While reading the morning paper (virtually on this snowy Sunday), I came across "Why two black D.C. pastors support gay marriage" in The Washington Post. Through their eloquent support of same-sex marriage in the District, Dennis W. Wiley and Christine Y. Wiley illustrate the power and purpose of words, and their importance in pursuing social justice:
A final piece that shapes black attitudes toward same-sex marriage is the preoccupation with racism in the black community. This obsession, although justifiable, has led to a failure to appreciate how racism is inextricably connected to all other forms of oppression. Those who fail to see this connection may resent the comparison of gay rights with civil rights. But as Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
It's this point that reminds me of the primary meaning behind Weirding Word® -- words are powerful. And, the ways we connect them serve to frame and define the assumptions on which we base opinions. Those words we use to oppress or divide only play into hate, intolerance and bigotry. Read the entire article. The words are thought-provoking, causing one to reflect on how to define justice -- not only what it is, but who is allowed to receive it.
Gaea Honeycutt
blog@weirdingword.com
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