From America’s parents, “Hell, no”
On a June day in New York City, they marched. Down Fifth Avenue, bubbles and confetti filling the air, drag queens shimmied and danced, and as they marched, they chanted, “We’re here. We’re queer. We’re coming for your children.”
Across America, from factories and farms to offices and homes, millions of parents roared. “Oh, hell, no!”
Of course, in the conflagration that followed the video’s publication, the lying began. “It’s all just words,” said Brian Griffin. “It’s all presented to fulfill their worst stereotypes.”
“The person who said this in a march isn’t the person who came up with this idea. The person in the march is saying, ‘Go ahead. Call me this. Why do I care?’ This person is trying to destigmatize this and claim their own power. You can’t blame the victims here, and that’s what the right wing is doing.” This, from Karla Jay, the first female chair of New York’s Gay Liberation Front.
Well, on behalf of my fellow Americans who are of sound mind and see the author of this demonic agenda for who he is, I’m “reclaiming my power,” and I’m speaking out on behalf of the true victims, America’s children.
It’s a strategy as old as time. Appear to the people as an angel of light. By employing subtle shifts to Truth, chip away at divine good, nobility, and virtue. Then when humans awaken to what you’re doing and cry out in the streets, bully, intimidate, and harass them, cowing them into silence through fear. Threats and accusations, gaslighting and projection are devastatingly effective. Use those heavily. When they can no longer be controlled and managed, imprison them or kill them. The end.
The first step in reclaiming power is this—refusing to be afraid anymore. When we are paralyzed by fear, the enemy can have his way, and we are useless in the fight. We must be ruthless in resisting the terror of the bully, not allowing its entrance at all. This is an individual decision and commitment, and it must take place within the heart.
Second, we must keep the reason (i.e., mission) before our eyes and refuse to be distracted or confused. For this mother and countless others, that reason is my children and grandchildren and the future of the country that I love. For love, I must reject the fear and stand firmly on Truth no matter what the cost might be.
Third, we must teach our children the truth. This will only work if we have a strong, intimate knowledge of Truth ourselves. Again, this is an individual pursuit that involves the heart and mind. Weakness here is costly, and the responsibility lies squarely upon our shoulders.
From the start, my husband and I wanted to be in charge of the boys’ religious training and all sex education in our home. We refused to simply cede that to the school. No topic was off limits, and we did our best to be open and approachable about this complex subject. We have not regretted that decision.
When our oldest son was eight or nine, he came to me with questions about babies, where they came from, and “how they got in there.” I answered his questions, and then I told him this. “You will hear lots of stuff about this at school. It won’t all be good. That’s why it’s important to know the truth because truth is like a vaccine that protects your mind.”
Fourth, we must keep speaking the truth in the public square. Other people’s bravery and courage inspires my own, and it strengthens my heart and resolve. We can and must do this for our fellow citizens. We don’t have to surrender the microphone to the loud, angry voices. We can leverage media platforms for the good.
Lastly, we can vote with our hands, our dollars, and our absence. We can remove our kids from radicalized schools and our families from radicalized states. This may be costly and inconvenient, but it’s not impossible, especially with our mission in mind.
Do I hate the people in the LGBTQ community? No! Disagreement in no wise equals hatred, which is just another accusation used to silence dissent. I can hate agendas, beliefs, and ideas without hating people. I can strongly oppose all of the above without a shred of hatred in my heart, and I can do it all from a solid foundation of love.
As I go about “reclaiming my power,” I’d like to reclaim the rainbow, too. It was ours first. Placed in the sky by the Creator, it was His eternal promise to mankind that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood. It was not a symbol of sexuality; it was a sign of His love.
That rainbow is mine. It is yours, and it is God’s. Who, I remember, “has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).” In His name, I claim these today.
May God bless and restore our beloved America. May He protect and safeguard the children. Amen.
You can hear America’s small, caffeinated mom every Saturday morning on 77 WABC with James Golden, aka Bo Snerdley. They discuss the weekly essay and other topics of interest to them and their listeners.