Hezekiah ain't family. Period.
Whether or not Pastor Hezekiah Walker dips his toe into the pool of homosexuality is of little concern to me when identifying members of our extended SGL 'fam'. His denials speak louder than anything else.
A straight friend recently shocked me by saying she didn't want to be mentioned on a gay man's website, when it came up that I'd posted some pictures from my recent fortieth birthday cruise which she attended. It stuck in my craw in the worst way. Now ... though I wasn't planning to post pictures of her in the first place, her message spoke volumns to me, much more than she intended I'm sure, and raised questions. How much do our straight friends really embrace us? Do they consider us 'fam'? And ... what is 'fam'?
First off ... anyone who doesn't wish to be associated with me (because of my blackness, gayness, outspokeness, or any other '-ness') ... I happily oblige them. But "family" to me are ones who have my back when the going gets tough, the ones who stand by me when I really need them.
Hezekiah doesn't have my back. Screw the rumors ... which have been circulating since Raz B was a zygote. Screw the fact that almost everyone I talked to, church folk all, grudging believed the report by Media TakeOut that Hez had left his wife and was living with his transvestite lover ... which Music News Weekly now says is all a vicious lie, and that "... Pastor Walker is a HETEROSEXUAL MALE who was the chosen victim of total stupidity on behalf of many."
Well okay. Whatever.
At worst, he's been a victim of the nasty rumor mill all these years ... and at best, the rumors have been true and he desperately despises his Same-Gender impulses so much that he preaches vehemently against them while pretending not to be a hypocrite. Either way ... he ain't family. Not by any stretch of its definition. 'Fam' doesn't deny or oppress one another. My friend however (as thoughtless and infuriating as her comment was), has been there for me and aligned herself with me (and gays in general) ... and therefore gets the benefit of the doubt, and remains part of my personal extended 'fam'. As for the roots of her statement, well, that's another discussion entirely.
Okay, the Media Take-Out piece as the source of this whole thing was always a little specious to me, as is Music News Weekly's denial. But why did so many instantly believe it? Maybe because homosexuality is prevalent inside the black church, and Hez's alleged DL-ness is also notorious. It's nothing new. Neither is this brand of 'don't ask, don't tell' crap, which is the hypocritical Achilles Heel of most religious institutions.
Basically, since it's presence can not be condoned or explained ... then let's turn a blind eye and never ever speak of it (except, of course, to condemn and deny its existence within--and contributions to--the Church itself).
Here's a factoid to those afraid to be themselves out of fear of retribution from a malevolent God: If our ancestors hadn't been lucky enough to be captured by some good Christians ... we wouldn't know a damn thing about Jesus today. Aren't we a lucky people?
Let's blow the dust off our beliefs about salvation (and family), and take a closer look at who we are still oppressing with them.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Hezekiah ain't family. Period.
Whether or not Pastor Hezekiah Walker dips his toe into the pool of homosexuality is of little concern to me when identifying members of our extended SGL 'fam'. His denials speak louder than anything else.
A straight friend recently shocked me by saying she didn't want to be mentioned on a gay man's website, when it came up that I'd posted some pictures from my recent fortieth birthday cruise which she attended. It stuck in my craw in the worst way. Now ... though I wasn't planning to post pictures of her in the first place, her message spoke volumns to me, much more than she intended I'm sure, and raised questions. How much do our straight friends really embrace us? Do they consider us 'fam'? And ... what is 'fam'?
First off ... anyone who doesn't wish to be associated with me (because of my blackness, gayness, outspokeness, or any other '-ness') ... I happily oblige them. But "family" to me are ones who have my back when the going gets tough, the ones who stand by me when I really need them.
Hezekiah doesn't have my back. Screw the rumors ... which have been circulating since Raz B was a zygote. Screw the fact that almost everyone I talked to, church folk all, grudging believed the report by Media TakeOut that Hez had left his wife and was living with his transvestite lover ... which Music News Weekly now says is all a vicious lie, and that "... Pastor Walker is a HETEROSEXUAL MALE who was the chosen victim of total stupidity on behalf of many."
Well okay. Whatever.
At worst, he's been a victim of the nasty rumor mill all these years ... and at best, the rumors have been true and he desperately despises his Same-Gender impulses so much that he preaches vehemently against them while pretending not to be a hypocrite. Either way ... he ain't family. Not by any stretch of its definition. 'Fam' doesn't deny or oppress one another. My friend however (as thoughtless and infuriating as her comment was), has been there for me and aligned herself with me (and gays in general) ... and therefore gets the benefit of the doubt, and remains part of my personal extended 'fam'. As for the roots of her statement, well, that's another discussion entirely.
Okay, the Media Take-Out piece as the source of this whole thing was always a little specious to me, as is Music News Weekly's denial. But why did so many instantly believe it? Maybe because homosexuality is prevalent inside the black church, and Hez's alleged DL-ness is also notorious. It's nothing new. Neither is this brand of 'don't ask, don't tell' crap, which is the hypocritical Achilles Heel of most religious institutions.
Basically, since it's presence can not be condoned or explained ... then let's turn a blind eye and never ever speak of it (except, of course, to condemn and deny its existence within--and contributions to--the Church itself).
Here's a factoid to those afraid to be themselves out of fear of retribution from a malevolent God: If our ancestors hadn't been lucky enough to be captured by some good Christians ... we wouldn't know a damn thing about Jesus today. Aren't we a lucky people?
Let's blow the dust off our beliefs about salvation (and family), and take a closer look at who we are still oppressing with them.
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5 comments:
I commend you on commenting on this... makes me look at my circle of people, and see at who I feel is "fam" to me.
Oh okay now I finally get it. A long time ago you asked me if I was family. Maybe I am, but not because or my orientation, But because I do love my friends no matter what their orientation or lifestyle may be. You have read my blog you know my friends defy categorization. With regard Hez, I am so disappointed with the Black church when it comes to dealing with this gay issue it makes me sick.
Why do we want to be in the role of oppressing anybody because they fall outside the normal society. It was not so long ago that it was absolutely acceptable to openly discriminate against blacks.
Well said, Harold …
But you know what? I doubt the day will come when the COMPLETE truth will rain down on Hez. Yeah … more allegations and rumors will surface, even possibly more first hand testimonials from those really ‘in the know’ … but still, religious figures and organizations have become quite adept at subverting any and all situations which threaten their money machine.
And what makes it so easy … their followers WANT to believe the best possibly scenarios, even though deep down inside they know better. Everyone in Hez’s church (I’ve heard) knows damn well what his flava is. Still … accusations either land on deaf ears, or are attacked viciously, and sometimes violently.
You can convince people of anything, I believe. Take that Fred Phelps asshole. I can see one lunatic believing that he must picket the funerals of servicemen because they defend a country that supports gays. But he’s actually got a flock of fools ready to do his bidding. That’s some scary shit.
One … I don’t know what America he’s talking about, but this one hardly supports gays. Tolerates yes … supports no. So that means be supports something more radical, like stringing us all up. When the bottom-line is … the cretin is just a bitter, repressed homo himself who’s missed out on a long life of beautiful men, and he needs to spread his anger and bitterness as much as possible.
People will believe anything. Hez can get caught with his bootie tooted in the air, and as long as he’s acceptably contrite about his perverse behavior, his flock will forgive. That’s what they do best.
Now if he took a stand against the silly belief that our brand of lovin’ is a sin … then whoa unto him.
You, once again, hit the nail on the head! That last line says it all!
I still believe that the man is gay, but definitely is not "family"...
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