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Morality Wars, Liza and Warhol


By Johnny Trlica

COMMENTARY: “This is not who we are.†That line has been uttered thousands of times over the past couple of weeks in response to the Trump administration’s policy to separate immigrant families. Are we really better than ripping infants and toddlers from their mother’s arms and locking them in cages? Is it really beneath us to lock up entire families and isolate them from the rest of us? History suggests not.

Native American Indians saw their families dismantled routinely as Caucasian migration spread west and African families were divided as they were individually sold off to the highest bidder.

We elected a president who campaigned on a platform of racism, misogyny, openly mocked a disabled person and bragged about sexual assault. A large chunk of America ate it up.

So no, America, what is happening on the border is not beneath us. It is who we are and who we have become.

Why should we as LGBTQ people care about illegal immigrant families being separated at the border? Well, one reason is that we are more compassionate than the people in charge. Another reason is it could be us.

During the peak of the AIDS crisis, there were many who called for all gays to be locked away or sent to internment camps together. Fear and ignorance towards AIDS was widespread. “God’s punishment!â€

Even today there are radical Christian pastors and right wing politicians who, if they had their way, would send us away or even killed. During remarks made at the National Religious Liberties Conference in 2015, Pastor Kevin Swanson said that both the Old and New Testament require the death penalty for the crime of homosexuality, as well as his position that any Christian who attends a gay wedding can only do so in order to hold up a sign informing the couple that they ought to be put to death.

Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) was a prominent Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps. He is best remembered for the quotation “First They Came Forâ€:

“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me.â€

Still wondering why we should care about the immigrant families at the border?

The Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page posts links to the latest news and stories of interest to the Bayou City’s LGBTQ community. Here are a couple of those stories.

Texas GOP reaffirms its homophobia

The GOP is consistent, if nothing else. At the state GOP’s convention in mid-June, Texas’ Grand Old Party reaffirmed that it has not progressed in its antiquated stance on LGBTQ rights, reports LGBTQNation.com.

As expected, they were all in favor of “religious liberties,†saying, “We support the removal of laws and regulations that are used to force business owners and employees to violate their sincerely held beliefs.â€

The party platform also took aim at trans rights, starting with the acknowledgment that transgender people even exist. “We oppose all efforts to validate transgender identity,†the platform reads.

How about if we just let you read the rest for yourself what they endorsed: “We affirm God’s biblical design for marriage and sexual behavior between one biological man and one biological woman, which has proven to be the foundation for all great nations in Western Civilization. We oppose homosexual marriage, regardless of state of origin. We urge the Texas Legislature to pass religious liberty protections for individuals, businesses, and government officials who believe marriage is between one man and one woman. We oppose the granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for homosexual behavior, regardless of state of origin. We oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values.â€

And we will just leave it right there.

Liza selling Warhols

Liza Minnelli has not acted in five years or performed in concert in three but she isn’t hurting for money. The Cabaret actress has a large collection of Andy Warhol paintings that she has been selling piece by piece, reports PageSix.com.

Minnelli recently sold a silk screen of her mother Judy Garland for $7 million. The 72-year-old Oscar winner reportedly had as many as 22 Warhol paintings decorating her Manhattan apartment before moving to Beverly Hills a few years ago.

Johnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. Contact him at [email protected].

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