I read today, a story at gay.com/news about a 21-year-old man who was convicted, in what I would suspect was a very unfair trial of 'raping' three boys when the man was age 13.
According to Human Rights Watch Makwan Moloudzadeh was hung late Tuesday of this week.
His family was notified on Wednesday to come and retreive the mans body. "We were expecting an order for retrial by the Supreme Court,'' Saeed Eqbali, the lawyer of the sentenced man said.
What came to my mind was a statement my Mother once made about the Pride parade. "I don't see why they need to have a parade" she said. Quite obviously not yet at a point where I was part of her condescending they. I was offended and don't remember what I said, but I know I wasn't happy with my answer and it has always bothered me.
When I read this story it reminded me of a sign that someone was carrying during the 2006 Pride Toronto parade which read: "We march for those who can't". I don't recall what group this person was with, but the marchers following him were carrying signs each with the name of a country and below it some statistic or fact about it like how many gays they had murdered. You can see Dave Raetsens 2006 Pride Toronto video of this here.
My point is this. We have a parade and celebrate who we are and our lives for many reasons. As many people often do, without having to give or have a specific reason, other than to celebrate. Just because it is fun. Some do have very specific reasons, for others they need no reason.According to Human Rights Watch Makwan Moloudzadeh was hung late Tuesday of this week.
His family was notified on Wednesday to come and retreive the mans body. "We were expecting an order for retrial by the Supreme Court,'' Saeed Eqbali, the lawyer of the sentenced man said.
What came to my mind was a statement my Mother once made about the Pride parade. "I don't see why they need to have a parade" she said. Quite obviously not yet at a point where I was part of her condescending they. I was offended and don't remember what I said, but I know I wasn't happy with my answer and it has always bothered me.
When I read this story it reminded me of a sign that someone was carrying during the 2006 Pride Toronto parade which read: "We march for those who can't". I don't recall what group this person was with, but the marchers following him were carrying signs each with the name of a country and below it some statistic or fact about it like how many gays they had murdered. You can see Dave Raetsens 2006 Pride Toronto video of this here.I feel that our parade has now evolved to a more developed state where it is not all protest and rights motivated, and we must not take that lightly. The fact that we are fortunate enough to be able to relax and party instead of having to fight for our lives is not enough. Now we must show the world that it is unacceptable to treat any minority in any unfair or unjust way. Especially when governments are murdering people for so called crimes, which are really just normal human behaviour.
I have never supported the death penalty and this is just one more case of why I made that choice.What gives any state the authority to say who gets to live and who gets to die?
A criminal, any criminal is still human and is a product of the world that we all create, and for creating that world we all must accept our part, whether that part be big or small, one of passivity and blandness or a part that involves action and using your life to make a difference.
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