had my say—thanks for not deleting it, no matter how it makes you feel I have the right to speak and bring up facts, too. Have a good night and weekend, —Jonathan Caswell.

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        • There was a time when Christians stood in the arena and faced the lions with faith in redemption. I was born dead and was baptised into the faith within the first five minutes of this journey. I was taught that a Christian would leap the fence with the sword of Simon Peter to fight the lions, not the unarmed innocents. My religion(Catholicism) is taking a well deserved hit because Catholics and Christians are not supposed to sit in the crowd and cheer the lions. There are no Christians being persecuted here because persecuting anyone is anti-christian. Wolves delight in mimicking sheep, lions are at least honest in their tastes..

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          • Thank you for your opinion and perspective. True—there are no actual lions to be fed to. Some anyway, are speaking out based on what we’ve been taught as right and wrong, and taking the consequences —even if only by having churches forced to shut down or being put down for our opinion. True—in other countries we are beheaded and believing women taken as sex slaves. America has yet a little civilization left in her. Yet violence against churches and synagogues are already in the news and have been recently for years. Already, many in the Christian community have either compromised their fath values or have left it altogether—but you know this. If it pleases you or not, the “lions” are already on their way. In this political climate, there are already lots of anti-Christian sentiment—The lions are just biding their time. They’ll appear as prophesied! Good day to you!

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            • This is mostly nonsense.

              If churches are shutting down, it is mainly because of reduced attendance.

              Yes, the number of Christians is diminishing. This is mainly because of the rot within the churches. When churches came out in support of Donald Trump, they demonstrated how far they have drifted from the teachings of Jesus.

              If you don’t like what others are doing, why aren’t you turning the other cheek. That’s what Jesus taught you to do. Maybe you are part of the rot within the churches.

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              • Perhaps…but in my opinion, I don’t think so. Does turning the other cheek mean not expressing one’s opinion? I don’t believe that either. But as you say—THETRE IS a lot of rot in the church! Yet the Christian church HAS, in the past had its part in politics. By the way, I’m no real fan of Trump either, despite the good things he accomplished in office. Too volatile! 😀

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            • Allowing ourselves to focus on the circling lions we have allowed the wolves to infiltrate the flock. If the lions win it will because we were weakened and destroyed by the parasites already within the herd.
              Our Muslim brothers suffer equally as the Christians and Jews in Hindu India. I hope you just forgot to include them.

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              • I’m sorry—-I have prayed for them in the past, believe it or not…India can be a dangerous place! Yet—Although we love them, anyone who denies Christ is of God is neither of God. 1 John 2: 21-23 The Bible is all the firm basis that Christians have to stand on. We are brothers but not of the same faith—you would call that exclusion, I suppose. Not all roads lead to God–a Muslim or a Jew will tell you that! But “gods”—there are many!

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                • To worship the bible is to worship a false idol. It is a book of translated stories retold for centuries between people who would not be able to understand one another. You want to hear the word of God Luke might be a place to look. Jesus speaks of a man set upon by robbers left to die by the road. As the Lord tells it at least two people pass by as He mentions a priest and a Levite without helping. But with diminishing hope there appears a LBGQT who binds his wounds, slacks his thirst and then pays for his care.
                  The Jews of the time did not believe that there was a “good” one. Perhaps less searching for meaning in the words reading and hear the teachings of the savior.
                  There are indeed many paths to the top of the mountain but there is only one Way.

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                  • I take it that in saying the Samaritan…was an LBGTQ (+) …which would be abhorrant to the Samaritan— SIGH! II do not worship the Bible—just it’s overall Author. One Way- but many paths—Sounds like the B’hai faith. Okay—explain yourself, please?please. Maybe I’ll listen

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                    • You won’t listen. Did you hear that the Baháʼí teachings state that since all humans have been created in the image of God, God does not make any distinction between people regardless of race or colour or who they love. I hope you can find a cure for the hate that binds you. Peace.

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                    • I will try. Give me that. since I have been already proclaiming that I love them—-check my personal posts if you don’t believe me. But are we not to fight the destruction of lives by those who cause these little (or big) ones to sin? Even if we leave the retribution to God Himself (where it belongs, after all)? I use Bible references as my guide to the Divine, in this case namely, Matthew 18: 6-7; and as for God’s right….Deuteronomy 32: 35-36. I assume you will look these up—no room to quote them here! I am not wise enough to not use the Bible, to tell me the nature of God and His mission for us on this earth.

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                    • I don’t know if you go to bible study. If you do Why? If the book was a step by step guide why the need to discuss meaning? It is a guide. It tells how a chicken soup can be made. It does not tell how much pepper is to little or too much. Christianity at least from my shallow inquiry is the easiest religion to practice. It requires but two things. Love the creator of all things heaven and earth and love your neighbor. I retold the parable in which God made man clearly defines what makes a man a neighbor. The Samaritan was the equivalent to a negro in the post civil war South. Racism is fear made hate, nationalism is fear made hate. Whomever has tried to sow discord, division and this hate for one’s neighbor in you was not doing God’s work and has imperiled your soul. Freewill was the Father’s gift to mankind. He knows more than any the dangers in binding a tree, It makes it weak not strong. Jesus lit the lamp and lights the way. You decide. His last miracle was to heal the maiming of the man taking him to the cross. Listen, He will talk to you. He is present now, you don’t need a book to find him. You are required to make a choice and it has nothing to do with gay or straight.

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