1. Our local paper carried a vitriolic anti-gay rant in yesterday's paper ("The End Is Near"). The letter write is upset because of a planned Pride Pride parade and efforts by some local residents and the ACLU to keep the city council from beginning meetings with prayer.
2. A local writer, who recently switched careers from broadcasting to public relations, was interviewed by a local reporter and asked to defend her contribution toPocatello Pride. She posted on FB her thoughts. Here's the thread:
The world is full of hate, and after a former gay student's suicide in January, I admit to being a bit incensed. Whatever one thinks of the complicated Shylock, his remarks ring true for all humanity. All we need do is complete a little code switching, like this:
Hath not a Gay person eyes?
Hath not a Gay person hands, organs,
dimensions, senses, affections, passions;
fed with the same food,
hurt with the same weapons,
subject to the same diseases,
heal'd by the same means,
warm'd and cool'd by the same winter and summer, as all others?
If you prick a Gay person, do they not bleed?
If you tickle them, do they not laugh?
If you poison them, do they not die?
And if you wrong them, do they not revenge?
If they are like us in the rest,
they will resemble us in that.
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| "Shylock" from Park's Shakspearean Twelfth-Night Characters. Hand-colored print, ca. 1830. Shelfmark ART 231747. |
Critics of teaching Shakespeare as having no relevance to teens, especially minorities whom the critics claim can't see themselves in the Bard's characters, need look no further than Shylock's reminder that we all share in one commonality: We are human beings, and each person deserves the same humanity we expect from others.
*Image of Shylock and a lesson plan on "The Making of Shylock" available from The Folger Shakespeare Library.
