Monday, July 21, 2008

Honor killings, my ass


This morning, I came across this article from the U.K.'s Independent, and I am completely outraged.

It's being reported that a Turkish man, pictured above, was likely murdered in an "honor killing" by his family because he was openly gay. "Honor killings" are perpetrated on many, especially women who are breaking free from patriarchal "values," but this would be the first reported case of a man being the victim of one because of being gay.

Honestly, people, what the fuck?

My immediate response to these kinds of things usually runs the regular gamut of vengeful thoughts - kill them all, I want to see them suffer, where's a biblical earthquake when you need one, etc.

Then, I usually move into the more subtle curses, "May the perpetrators of this crime have their eyes opened to their own deeds," "May they fully drink from the waters of compassion," etc., etc.

Of course, this leads me to a slight form of narcissism, which I don't think is a bad thing for a witch actively engaged in transforming the world. If I'm willing to lay these things on someone else, what does my own slate look like? That's not to say I won't wish for those things - it's more whether or not I'm willing to deal with the fall out on my end.

Violence against queer people sends me through the fucking roof. While people of my parents' generation remember where they were when Kennedy was shot, I still have clear memories from the time I found out about Matthew Shepard's death.

On a related note, Malidoma Some, an initiated elder and representative of his village in Burkina Faso, has some fascinating things to say about queer peoples and the necessity of keeping queers a vital part of a community (and let's start with not killing them). Here's the interview he did on the subject - I'll write more about my own musings on this conversation tomorrow. In the meantime, check it out.

May the mysteries of death no longer be wielded as a weapon by anyone against anyone. Ever.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much, Sweet Heart.

The murder of Queer People continues around the world. I have no hesitation on calling on the Queer Mysterious Ones to witness the violence perpetrated against Their people. I have no hesitation of reminding Them of Their promises to protect and nurture Their folk. Despite whatever discomfort may come our way, I still pray daily for us all to open our hearts to the deep compassion that can only lead to loving transformation and restoration.

Bless the Bees.

Anonymous said...

Hi, Greg:

As a woman, I can surely sympathize with your feelings. Women have been the victims of such atrocities from time immemorial. Here's one of the latest accounts:

http://www.ajc.com/celebrities/content/metro/clayton/stories/2008/07/10/clayton_daughter_killed.html

According to the source in this article, 5 THOUSAND women a year are put to death in such a fashion.

And don't even get me started on female mutilzation practices
http://members.tripod.com/~Wolvesdreams/FGM.html

Greg....I'm so very sorry this beautiful man lost his life in such a dispicable way....sorrier still that it seems we still have so far to go - as a human family - before we get past this darkness.

Hold your own light brighter still....and don't let the bastards get you down. We need you.

Greg Fletcher-Marzullo said...

You work that Handmaid's Tale quote, Grace! (It's one of my very favorites.)

And thank you for your words of encouragement. Yes, genital mutilation - what madness.