Rainbow, what is it?

[LeftHander]

(Note: A recent discussion on the church I attend displaying a small rainbow rectangle on our road sign prompted me to post this, I thought I would share my post here on DU as well...)

Rainbows as symbols....how do you see them?

Interesting conversation and certainly a valuable discussion in these times.

"these times"..... I think we know what they are.

Over the past few years a new concerted effort has been underway by many to openly and systematically persecute GLBT people. Basically the self-appointed "moral" right is not accepting the choices people make and are relying on the homophobia inherent in our society to try and "fix" these "immoral people" who have an "agenda" bent on tearing down society. For them the rainbow is a representation of evil and moral degradation. For all of the "good" intentions these ideas are outdated, regressive and are dividing people needlessly.

The rainbow is nothing but a rainbow and yet it is many things.

It is people that misinterpret the rainbow and choose to allow it to represent some sort of classification or identification of people.

Even within the GLBT community there are people who choose to remain under the radar and live quiet peaceful lives in anonymity. Some see the "Rainbow" not as a symbol of welcoming and celebration but an identification mark not unlike the star of David worn, not by choice, by Jews in WWII. For some it becomes an invitation for public ridicule, disdain, discrimination and draws attention of some who see GLBT people as dangerous to the American way of life. For many the rainbow is simply a negative label. Very unfortunate it is that they have let fear and hate control their perceptions of the world.

I for one find the rainbow a joyful symbol that is not just about GLBT people but all people, everywhere. That it is a symbol for all of us to share and is not the exclusive property of gay culture. Because it is a symbol of the parts that make up the whole. The various components of light that surrounds each of us are represented by a color and those colors together are all of humanity..it is pure light and GLBT people are part of that light just as all the other colors and people are. Displaying the colors of the rainbow is a self-affirmation that we are all part of humanity and thus deserves respect, love and celebration.

Having lived a life that has been in the shadow of self imposed fear because of societies' homophobia, I can no longer accept the rationalizations of those that seek to punish and degrade others simply because of who they choose to love. I also cannot allow myself to propagate to another generation the fear I felt through my life. That fear has caused enough pain in the world. I simply refuse to allow that fear to dictate who I am "supposed" to be any longer. Is that an agenda?....for some maybe so.

I have recently crossed the fence....so to speak...and now I find that there really was no fence. Over the years, I built that fence out of my own fear, in certain times it was justified, when I was small and unable to defend myself it was a fence of self preservation. As a young man I witnessed GLBT people being treated very badly, further enforcing the fear, but still, the fence was of my own making and mostly it was the irrational fear of suffering embarrassment and ridicule to simply be.

So a rainbow is just a rainbow...and it is all of us, it is a bridge and it is a sign of calm after a passing storm...but it is certainly not a fence nor should it be treated as one.

Having that rainbow visible in ourselves is part of the journey we all have to take as human beings moving into the future. Sooner or later everyone will recognize this and the self made fences will disappear and we will all be left together with nothing to divide us. Then a rainbow will become simply be a rainbow.

We are simply fortunate to be able to live in a time to actually see progress being made to that end. Think of all the people that have lived and suffered the repression of society simply because they chose to be attracted to someone of the same sex and express that attraction in a physical manner...l feel very lucky to live right now.

Now we are at a point where we can openly celebrate how utterly human it is to be who you are. That is the "rainbow" that I like most.

So I say let our rainbows shine...they are beautiful.

[niyad]

1. this is a beautiful piece, and thank you so much for sharing it. by the

way, did you know that the seven colours of the rainbow correspond to the seven chakra colours?

[LeftHander]

4. I did not know that....interesting....

All the more evidence of how we are all connected....

[SpiralHawk]

2. In Christian mythology, rainbows symbolize

the covenant of Creator with all of the human beings, no exceptions.

In modern mythology, the WHIRLING RAINBOW (Sunbow) is the emerging symbol of the transition of the ages...the beginning of the 5th World of Illumination where ignorance, bigotry, and disrespect of other people are universally recognized as the sick bile of Evil Doers

http://www.chiron-communications.com/communique%207-5.html

[SpiralHawk]

9. Whirling Rainbow - a cirlcle around the Sun

[The Deacon]

3. Nice

I've always viewed the rainbow as the Perfect Symbol - all the differences fade one into the other - at no point can you say that HERE this color begins and that one ends - and all the differences themselves are revealed at the end to have only been an optical illusion - that all the different colors blend into One color that is No color and there were no differences after all.

[MADem]

5. I was a total idiot about the "meaning" of the rainbow when it first

became a common sight. My gay neighbors had one of those porch flags, and I simply thought it was one of those porch flags people get, you know, like the snowman in winter, or the pumpkin in the fall. They had to tell me what it meant, after I asked them where they got it and indicated I thought it might make a good gift for a relative (married with a house full of kids) who likes colorful and artsy-fartsy lawn and garden geegaws. They got a huge kick out of my ignorance!!!

[kskiska]

6. To some, a rainbow is an answer to a prayer

[Rainbowreflect]

7. I picked my name, which was my business name,

because it meant a reflection of all the beauty in the world. How every difference is necessary & perfect in itself.

[1monster]

8. One of my all-time favorite songs...

The Rainbow Connection
Words and Lyrics by Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher

Why are there so many songs about rainbows
And what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions
And rainbows have nothing to hide
So we've been told, and some choose to believe it
I know they're wrong, wait and see
Someday we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me.

Who said that ev'ry wish would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that, and someone believed it
Look what it's done so far.
What's so amazing that keeps us star gazing
And what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me

All of us under its spell,
We know that it's probably magic.

Have you been half asleep and heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors?
I know it's one and the same
I've heard it too many times to ignore it
It's something that I'm s'posed to be
Someday we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me.