Dear BTL,
I enjoy D'Anne Witkowski's articles and her sense/understanding of equality.
Although the Creep of the Week column is often discouraging, it is so necessary for our community. Last week's column concerning Welch, West Virginia Police Chief Robert K. Bowman was spiritually disturbing. Bowman's actions, without a doubt, reek of homophobic racism and ignorance toward those with HIV/AIDS. But more so, he showed his inhumanity toward a soul. For several reasons, I think this is important to point out: "non-homosexuals" seem to make a point of separating "homosexuals" from humanity. It seems to make it easier for them to degrade, insult, harm and ridicule those who look like them.
Bowman's action of "physically preventing Green's friend from administering CPR" is past the point of homophobia: it is inhumane.
Although many disagree with comparisons to slavery, I am reminded of the apparent ease that some had with "owning people" due to masters seeing Africans not as spiritual beings, but as chattel. This made it easier to degrade, insult, harm and ridicule them.
I believe that one of the best ways for us to get a better handle on racism would probably work for other "isms" as well. Maybe if we stop separating and categorizing the hate – stop calling an inhumane, hateful act such as was done to Green a homophobic act and instead call it an act of inhumanity, maybe it we change just one heart. I don't know, call me an idealist or at least hopeful.
Michelle Anderson,
Ferndale
