I’m an Ostrich a good deal of the time, with my head in the sand, peacefully oblivious to most of what’s swirling around in the real world.
I’m happy here. Don’t pluck with me.
In my little Ostrich mind, others do the right thing, are tolerant of one another’s beliefs and keep their flock together. So, imagine my surprise this week, when I pulled my head out of the sand for a second and heard some extremist advocating stoning homosexuals.
I kinda let that go in and out my ostrich ears, thinking this guy was another Taliban hardliner enforcing a kaleidoscopeian version of Sharia Law. Then, I heard reference to Bible verses, Christian Bible verses. Oh, this must be that Westsomewhere Baptist hate group. You know them, protesting military funerals and such, proclaiming it as God’s Will.
So imagine my feathers when I found that this hate mongering came from a politician running for a seat in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Slate Magazine has a decent summary, but Candidate Scott Esk, reported that we would be “Totallly in the right to do it.” He backtracked a bit and said, “I never said I would author legislation to put homosexuals to death, but I didn’t have a problem with it.” Oh, well, that’s better.
WTF!?!
Now, I’m a rather right leaning person, a retired peace officer, not gay, and a recovering Catholic, so I’ve had a lifetime of limited tolerance, and institutionally enforced guilt. I find myself growing more tolerant as I age. It’s more than a “live and let live,” philosophy, but a who am I to judge who deserves happiness? Whatever floats your boat. As an Ostrich, I want to peck this guy’s eyes out. Is he afraid he’s going to catch something?
Dude, just chill. That kind of hate will eat you up from the inside and the only stoning I want hear about is from Snoop Dogg.
So, what’s it got to do with a plain old Ostrich, like me?
It’s a slippery slope. As repugnant as advocating stoning homosexuals might be, where will this line of thinking stop? Today, it’s an attack on LGBT people, tomorrow, it’s the color of my feathers, or my religious beliefs if they don’t line up in lockstep with “The Party.” Think Jews and homosexuals in 1940’s Germany.
As an Ostrich, I support everyone’s right to freedom of expression, until they cross the line of advocating harm to others. I don’t care how a politician tries to spin this to gain a few votes, this guy crossed a line. When our own political candidates sound like Osama Bin Laden, that’s more than a bit troubling.
As an Ostrich, it matters not to me, who you choose to share your nest with.
As an Ostrich, we look out for one another, keeping predators at bay.
As an Ostrich, we can take care of ourselves, so don’t push it.
As an Ostrich, I have a message for the people like this out there…Pluck you.
So, I’m going to get off the Ostrich soapbox and go shove my head back in the sand.
But I’ll be listening…
James L'Etoile
James L'Etoile 
Your finely-feathered views are wise, and I approve.
Though I should point out, ostriches don’t actually put their heads in the sand. That’s a two thousand year old myth.
Well, Jason, the ostrich head in the sand might be a myth, but I like the visual. Besides, who am I to argue with Pliny the Elder?
Jim, I’m afraid I’m an ostrich too. It’s nice in my world. I can’t change anything in this “democratic” country we live in because it really isn’t a democracy. Those with money rule. So, I keep my head in the sand, pray for peace, and live a good life. My only consolation is that I’m at the end of the calendar pages, and won’t have to be around for more Obamas and more muslims. I just pray that my kids and grandkids will have the strength to endure in the crappy world that began in the 60’s. (Sure, it was crappy long before the 60’s, but sex, drugs, and bad music became the credo for so many of the world’s young adults. The heck with morality. God is dead.) So back I go into the sand for another day of happiness, at least in my mind. And, yes, I’ll pray for world peace like I was taught to do in Catholic School.