Terrors of the American Taliban

In Thailand, homosexuality is very open and very tolerated. Perhaps its the Buddhist perspective of live and let live. Perhaps its the laid back nature of the Thais. I don't know. But as a result, there are a huge number of out-of-the-closet gay men in Bangkok. On occasion, one will hit on me.

I respond, "Sorry, I'm straight".

They say something like, "Oh, I'm sorry"..... or maybe joke with me.

I say, "No problem".

And that's it. That's the big fucking terror that has Americans and rabid Christians in such hysteria? How many times have I heard some macho idiot say something like, "If one of those queers hits on me, I'll fucking kill him".

The Christian Taliban argument goes something like this: If we tolerate gays, morality will collapse and a 1000 year reign of Satan will commence (or something like that). Yet Thailand is as "moral" (and "immoral") as any other country I've visited. Nothing has collapsed. Even the most macho of Thai men deals with gay guys with a shrug or a laugh.

So what is the big deal? Where does all that hatred come from? What exactly are they afraid of in America? My hunch is that they fear themselves... that they might harbor some "gay feelings" or "gay inclinations". Or that their friends or family members might. Rather than confront these issues within themselves, they prefer to spew venom upon that which they fear.

Its sad. Sad and pathetic. Whatever happened to "live and let live"? How do we get these vermin to crawl back into their holes and leave us alone? I'm open to suggestions!