A lot of people may not be familiar with the terms hetero-centrism or hetero-sexism, so in order to explain why they are bad I will first need to define them. Hetero-centrism is the implicit belief that everyone is heterosexual, and hetero-sexism is the belief that heterosexual relationships are better than homosexual ones.
The reason these things or just as bad, if not worse than homophobia is that most times the person espousing views that are hetero-centric or hetero-sexist doesn't even realize they are hetero-centric or hetero-sexist. Some examples of this are when a talk show does a story about how to have better romantic relationships and they talk about men and women instead of romantic partners. They may not intend to be leaving homosexuals out, but they are. I know a lot of people at this point are probably saying that I should just get over it, and accept the fact that most people in this world are heterosexual. However, I do accept that fact, but I think that by not including gays in such stories like this you are unintentionally saying that we are not going to talk about homosexual relationships because they are not as legitimate as heterosexual ones. I also think that if more people would make an effort to include gays, more people would start to understand that gays are not really that different from other people, they just love people of the same sex. Another example of this would be when strangers or even co-workers are making small talk and they ask someone if they have a boyfriend or girlfriend depending on what sex that person is rather than asking if they are dating anyone or seeing anyone. By asking a gay guy if they have a girlfriend you are putting them in the awkward situation of having the inner dilemma of answering with a simple no, or coming out to you. I could probably come up with other examples of hetero-centrism and hetero-sexism, but I think you get where I'm coming from.
As always I welcome your comments and/or questions regarding this post. Be sure to tune into the show tomorrow night on www.brandonkinneyshow.com from 9pm to 11pm. We have two great musical acts coming on tomorrow. In the first hour we have Caine Carangi, and in the second hour we have Transistor Tramps.
One more thing. I am going to try my best to post at least once a day on my blog so be sure to check it out every day to see what I'm going to talk about that day.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Is Rand Paul a racist because of his views on the 1964 Civil Rights Act?
Do I think that the Republican Nominee for US Senate from Kentucky, Rand Paul is a racist? No, I don't think he is a racist, but I do think his idea about how far government should go in limiting discrimination is wrong. Let me begin by explaining where I think he is coming from because I don't think that he has been real clear on what he means when he has addressed this issue. From the interviews that I have read and watched, it seems to me that his view is that private businesses should be allowed to decide who they will serve. His argument is basically a free market option. He seems to think that if businesses are free to discriminate that the market will eventually correct for that, and those businesses that discriminate will go out of business. He also seems to argue a states rights issue, and a free speech one as well, all of which I think are wrong when it comes to this issue.
First, let's tackle the free market argument. Paul, and others like him have a very libertarian view of what government should be able to regulate. His idea is that businesses should be free to decide who the will serve because he thinks that to tell businesses that they have to serve anyone is to overreach government's authority. Free market people like him think that the market will decide issues like this. I wonder if there are other issues related to businesses where he thinks the government goes too far. For instance, does he think that OSHA shouldn't be able to regulate workplace safety, but I digress. The point is that sometimes the market does not take care of bad behavior on the part of businesses. The free market allowed discrimination at lunch counters in the South to flourish 100 years after slavery was abolished.
Next, let's tackle the states rights issue. I think most people would agree that if the southern states were left to their own devices they would not have ended racial discrimination in education or any other arena. In more than one southern state it took the National Guard being called out to force them to integrate colleges and court orders to force integration of public schools.
Finally, we come to the free speech argument. This one is a little more tricky. Freedom of speech does mean that people have the freedom to express racial views, but I do not believe that they should be able to express those views by discriminating against people in the marketplace.
In conclusion, I think the debate that Paul is raising is one of just how far the government can go in limiting what businesses can do. He seems to think that government should not be able to tell private businesses who the have to serve. This does not make him a racist, but I do think he is wrong. As always, I would like to invite you to tell me your thoughts and opinions on this matter. You can post your comments here, post them on my wall at www.facebook.com/brandonkinneyshow, email them to me at brandonkinneyshow@gmail.com, or call in on Wednesday to the Brandon Kinney Show at 214-556-6239.
First, let's tackle the free market argument. Paul, and others like him have a very libertarian view of what government should be able to regulate. His idea is that businesses should be free to decide who the will serve because he thinks that to tell businesses that they have to serve anyone is to overreach government's authority. Free market people like him think that the market will decide issues like this. I wonder if there are other issues related to businesses where he thinks the government goes too far. For instance, does he think that OSHA shouldn't be able to regulate workplace safety, but I digress. The point is that sometimes the market does not take care of bad behavior on the part of businesses. The free market allowed discrimination at lunch counters in the South to flourish 100 years after slavery was abolished.
Next, let's tackle the states rights issue. I think most people would agree that if the southern states were left to their own devices they would not have ended racial discrimination in education or any other arena. In more than one southern state it took the National Guard being called out to force them to integrate colleges and court orders to force integration of public schools.
Finally, we come to the free speech argument. This one is a little more tricky. Freedom of speech does mean that people have the freedom to express racial views, but I do not believe that they should be able to express those views by discriminating against people in the marketplace.
In conclusion, I think the debate that Paul is raising is one of just how far the government can go in limiting what businesses can do. He seems to think that government should not be able to tell private businesses who the have to serve. This does not make him a racist, but I do think he is wrong. As always, I would like to invite you to tell me your thoughts and opinions on this matter. You can post your comments here, post them on my wall at www.facebook.com/brandonkinneyshow, email them to me at brandonkinneyshow@gmail.com, or call in on Wednesday to the Brandon Kinney Show at 214-556-6239.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
What does equality mean to me as a gay person?
I have been thinking a lot lately about what equality for gay people should include. I think that different people have their own ideas about what equality means to them, but I thought I would take a stab at explaining what equality means to me.
In order to define what equality means to me, it is necessary to first explain what it is not. Equality to me does not necessarily mean that I can enter into a state sponsored union with the partner of my choice, although it could include that. What I mean is that I would be just as happy with the government getting out of the marriage business altogether. In other words what I'm saying is that it is more important to me to be equal than to gain the same rights that heterosexual people have. That's not to say I don't think that equality couldn't be achieved that way. I'm just saying that to me that if we are truly honest with ourselves we should admit that it is heterosexual people that have special rights under current law in most states. To me equality for gay people means that gay people have the same rights and privileges as straight people. If that means that gays are allowed to marry so be it, but I think that some in the gay rights movement have overemphasized marriage as being the end all, and be all of gay rights. I just don't think that is the case.
At this point some of you are probably saying, then what do you think equality for gay people means? Now that I have got your attention, I will tell you. Equality to me means that I should be able to go anywhere in this country and express myself in the same ways that a straight person is able to. I shouldn't have to go to a special bar to be able to dance with someone of the same sex. I should be able to walk into any bar and if someone of the same sex is willing to dance with me it should be no different than if I as a white man was dancing with a black woman. Now, I realize that in this respect, there are still a lot of people who would have a problem with an interracial couple dancing, but hopefully you are beginning to see what my idea of equality is. Let me give you another example. Equality means that I should not have to worry about the possibility of my sexuality meaning that I could be denied employment or be fired because of it, anymore than race should be a factor in employment. This also includes employment in the armed services. Equality means that I should be able to express my affection for my partner in the same ways, and in the same places as deemed appropriate for straight couples. That is to say that if it's wrong for gay couples to hold hands in public then it should be wrong for straight couples as well, but if it's okay for straight couples, then it should be okay for gay couples as well.
I welcome your questions and comments about this blog post, and anything that you hear on my show. Feel free to post your comments her or email them to me at brandonkinneyshow@gmail.com. Thanks for your time, and thanks for listening to the Brandon Kinney Show.
In order to define what equality means to me, it is necessary to first explain what it is not. Equality to me does not necessarily mean that I can enter into a state sponsored union with the partner of my choice, although it could include that. What I mean is that I would be just as happy with the government getting out of the marriage business altogether. In other words what I'm saying is that it is more important to me to be equal than to gain the same rights that heterosexual people have. That's not to say I don't think that equality couldn't be achieved that way. I'm just saying that to me that if we are truly honest with ourselves we should admit that it is heterosexual people that have special rights under current law in most states. To me equality for gay people means that gay people have the same rights and privileges as straight people. If that means that gays are allowed to marry so be it, but I think that some in the gay rights movement have overemphasized marriage as being the end all, and be all of gay rights. I just don't think that is the case.
At this point some of you are probably saying, then what do you think equality for gay people means? Now that I have got your attention, I will tell you. Equality to me means that I should be able to go anywhere in this country and express myself in the same ways that a straight person is able to. I shouldn't have to go to a special bar to be able to dance with someone of the same sex. I should be able to walk into any bar and if someone of the same sex is willing to dance with me it should be no different than if I as a white man was dancing with a black woman. Now, I realize that in this respect, there are still a lot of people who would have a problem with an interracial couple dancing, but hopefully you are beginning to see what my idea of equality is. Let me give you another example. Equality means that I should not have to worry about the possibility of my sexuality meaning that I could be denied employment or be fired because of it, anymore than race should be a factor in employment. This also includes employment in the armed services. Equality means that I should be able to express my affection for my partner in the same ways, and in the same places as deemed appropriate for straight couples. That is to say that if it's wrong for gay couples to hold hands in public then it should be wrong for straight couples as well, but if it's okay for straight couples, then it should be okay for gay couples as well.
I welcome your questions and comments about this blog post, and anything that you hear on my show. Feel free to post your comments her or email them to me at brandonkinneyshow@gmail.com. Thanks for your time, and thanks for listening to the Brandon Kinney Show.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Website, Old Shows, and more!
First of all I would like to say thanks to everyone who listened last night. We had our biggest audience in the history of the Brandon Kinney Show. Thanks to One Red Martian for coming on the show. They're an awesome group. The website for the Brandon Kinney Show is finally up. Yay! The address is www.brandonkinneyshow.com. Be sure and check it out. You can listen to the show there when it is live by clicking on the listen link. Also, you may have noticed that I have put a button on this blog that links you to a site where previous shows are posted. I now have all of the previous shows posted there including last night's show. I welcome any comments you may have about any of the shows. You can post your comments here or on my facebook page or email them to me at brandonkinneyshow@gmail.com. Also, I am now hosting karaoke at a bar in Euless for anyone who wants to come see me in person. I will be there every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night until further notice. The times are 9pm to 2am on Tues, Thur, and Sun, and 8pm to 2am on Fri and Sat. That's all for now. See you on the radio!
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