Depravity, by Will Stanton

[Public Figures]

Herman “999” Cain

Coach Jerry Sandusky

Sheriff Pat Sullivan

Former House Majority Leader Newt Gingrich
Former House Majority Leader Dennis Hastert

Gov. Mark Sanford

Senator John Ensign

Rep. Mark Folly

Rep. John Gibbons

Rep. Don Sherwood

Congressman Anthony Weiner

Senator Larry Craig

Wisconsin State Senator Randy Hopper

CA State Senator Roy Ashburn

Mit Romney aid Matthew Elliott

Florida State Rep. Bob Allen

Prosecutor John Atchison

Judge Ronald Kline

S. Dakota Rep. Ted Klaudt

PA Congressman Joseph McDade

Christian Coalition Chairman Louis Beres

Anti-John-Kerry ad producer Carey Cramer

Christian Conservative Activist Jeff Nielson

NY Committee Chairman Jeff Patti

FL Rep. and Chairman of John McCain’s Presidential campaign Bob Allen.

Party Chairman Jim Stelling

Whitehouse religious adviser Ted Haggard

Mayor John Gossack

Mayor Jeff Randall

National Chairman of the Young Republicans Glenn Murphy Jr.

Focus on the Family's Physician Resource Council and Bush appointee -- W. David Hager

And certainly NOT last or least,

Neal Horsley who (among other things, has called for the arrest and imprisonment of all homosexuals) admitted in an interview with Alan Colmes on the Fox News Radio to having engaged in sex with a mule.  He said, “When you grow up on a farm in Georgia, your first girlfriend is a mule.” He then credited Jesus with forgiving him and cleansing him of his “sin.”  

Incidentally, one of the people named above is a Democrat.

© 9 Sep 2012 

About The Author 

I have had a life-long fascination with people and their life stories.  I also realize that, although my own life has not brought me particular fame or fortune, I too have had some noteworthy experiences and, at times, unusual ones.  Since I joined this Story Time group, I have derived pleasure and satisfaction participating in the group.  I do put some thought and effort into my stories, and I hope that you find them interesting. 

Depravity by Betsy

We have heard (from others) that  common usage of the word depravity refers to morally corrupt behavior; even though it  be behavior  as viewed by some offended individuals who choose to judge. Do we queers have a monopoly on depravity?  I don’t think so.  If we are referring to morally corrupt behavior regardless of who is doing the judging, and if we take the concept a step further, I suggest that a state of collective depravity exists throughout the land.

Consider the lack of compassion present in our world today.   Take the US for example, which in recent memory actually was the wealthiest nation on earth.  There is enough wealth in this country to go around.  Yet, in this land of plenty today many people are suffering.  It is estimated that one out of 5 children lives in poverty and 1/2 million children are homeless. Today the bottom 50% of Americans control just 2.5% of the entire nation’s wealth. 

It seems that some--not all, but some--who have wealth feel compelled to promote a system of government whereby that wealth stays in the hands of the wealthy only.  What is that if not moral corruption, that is, depravity--call it group depravity.  Those who have not are on their own, must fend for themselves, and in the end must always be struggling and must stay in their current level of income or their current level of deprivation so that a few may have more than anyone ever needs, more than they even know they have.   There is a fear on the part of some that, if the government mandates that we take care of those in need, the wealth will become so diluted that NO ONE will be wealthy.   In my opinion those people have lost sight of the real meaning of the concept of wealth; namely life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and they have lost their compassion.  The result is rampant depravity.  That’s right!  Moral corruption is alive and well in the U.S. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours is the order of the day for many--not all--of our law makers and other leaders. It is no secret that there often are millions even billions of dollars involved in those back scratching deals.  It seems that some of our leaders have lost sight of what’s good for the country; or, their vision has become skewed.

So let’s look at wealth as something other than millions or billions of dollars.  Life is full of riches.  Let me name just a few: loved ones, family, friends, a quiet walk in the woods, a brilliant, glorious sunset or sunrise, the mountains, a beautiful work of art, the list goes on and on endlessly.  One can enjoy all of these riches. EVERYONE can enjoy all or at least some of these riches IF, and only if, they know that their basic needs will be met--food on the table, a roof over their head, basic health care, education.  The resources exist for those needs to be met for everyone in this country.  But our societal depravity is a block against even considering reaching this Utopian concept.  Societally and governmentally our collective eyes are closed even to the concept.

What really is the fear when it comes to promoting a better distribution of wealth?   Loss of power over others?  Maybe.  One needs only to take a fleeting glance at history to discover that, the wealthy taking more and more power leads to revolution.  In the end the people have the power.  Power to the people. Isn’t that what our Democracy is supposed to be about? And I thought we gave up the notion of Social Darwinism --survival of the fittest--over a century ago.  Yet, in spite of all this, we seem to be going in the wrong direction. 

Those who have a fear of spreading the resources around so that everyone has his or her basic needs met--those who have that fear, in my opinion, are entirely focused on their fear.  The result is rampant greed.  Perhaps it’s time for all people to look into our individual and collective hearts and focus on what we see there, or figure out what is absent there.  It seems to me that compassion and a basic love and respect for humanity is missing in some individuals, but certainly in the collective psyche--I believe that these qualities, that is, compassion and love, exist in all human beings.  But so does depravity.

Can we not create a system to make it possible for all people to meet their basic needs on their own as most people want to do; and for those unable to do so share the resources so that they are cared for as well?   And yes, some who are fortunate, enterprising, smarter, harder working, or just plain lucky can have more than others and enjoy their wealth, but not to the point that those with less are wiped out?  I do believe that, globally, humankind can find a way to do this.  I certainly hope so.  Am I an optimist, or what?  Oh well, better an optimist than being totally lost to depravity.

© 5 December 2011 

About the Author 

Betsy has been active in the GLBT community including PFLAG, the Denver women’s chorus, OLOC (Old Lesbians Organizing for Change).  She has been retired from the Human Services field for about 15 years.  Since her retirement, her major activities include tennis, camping, traveling, teaching skiing as a volunteer instructor with National Sports Center for the Disabled, and learning.  Betsy came out as a lesbian after 25 years of marriage. She has a close relationship with her three children and enjoys spending time with her four grandchildren.  Betsy says her greatest and most meaningful enjoyment comes from sharing her life with her partner of 25 years, Gillian Edwards.

Depraved by Ricky

          The word depraved comes to us via the 14th century AD (1325-75 to be less precise). The Middle English word, depraven (Anglo-French), which in turn was descended from the Latin depravare. But then, who really cares about that. Does that make me depraved because I don't really care from where the word came?

          I rather enjoy the obsolete usage of the word, as in: The Republicans keep depraving President Obama's efforts, citizenship, and religious faith.  Especially since their real reason for criticizing him (beyond being power hungry) is not his politics, but his skin color.  They are afraid of losing the support of Black Republicans who could vote as a block for a black candidate and they do not have one in 2012.

          The more common usage of the word falls into three primary categories: 1. to make morally bad or evil; 2. to vitiate; and 3. to corrupt.  So here's the problem with these definitions.  What is morally bad or evil?  In Christianity, the moral code is fairly standard among the various sects, but not entirely.  Other religions have other criteria.  In Christianity, it is morally wrong to lie and bare false witness against someone, but does that make Ted Haggart “depraved” or just a lying hypocrite? If a husband or boyfriend lies in answering the question, “Sweetheart, do you like this new lamp I bought?” to avoid hurting the feelings of his loved one OR to avoid an argument over the lamp, is he depraved for not telling his honest opinion?

          What is evil?  Most religious people would agree that the Devil is evil, but what acts does he do that are evil?  Tempting people to violate the moral code?  If tempting people is evil, then all people who encourage others who are on a diet to eat something “just this once” or talk an alcoholic into having just one little drink would be classified as evil.  I doubt most people would agree to that.  If the Devil is evil because he says there is no God, what about parents who declare Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny real to their children, or people who lie and cheat on their income taxes? Are they all evil too?  What about the case of political parties or individual political groups who lie about and distort the truth about another candidate?  Are they also evil?  If Americans cannot yell “FIRE” in a theater as a joke without being punished, why can people in political campaigns slander an opponent with no legal consequence?  Isn't slandering a good man “evil”?

          I really don't even want to discuss the “to vitiate” and “to corrupt” categories, so I am done ranting except for one more thought.  If there is no God or Supreme Being or etc., how can there be a legitimate moral code to base our laws upon?  Where can a person go to find a place where his so called “depravities” are his “pursuits of happiness"?

Origin: 

1325–75;Middle English depraven (<Anglo-French) <Latin dēprāvāre to pervert,corrupt,equivalent to dē-de-+prāv (us) crooked+-āre  infinitive suffix

de·prave

[dih-preyv]

verb (used with object), praved,-prav·ing.

to make morally bad or evil; vitiate;corrupt.

Obsolete. to defame.

vi·ti·ate

[vish-ee-eyt]

verb (used with object), -at·ed, -at·ing.

to impair the quality of; make faulty; spoil.

to impair or weaken the effectiveness of.

to debase; corrupt; pervert.

to make legally defective or invalid; invalidate: to vitiate a claim.

© 5 December 2011

About the Author

Ricky was born in June of 1948 in downtown Los Angeles.  He lived first in Lawndale and then in Redondo Beach, both suburbs of LA.  Just prior to turning 8 years old, he was sent to live with his grandparents on their farm in Isanti County, Minnesota for two years while his parents obtained a divorce; unknown to him.

When united with his mother and stepfather in 1958, he lived first at Emerald Bay and then at South Lake Tahoe, California, graduating from South Tahoe High School in 1966.  After three tours of duty with the Air Force, he moved to Denver, Colorado where he lived with his wife and four children until her passing away from complications of breast cancer four days after 9-11.

He came out as a gay man in the summer of 2010.  He says, "I find writing these memories to be therapeutic."

Ricky's story blog is, TheTahoeBoy.Blogspot.com.

Depravity by Pat Gourley

Depravity is defined as moral corruption or as a morally corrupt act. Christian theology calls depravity the innate corruption of human nature and ties it directly to original sin. Original sin has roots in the Genesis story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It is quite a twisted little story involving a snake, a piece of fruit, an injunction not to touch God’s favorite apple tree and a wily woman as the ultimate temptress of a man apparently incapable of making his own decisions. Women get the comeuppance in the end for leading Adam into sin by having to be subservient in all matters to men and also get to experience childbirth as a very painful event.

In doing just a bit of research on this fairy tale of original sin I did learn that the Quran lays the blame for falling into the devil’s snare equally on both Adam and Eve and does not pin the blame on the female partner of the cohort. My sense of this is that the whole Christian version was cooked up by a bunch of old men trying quite successfully to keep woman in their place. A thinly veiled attempt if you will to put words into the mouth of god and thereby justify their power over women. I view the various interpretations of the Genesis story claiming it as allegory for human frailty in generally pretty much bullshit. I see it as a thinly disguised hetero male power play.

Something near and dear to the hearts of many LGBT peoples through the centuries that has been consistently labeled as depravity is sodomy. Sodomy including both oral and anal sex was still on the books as a felony in a significant handful of States here in the U.S. until June 26th, 2003. It was on that date the Supreme Court struck down the remaining sodomy laws on the books with their ruling in Lawrence vs. Texas. In many states this did involve oral or anal sex even between discordant, i.e. male and female, partners as well as between partners of the same sex. Oh and of course several states tossed in fellatio and anal sex with barnyard animals as a felony also.

In thinking about the strong historical connections between depravity, sodomy and homosexuals I am tempted to ask what is it that they were are actually afraid of? I suppose there could have been some argument made at one time that if everyone discovered how much fun it was to fuck your own kind that the human race might have sputtered out of existence. With seven billion souls running around the planet these days that argument certainly no longer holds any water. In fact very compelling arguments for the future survival of the human race can be made for sharply curtailing the reproductive imperative.

I am going to go out on a limb here and perhaps just make up some shit about why we came to be labeled as depraved. It’s hard to believe that the joys of oral sexual stimulation or the delight of prostate massage in its various forms between two women or two men was at the root of centuries of destructive vitriol and near universal condemnation. What is the real reason for “the love that dare not speak its name” being viewed as such a threat?

Did perhaps the hetero-male monopoly see the real threat to their hegemony in the form of men willing to abdicate traditional masculine roles and truly love one another? Maybe it never really was the sex but the threat to the status quo. Now there is something really depraved as they see it in abdicating male privilege.

Harry Hay spoke often of what he called our subject-to-subject inheritance. As I interpret this it is the ability of one human being to relate to another as subject-to-subject as opposed to how things usually work subject-to-object. As gay people we have an intrinsic leg up on being able to relate in this fashion. Man-to-man or woman-to-woman carries with it the potential for a more egalitarian relationship than say man and woman or husband and wife. Even more so I would say that brother and sister.

Will Roscoe has described our Queerness as a “profound ongoing motivation.” We usually become aware of this motivation in isolation with no cultural or societal reinforcement for the genuine beauty of it. So then that initial discovery that I am not alone can often result in an amazingly equal bonding on a very deep emotional and physical level.

This subject-to-subject inheritance is often not fully actualized understandably because we are acculturated into the dominant and all pervasive heterosexual worldview. That view is a male/female dichotomy where the power is clearly in favor of the male. Young boys are taught very early on to always beware of women bearing apples. Once these women learn their subservient role though, we are encouraged to help ourselves to the apple.

We as little budding gay folk, though, view others not as potential threats or competition but rather as desired equals. Now you may say that many queer relationships are anything but subject-to-subject but often unfortunately contain many elements of objectification. This is at least in part the result of internalized hetero-imitation. Our intrinsic nature or un-actualized inheritance though is to love one another as the same.

We are labeled as depraved as a means of controlling, isolating and extinguishing us. Keeping under wraps if you will our real threat to the status quo and that has little if anything to do with where we put our penises, tongues, fingers or objects of art. The threat is of course that if we are allowed to actualize our subject-to-subject inheritance we will really upset the apple cart.

Dec. 2011

About the Author

I was born in La Porte Indiana in 1949, raised on a farm and schooled by Holy Cross nuns. The bulk of my adult life, some 40 plus years, was spent in Denver, Colorado as a nurse, gardener and gay/AIDS activist. I am currently on an extended sabbatical in San Francisco, California.