Hashtag Me Bitch

List, always lists…
The highly offended
put you on their shit list
because King James
edited a book.

Please don’t preach at me
while screwing hypocrisy.
You have a whole list of fucks
to give about public bathrooms,
but not a tear for a lesbian
who died in Afghanistan
to protect your freedom of speech.

Oh, I know..You have another list
to put me on…vulgar tongue.
Sorry I can’t sing pretty while
you justify hate by cherry picking scripture
from a pulpit decorated with Trump.

You talk about persecution in the U.S.
because of your faith. Really?
Dine on homeless shelter soup
with a homosexual boy who calls
an alley home because his parents
camped out in Leviticus.

Yes I’m pissed. Hashtag me bitch…
Tweet the hell out of it until it
gets twitter marked trending.
People with compassion have open arms.
I am so tired of those who talk about
unconditional love with closed fists.

 ©Susie Clevenger 2016

I am not throwing an entire religion under the bus. I know kind, loving Christians, but I have felt the claws of those who aren't.


New York Post: December 22, 2015: "A female officer in the Air Force who was one of the first openly gay service members to marry was identified on Tuesday as among the six US troops killed by a suicide bomber near Bagram air base in Afghanistan.
Facebook postings on Tuesday by friends and family of Air Force Major Adrianna Vorderbruggen mourned her death on Monday and sent condolences to her wife Heather and son Jacob, who live near Washington, D.C."
Left Behind: LGBT Homeless Youth Struggle to Survive on the Streets




Comments

said…
"People with compassion have open arms.
I am so tired of those who talk about
unconditional love with closed fists."

That is pretty darn powerful.
Kerry O'Connor said…
This gave me a serious case of chills from head to foot, Susie.. and there is not much writing so potent as to have that effect on me!

Preaching like this needs no book to back it up, only humanity.
brudberg said…
Anyone pointing a finger have most of his fingers pointing to himself... I would say that Hypocrisy like that range high among the sins... strangely enough they think the needle's eye would widen just for them.
Sherry Blue Sky said…
Oh, Susie. NAILED IT! Superbly.
Toni said…
Couldn't be said any better. Powerful!
grapeling said…
powerful, Susie. I'm with you.
Thanks for adding your pen ~
Heidi said…
You are officially my favorite writer of the day. This is so fucking awesome, Susie.
Ginny Brannan said…
Nailed it, Susie. I get tired of the religious hypocrisy, those who turn the scriptures to suit their needs, the ones who claim to be good Christians, while spewing hate and venom to their fellow human beings. They need to get off their pulpits and down in the trenches, to spread a lot more understanding and a lot less anger. I'd like to think that Christ would have had no problems hanging out with the LGBT's because he would've known it's not how people view you, it's what's in your heart that counts. Thanks for this one, Susie.
Ellecdd said…
Very powerful, Susie, I agree with you 100%, it's so sad we have to speak so loudly to be heard, thank you for having the courage to speak the thoughts of many,,
De Jackson said…
I love that last stanza, especially. I pray often for open hands, open heart.
Jim said…
It's a tough world out there for the LGBT. You told it well with a brave confrontation. My ears, mind, and hands are 'open'. Personally I think many more of us than will admit have had doubts about their orientation. I have. Some day there may be a widely accepted test, biological, physical, and mental. Probably right after a vaccination against cancer.
I haven't many for friends but each of those few handles themself differently. One, who is the most recent I have met, cross dresses in church, in our Sunday school class. I don't know her well enough to ask how she handles herself at work. She has been welcomed among our members but she doesn't stay long after class and mingle. 'Her' name is still Bob.
..