My Prayer
The decision or call to openly speak out against injustice, particularly here in MS has become increasingly more important for me. While discrimination against others has always occurred throughout history it appears to have become more emboldened and accepted in recent years. Remaining passive and quiet about new discriminatory laws is often taken as a stance of agreement. I am a white, married female professional in MS. I cannot say I have ever experienced the cruel words or actions, some of which I have witnessed in my lifetime. Some I have witnessed a public-school teacher or simply as a human being on this earth. I am speaking without the experience of LGBT persons as part of my direct family. However, I am part of the human family, this community, and the state of MS. I cannot remain passively quiet any longer.
We are ALL simply attempting to get through life’s journey as best as we can. It is not acceptable to make that journey harder for others and justifying it as Christianity, governmental law or fear of maybes! Doing harm or advocating harm for those who have not harmed you is an ugly and hateful injustice. Being different from what some in society has deemed as “normal” is certainly not criminal and does not justify denying rights, access or dignity! I believe we can no longer remain passive or silent; which is also considered acceptance or agreement in inflicting harm upon others. Now is the time to be my true self, speak out and encourage others to do so -in word and deed! I will proudly support my LGBT community in their endeavors to be their authentic selves as well!
My prayer is that If I (we) stand up and speak out it will inspire many others who have lived passively to be authentic too!
Joy Moore
LGBT Ally
“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”
― Robert F. Kennedy
