After the experience of being descended upon by herds of free-thinking, pro-homosexual brownshirts, Stacy Trasancos reflects:
OK, I get it now. This is for anyone afraid to speak up about immorality because you don't want herds of "freethinkers" following each other to your website leaving hundreds of uncharitable messages. There's nothing to fear about evangelizing. There was a time not that long ago that the derision I received for saying I was offended by homosexual PDA's at the park would have had me in a corner crying like a baby, but I haven't shed a tear. Actually I learned something very important, peaceful, and joyful - and powerful. When you know who you are and who loves you, negative comments from complete strangers can't hurt you.
I remember reading the vile comments left for Jennifer Fulwiler when PZ Myers followers were sent to harass her. It made my blood boil because I hurt for her, and it instilled fear in me. But now I realize something: It probably didn't make her blood boil nearly as much. Someone wondered if I now know how the homosexuals feel who are harassed and persecuted. No, I don't think I know how they feel, but I wish they knew how I felt. When the message you have is about love and beauty, and real truth, your dignity and confidence is not dependent on other people's opinions. Being bullied doesn't make you angry and it doesn't make you want to seek revenge. You are sheltered and protected no matter where in the world you go.
True love is right there in front of all of us, ready to be grasped, and that love is found in Christ. It is a love that is always before you, lifting you higher, reminding you (as Lisa Graas reminded me) that you are in this world called to be a saint, but you are not of this world. Actually the overwhelming outpouring of love from fellow Catholics (and even many atheists) has been an unexpected and glorious gift. If I can give something back, let it be this: Evangelize without fear.
The only thing that I regret is that some people said I hurt them with my comments. For that I apologize, I did not mean harm to anyone. I also encourage those who are hurt to examine their own conscience and ask themselves why they are hurt and if it was really me, or really something else. Just like I'd be a horrible mother if all I did was tell my children they were wonderful when they were really doing something wrong, I'd be a horrible citizen to just pretend society wasn't experiencing a tremendous breakdown when in fact we live in a world where good is perceived as bad and evil is perceived as good. We are in serious decline.
And people wonder why they are so unhappy.
I suspect that you who are leaving angry comments on this blog were unhappy before I ever wrote a word about being offended by immoral behavior, and I suspect that were I to suddenly do what you are trying to intimidate me to do - as Mark Shea so well puts it, "Remember. Tolerance is not enough. You. MUST. Approve. And you MUST force your daughter to approve as well." - not a single one of you would be any happier for it. As Sister Lisa Marie puts it today, quoting St. John, "The one who fears is not yet perfect in love." As for me and my fears, it wasn't that I feared going to the park and seeing homosexual PDA's. It's that I felt resentment for knowing that if I spoke out about how much it disturbs me, that I would be persecuted for it and I feared that persecution. OK, I've conquered that fear now and I will strive to speak out in love.
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