Journal to a Muse

I must be feeling better, because this made me ANGRY!

I had an email yesterday about a Fox "News" commentator and host who were proclaiming the notion that there are vast legions of armed lesbian gangs about to take over many major cities, expecially Washington, D.C.

The hysterical, marginalizing, contemptuous remarks were the big tipoff that this was a bogus "story" and false information. But people believe this stuff. Or are so afraid of their shadow, that they think they 'need' to be afraid.

• Use some common sense people! Remember to do The Work by Katie Byron.
  Is it true?
  Can you absolutely know that it's true?
  How do you react when you think that thought?
  Who would you be without the thought?

As it happens, there are some gays and some lesbians who are no nicer, purer or gentler than straight men and women. But they are not in GANGS. You do not need to freak out!

There is, however, an apparently well-known national organization of gay and lesbian firearms owners called the Pink Pistols. This group has never been implicated in any gang activity.

When you read about or hear about something that seems too peculiar to believe,
CHECK IT OUT.

As it happens, the Southern Poverty Law Center did an excellent Intelligence Report that refusted the hysteria and exaggerations of the Fox Story. You can read it at the link below.
http://www.splcenter.org/intel/news/item.jsp?aid=274&site_area=1
I did, and while I was there, I stumbled on these maps.









See the click-on version at the link below and see how your state measures up.
http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp

What are you doing to decrease hate in the world?
You could do worse than to support the Southern Poverty Law Center
http://www.splcenter.org/center/about.jsp
All of the graphics in this post are from the SPL website.
I appreciate their implied willingness to allow their materials to be used if they are appropriately attributed.