Rosy Eyes

I spotted this photo on Reddit pics.

It’s beautiful while disturbing at the same time. It’s reminds me of today’s struggles, though also very different. For one, it reminds me of those against marriage equality. Additionally, it also reminds me of how Christians try to separate themselves from atheists and other non-Christians. The comparison is certainly not 100% apt. I’m not implying that it is. The days of segregation (and everything prior) must have been horrible, at least for the ethical people.

Our civil rights struggles of today are different and at least it’s not this dehumanizing. But, depending on where you live, maybe it could be. I’ve always lived in somewhat big cities, so I don’t know how bad it can be in the country for sexuality/gender minorities and atheists/Jews/Muslims/Buddhists/etc. Even LA is not all rainbows and unicorns. We saw what happened with Prop 8 (though all of California). But, in the defense of the people (which I was one of at the time), the Mormon church put in so much money to outright lie about what would happen. Teachers, principals, all people from all school boards pointed out their lies (about “teaching” “gay marriage” to kids) but they didn’t have the same money. I saw through the lies but not enough of the people did. I also attended a couple protests afterward.

There were many parallel lines drawn between the marriage equality civil rights struggle and segregation civil rights struggle (and all the terrible stuff that came before it…and even after). I don’t know how correct these lines are but there is definitely some kind of similarity.

As far as the atheists and non-believers (read “non-believers” as non-Christians) point, it’s much more subtle but it’s burrowed deep within the brains of some who dislike others that believe differently (or not at all). It’s certainly different, yet there’s a vague similarity of “the other” who’s not as good as “me” (not me, them). You get my point. I hope.

In any case, this photo is very moving.