The Religious Wrong: The Bullying Hypocrisy

We all know of the incalculably large bullying problem, particularly in schools, that is faced by the LGBT community. Several incidents of suicides resulting from anti-gay bullying hit the national news last year not to mention several since, and who knows how many that did not reach the national news. Of course there is also that faced by LGBT adults, such as gay couples who are harassed merely walking down the street minding their own business. It is a rampant epidemic being ardently fought on multiple fronts.

Over the last few months however, I have become aware of many people on the other side saying it is the faithful who are being bullied. For example these people and organizations say that businesses that face boycotts because their leadership has voiced opposition to various gay rights are the true victims of bullies (versus, say, a kid who gets shot in the back of the head in the middle of class, or a kid who unknowingly gets streamed online with another man). The fact of the matter is that such a boycott, at least in my opinion, is far more valuable than taking such a business to court. Actions have consequences. Saying that a group of people is unworthy of rights because of who they are (when who they are causes no real harm to others) is going to get you in some type of trouble. While businesses and business leaders have the right to say what they want and what they believe, so do consumers. They may choose to do so by taking their money to a more enlightened business. 

This isn't bullying, it is the American way: power of the purse.

Having said all of that, it is incredibly hypocritical that these anti-gay organization accuse gay "activists" of being bullies for boycotting when they have at least attempted to do the same thing. The American Family Association (AFA) is calling for Home Depot, which is on record as supporting gay rights. The AFA in the past has also boycotted Ford (for two years) and various other auto-companies, McDonald's, Disney, and others.  So here is the question: how is it bullying when one group does something, but when another group does THE EXACT SAME THING, it is not?

I would submit that these people do not know what being bullied is really like and, thus, have zero credibility on the matter.