You have no doubt by now heard about the shooting in Orlando, Florida, at a gay club there and that the perpetrator (who is now dead) killed dozens and injured dozens more in the name of ISIS. It is, to date, the worst mass shooting in American history.
When something like this happens, we weep and we ask "Why?" Many reasons come out. In this case, several reasons have already been proposed, including that the shooter was an Islamist, that he was mentally ill, and that he was homophobic. It's also worth noting his parents are from Afghanistan and he could have been upset by what is happening in that country. Then there is the corollary that we are not vigilant enough and we allow these things to happen. The killer was investigated not once, but twice, by the FBI, which never charged him. Yet, should this not have raised a red flag when he legally obtained two guns days before the shooting? And there is always the argument against the availability of high-powered weaponry that is obviously not meant for hunting deer. There is also the argument that the writers of the Constitution meant the 2nd Amendment to apply to a "well-regulated militia," not the proliferation of automatic guns and other weapons among unregulated, private citizens. One can easily point to countries in Europe and elsewhere that see far less gun violence because they regulate guns better than we do (they still see violence, but not on the same scale). Furthermore, the NRA argument that more guns, not fewer, is the answer is patently absurd. We have more guns than ever in private hands, yet the problem grows worse every week. All of the above are valid points to be made and could all be factors that led to the shooting deaths of 50 people, but I like to keep things simple. The problem is much deeper than gun laws and prejudice and religious zealotry. The problem is a fundamental flaw in human nature to hate what we don't understand or what we fear. Even now after this heinous act we see people spreading their venom about gay people, making matters worse. The infamous nutbag Pat Robertson has said that it is God punishing us because the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is constitutional. And Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick posted a tweet that you "reap what you sew" (he has deleted the comment, but not before thousands saw what kind of person he truly is). Why do people feel this way? Why do people spread hatred and commit acts of violence? In the case of gay hatred, my theory is that the worst perpetrators are the ones who have doubts about their own sexual feelings and use hatred as a way to deny them (how many times have you read stories of anti-gay senators or ministers being caught with their hands in the masculine cookie jar?) But to be less specific, more generalized, the reasons are fear and ignorance. Why do countries go to war? Because they fear they do not have enough power and resources and they are vulnerable unless they conquer their neighbors. Why are people prejudiced against other cultures? Because they are ignorant about how others live, and they fear that which they do not understand. Why do Islamists kill people? Because they have been misled into believing that other people hate their God and don't respect Him. Why does the U.S. government have the biggest military in the world with bases all over the planet? Because we mistakenly believe that if others do not govern as we do or have capitalistic economies then they are a threat, and we also believe that we are wiser and more free than anyone, which just isn't so. Why do some people hate furries? Because they believe all the crap they see on TV and on the Internet and they are afraid of people who behave in imaginative ways they don't understand. So, is there a solution? You cannot solve all the problems of the world by yourself, true, but you can be part of the solution. Educate yourself and learn about other people not just people like yourself. Show love and kindness toward your fellow humans and to Nature. Shine light on the world by being an example of acceptance and charity. Meanwhile, also strive to achieve inner peace and a connection with the universe. (By the way, this is also directed at those furries who seek to create division within our own ranks). The Orlando shooting and other similar crimes serve as an example to all of us of what not to do, and how not to react when you are troubled or angry. The person who killed all those innocents is now dead. We cannot exact revenge, and to be angry and bitter offers no salvation. The only way to fight ignorance is with education, and the only way to fight hatred is with love. That is the lesson here. Blessed Be. Grubbs "Papabear" Grizzly
2 Comments
Jim's death has solidified in my heart and mind what the meaning of life is. One can only find meaning in Eternal Truths. Anything that is transitory or impermanent is not an Eternal Truth. These include things such as money, material goods, fame, and power. Love, however, is eternal and exists beyond the material. How am I sure? Jim, whose body was material, is gone, but my love for him persists and always will.
Now, that love once did not exist because there was a time before which I did not know Jim. But, after I met him and got to know him, I fell in love with him. Therefore, Love can be Created, and, if it is Real Love (not lust or romantic idealized love, but real love), it will always exist. Therefore, we are beings who have the power of Generative Love, and that is the remarkable gift that God has given us. Our purpose, then, is not to seek to be loved (passive love, because you are merely receiving it), but to learn to love and to create everlasting love in the universe. (Real love does not dictate, does not seek to change others, but is accepting of others for who they are.) If you seek to do something truly meaningful in your life, then go out and create a loving world. Blessed Be. For the longest time, culminating in these bizarre 2016 elections, I have operated under the assumption that what has mattered in the world on an international scale is the conflict between the rich and powerful vs. the poor and disenfranchised. I’ve even explored the whole New World Order/Illuminati/secret societies thing, the conspiracies about how “they” want to return to a world of rich royalty and serfs a la the Medieval Age. Such has been the history of mankind, a cycle of empire building, rebellions, empires falling again, new empires rising, over and over again. All orchestrated by the NWO?
Let’s assume there is a secret group of ultra-powerful plotters out there orchestrating wars, elections, and so on. Perhaps the goal isn’t actually to create a wealthy elite who hoard money and material goods. Powerful dynasties and rich families have, as noted above, risen and fallen in the past, and even if they did so again, the ultimate end would be a new rebellion and return to another equilibrium. Pointless. What if the goal is actually to keep this cycle going? Keep a struggle between rich and poor, powerful and powerless going, up and down, back and forth, forever? The point? As long as humanity is preoccupied with material resources, armies, borders, wealth, power, etc., we are never going to evolve spiritually into new, enlightened beings. A good example of how this works is religion. The best religions might actually start with good intentions, but they become corrupted once the true power elite discover what is going on, so that the new religion can become part of the cycle. Thus, Jesus becomes a prophet of truth, but when a sect known as the Gnostics teaches that one can have a direct connection to God and Jesus without a priestly elite, that sect is quickly destroyed to be replaced by an approved religion, Catholicism, with a hierarchy, power, and wealth. The Protestants break away from the Catholics, setting up more fighting, which is even better in the minds of those truly in control. Or, a prophet called Muhammad comes up with some nice ideas about God, only to have his followers fight over who his successor will be, creating Sunnis and Shiites who will be forever fighting each other and forgetting what the prophet originally meant. Or the Jews, the Chosen People, become obsessed with the idea that they need a political state and that real estate is all that really matters, thus setting up an endless war in the Middle East. And while everyone is grabbing at real estate, or oil, or water, or money, or control over political systems, shadows lurk in the darkness and laugh at us, knowing we will not become a threat because we will remain animals instead of a new, spiritual species. Without an NWO or some other power, then the pattern still remains, only we just have ourselves to blame for our lack of progress. I, for one, refuse to play this game. I am going to focus on what really matters: my spirit and my love for others. This is not something I normally do, but I found out about a website today that I think is just wonderful. It's called Rainbow Ark and is a site to help promote understanding between furry, religious, and LGBT people and to help those who are furries or LGBT to see that they can follow a faith and not be excluded. Rainbow Ark has a website, a Live Journal page, a Facebook page, and they are on FurAffinity. Also, they have a buddy organization called Open Arms that has this FA page.
Guess this is just one of those times when ol' Papabear is a little slow to discover something so cool. Check 'em out! Dear Readers,
As you know, Papabear gets a lot of letters about love and relationships, so this seemed like a good time to write a note to all of you about love. I think the most frequent problem I see from letter writers is that they think love is something that they get from someone else. They are troubled when they feel they are not getting the attention they deserve. While it is important that the other person in your life respects you and cares about you, you should never think of love in terms of what the other person does for you. If you are truly in love with someone, you'll know it because the only thing on your mind will be "How can I help my love be happy?" Love isn't about sex. Love isn't about money. Yes, these are important issues, but love is about a heart connection that cannot be broken if it is real love. I've often written about the issues of sex and money in relationships, but I want to make it clear that when I do so it is really more in terms about whether lovers have respect for one another, not so much about the money and sex itself. For example, perhaps the one you love is poor and is having trouble finding work, but he or she is trying very hard to do right by you: they don't take advantage of the fact that you have money and they don't use you; they sincerely try their best to get by. That is a person you can support and love back. I've sometimes written about long distance relationships, and I'm going to change my POV there a little, if you don't mind. I'm currently in the longest of long distance relationships that is possible because the one I love is now in the spirit world. Yet my love is still strong. Given this, who the hell am I to say that a relationship via Skype or an iPhone is less possible? There is a thing in physics called "entanglement." This is a phenomenon described by quantum physics in which two or more particles influence their physical states ... and they do so no matter the distance between them. They can be in different galaxies and still interact with one another. I must amend my opinion on LDRs, then. Love knows no distance. Love knows no barriers or boundaries. Love is not limited by time. Love just is. As we travel through this existence, we learn and grow. Papabear is no exception to this. Every letter I write, I do so with sincerity and in the spirit of helping. You, dear letter writers, actually help me to learn and grow, too. We can help each other along the way, and that is what life here is all about. Whether you are with someone or all alone today, you are never truly alone. The universe cares about you. And I care about you. Thank you for contributing to this column and thank you for being you. Happy Valentine's Day, Papabear Dear Readers:
I recently got trolled. Some guy in Costa Rica wrote me two letters: one posing as a father of furries in America who needed some help and the other posing as an Orthodox Christian Serbian who hates furries. He later wrote and said I had been fooled and that I was basically a fraud and a lousy writer. I try very very very very hard to help people on my website and I do it for no pay, taking time out of my busy schedule to do this. To give my heart to people, to reveal to them my innermost personal life and try to share the love of being furry and then to be emotionally manipulated like this doesn't make me angry. It makes me feel like I shouldn't even bother. I've blocked this guy's emails, but there's no guarantee he won't disguise himself again and try to waste my time. Therefore, the letter form on my site has new fields. One requires your real address and the other a phone number. These will not be posted on the site or shared with advertisers, but I WILL be calling people and checking this information to verify you are who you say you are. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. Sadly, we live in a world where some people get their jollies out of wasting people's time and trying to make them look like fools. I appreciate your cooperation. I had to to this or risk the site becoming a useless den for trolls and shutting it down. As it is, this guy's prank is going to make the process much slower and will probably result in some people who could use my help to not write to me. For this, I am very sorry. I am also taking a hiatus. Writing "Ask Papabear" for three years has proven emotionally exhausting for me. I've written before how helping people gives my life purpose. Now it seems that my life's purpose is just garbage to some people. I am going to focus on the Furry Book for a while. I don't honestly know when I will be back. The letters I have in the queue will be answered privately and not posted here. Thank you, A Very Sad Papabear Quoting the email I got from him this morning: Thank you,Papabear. You still think that you can talk behind my back and escape with no casualties? What is it?Isn't this a surprise!Ohhhh...That is right!Ahahaha...It was me all along.Kevin. Both "Russell" and "Garry" are MADE UP.Serbia?I just randomly picked it. Ahhhhh....Gross....I had to act that "Perfect family guy"...You fell for it. Face it,the masquerade is over,and you gave me proof that you are just a coward who does not even have courage to face that "Idiot". You may deny it,you will for sure.But,you even taught me something.You are ignorant... You trusted Garry just because his wife and daughter is a furry. And the other thing,you won't trust Russell because he is against the fandom. So,after all,am I an idiot.You bet I am!But,you are too,Kevin. I am A hacker.You don't need to trust me.Both this accounts are stolen. I live in Costa Rica actually. Quite a shock Isn't it?I needed both accounts.One to milk out answers from you,and the other to frustrate you.Thanks for blindly believing me,Kevin.Ohhhh....Your face expression is priceless!I can only imagine the dread in your eyes! But not everything is black and white here.You learned something today.Humans are assholes aren't they? No,that is not it.Look,who am I?Just a random ass from the internet who does not have anything better to do in life but to hack and troll.You are somebody,you help people.Seriously.Great job!Continue doing that.Don't let this heap of shit make you think otherwise.No matter what others say,just keep doing it. Bye bye. Grubbs is 50 today, and, coincidentally, so am I. I celebrated the morning by greeting it in my birthday suit in my backyard. Jim is taking me to Catalina Island (it's free to ride the boat from Long Beach on your birthday). It will be low key. Walk around the island, go on an island tour, glass-bottom boat ride....
Instead of reflecting on the past, I'm going to look forward. I resolve that in 2016 I will have completed The Furry Book, and it will be most excellent :-3 This isn't a book about the history of furry, if you were wondering. No, I call it a GUIDE to the fandom for both furries and non-furries (mundanes, if you will). I'm conducting interviews with both well-known and not-so-known furries, and it will be well-illustrated with interesting photographs and, perhaps, some drawings. I will continue to learn how to play the piano, and I hope sometime in 2016 to find a good, used upright for the living room (keyboards are nice, but nothing like a real piano). I will continue to improve my nest--aka, my house in the valley. But I will not make the mistake again that a house is the center of one's universe. Home is not a building, it is a state of mind. I will continue to write the "Ask Papabear" column. Might even put together a "best of" collection and see if that sells. I will continue to be a friend to furries. I will come to peace with my spirituality and my place in the universe. Nothing is permanent in life. That is the one biggest lesson I have learned in the past 10 years since discovering that I was gay and having my world turned upside down. I now embrace the present and focus on the pleasures of each moment as I experience it. I've also learned that there is no joy in the acquisition of things. My biggest joy in life comes from helping others and loving others. I love you people. Blessed Be As many of my readers have likely heard by now, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that states cannot ban same-sex marriages. This is a major victory for human rights in our country (note, I say human rights, not just gay rights).
The 5-4 ruling, though a long time in coming, demonstrates that our government can, eventually, work and is a testament to the wisdom of the Founding Fathers who created one of the greatest documents ever written: the U.S. Constitution. Some conservatives are saying that the U.S. Supreme Court overstepped its bounds, that this is a violation of states' rights or of religious rights. Nonsense. The overly aggressive assertion of states' rights is what gave us the Civil War, thank you very much. While there is a time and place for state rights (such as taxation at the local level and determination of public works projects), the law of the land falls under federal jurisdiction. A big reason why state laws had to be trumped in this case was that they were causing legal headaches. In Obergefell v. Hodges (the case in question), Jim Obergefell is a gay man who lived with his partner in Ohio. Because Ohio banned gay marriage, the couple married in Maryland and returned to their home state. Obergefell's husband passed away, and the state would not allow Obergefell to have his name on the death certificate. He sued the state for discrimination and had to take the case to the Supreme Court. Obergefell's case was actually combined with a couple other similar suits. The issue here was not only such things as legal documents, but taxation. A same-sex couple in filing federal taxes in a state that disallowed same-sex unions had to lie to the U.S. government about their marital status because of state law (i.e., on their state tax form, they couldn't say they were married, but on the federal tax form they would have to say they were, thus creating quite a conundrum). Concerning religion: this is NOT a blow against religious freedom. Let me state clearly now that the ruling DOES NOT DEMAND THAT CHURCHES MARRY SAME-SEX COUPLES!!!!!! Please! All you religious people out there who think that's the case, get this through your heads! Sheesh. I'm so tired of that misinformation. Right now, a lot of conservatives have their panties in a bunch. People like Marco Rubio and Mike Huckabee say that the Court is being dictatorial and complaining that the justices weren't elected by the people (I guess, once more, saying that they believe the Constitution is wrong). Their arguments fall flat. Recent surveys show that the more Americans are fine with gay marriage, with numbers approaching a 2/3 majority. Even if the opinion were in the minority, it would be the right thing to do. Just because a majority of people believe in something doesn't mean they are correct. People once believed the world was flat and the sun went around the Earth; more recently, it used to be true in America that many felt slavery was fine; it was against the law for interracial couples to marry or for women to vote (indeed, women were once considered "property" in a marriage). Another argument against gay marriage is the erroneous notion that "marriage has always been the same over the centuries." Nonsense to that, too. Marriage is an evolving institution. We no longer have arranged marriages, for instance, and, as mentioned above, married people are now considered equal partners, though it was not always so. Other countries have made same-sex marriage legal, and now we are catching up. We need to evolve beyond outdated concepts of marriage and regard it for what it is: a union between two loving people, no matter who those two people are. I congratulate the Supreme Court of finally making the correct decision and proving that our Founding Fathers were, once again, very wise to form a government with a balance of powers between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Now I'm just wondering.... Will those people who threatened to burn down their churches and, indeed, set themselves on fire follow through? You know, I'd actually have a little more respect for them if they did, but I highly doubt they will. Congratulations to all those in the LGBT community who have literally fought for decades to see this day come to fruition. Well done. --Papabear I stumbled on this website while searching for clarity. I have a 14 year old son who I discovered identifies himself as a Furry. I am not going to lie—it worries me. And I am big enough to admit it is because I can't wrap my head around it.
His father and I are divorced, it has been rough on the kid. So I get the fantasy, the escapism, the role playing side of this. I can understand that. I have found anime furry porn, so it is the possible sexual side that is concerning for me. He isn't a very confident kid, he struggles to fit in, always has. He does have friends and a social life—but what scares the hell out of me is his lack of confidence leading to him being taken advantage of—I am not trying to be disrespectful, I am trying to understand so I can support and protect my kid. I honestly don't care about sexual orientation, I just want to understand this so I don't freak out on him or shame him in any way. I love him dearly and want to be able to parent him without ignorance or being judgmental—I lack the knowledge. Thank you, Anonymous (Roanoke VA) * * * Dear Parent, Thank you so much for your letter! I wish more parents were like you and, instead of blindly telling their children they cannot be furries, carefully investigated the issue as you are doing. You are clearly, also, a kind and loving parent. Bless you for that. I’m currently working on a book all about the fandom, but it won’t be out until December at the earliest, so let’s try to address this as best as possible right here. Just very quickly, the furry fandom began in the early 1980s when a bunch of science fiction and fantasy fans started meeting at sci-fi conventions to share their mutual interest in books and movies that featured anthropomorphic animal characters (in other words, a subgenre of science fiction). But the story is even older than that. There is a long history of fiction and fables featuring characters who are a mix of animal and human going back to Greek and Roman mythology. Such stories started because of human beings’ desire to connect to the natural world. In many mythologies there was a time when human beings could communicate with animals and were friends with them (the story of Adam in the Garden of Eden would be the Christian example), but we—largely through our own fault—lost that connection. Today, that feeling of loss and disconnectedness in our civilized world where most kids only see wild beasts in a zoo is very tangible. So, I believe that one reason there are furries is because we want to regain that connection. Another reason is fantasy, of course. A lot of people admire the qualities of animals and wish they had them. For example, having the strength of a lion or to be able to fly like an eagle. Have you ever read the story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” by James Thurber? (They turned it into a horrible Ben Stiller film). It’s wish fulfillment. Some wish fulfillment can be purely escapist, but often it is an exercise of the imagination, and imagination is actually a good thing to encourage. The other thing about the furry fandom is that it is a community. Indeed, that is probably the most important aspect of it. I am attaching, FYI, a scholarly paper discussing the importance of community and how the furry fandom provides that for many young (and old) people [Papa note: unfortunately, can't attach the paper here on this site]. Also, here is a link to a (long) video these authors presented at a convention that you can watch online https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6zYWmvHnZQ. Now, when it comes to pornography. I am sure you understand the hazards of the Internet and that furry pornography (furporn) is just one of many types of porn (regular human porn far outweighs the amount of furporn). Sadly, to view this material online, you don’t need to prove your age. My first suggestion to you, therefore, is that you install parental controls onto your child’s computer. At age 14 he should not be viewing such material, I know you’ll agree. Indeed, this isn’t just about porn; there are many other dangers out there on the Internet, ranging from stalkers to gambling sites to sites that will install malware and destroy your computer and more. Really, a parent needs to supervise what a minor is accessing (and you can explain this to him as being about safety in general). Another thing you can do is put his computer in the living room or kitchen and not allow him to have his computer in his bedroom. You have a right as a parent—indeed, an obligation—to know what he is doing online. The best way to avoid resentment on his part regarding the computer is to take an active interest in his furriness, and be supportive. Go to a furmeet with him, or a furry convention. He will probably adore you if you take him to a furcon. There, you will witness firsthand that furries are very benign and accepting and loving people. They will LOVE it when they find out you are a parent taking your 14-year-old to the convention (and don’t be surprised if you get hugs from people you never met! We’re very huggy). I am emphasizing here, perhaps a bit ironically given the subject, that the REAL world is very different from the online world. This is true, whether you are a furry or, as we call you, a mundane. You realize the distinction between what is online and what is in the real world, I should hope, so please do not judge furries solely by what you see online. Meet them in person. You’re in Virginia, so you could attend Fur the 'More, which is in Tysons Corner, VA, near Washington, D.C., and I just found out there is a new furry convention at Virginia Beach, starting next year, called Fursonacon (http://www.fursonacon.com/) that you should check out. For a more extensive list of furry conventions, go here https://en.wikifur.com/wiki/List_of_conventions_by_attendance. That link comes from a website called Wikifur, which I recommend to you as a legitimate source of furry information without all the hype you’ll get from nonfurry websites. As you become more and more familiar with furries, you will see that a definition of furriness is no simple thing. We are a very diverse group, and this diverse group is very accepting of other people from all walks of life: different races, ages, religions, political beliefs, and so on. The mistake most people make is trying to categorize us, label us neatly, put us in a little box. It can’t be done. Your son can be anything he wants to be in the furry community, and, I believe, a very important symbol of that diversity is how furries adopt different animal species (or even mix of species) as their fursonas (furry personas or alter egos) and you are accepted, whether you are a wolf, a tiger, a bear, a hawk, or even a dragon! I hope this has helped with an introduction to the fandom. Please check out the links I gave you and continue to educate yourself about your son’s interest. The best parent is the parent who loves a child unconditionally, sharing in his or her life. Be involved, not controlling; there is a huge difference. I sympathize with you that it is a very tough job raising a person (remember, you are not raising a child, you are raising a human being) when you have been divorced, and I applaud you for your efforts! Your son is very lucky to have you in his life. Please write again if you have any other questions. Hugs, Papabear As my regular readers know, Papabear receives many letters from furries about "coming out" to parents and friends or being teased and bullied at school. These letters make this bear so sad. As a community, we are, many of us, ashamed or embarrassed about being furries, mostly because of the sexual stigma often attached to our interest. When a minor, therefore, tries to talk to his or her parents about being a furry, one of the first things (most) parents do is look on the Internet to find out what the heck it is, and then they, inevitably, find furporn and then forbid their kids to be furries.
Some who read this may disagree, but I wish to unequivocally state here, once and for all, that being a furry is NOT about sex; it is NOT fundamentally a sexual fetish. Even though there is that aspect of it, and you can't deny that, the essence of furry is escapism. Escapism is why the fandom started, when a few science fiction fans got together to share their interest in anthros within the genre. Escapism is why we create fursonas. Escapism is why we fursuit. Escapism is why we draw art, create graphic novels and comic books, and get together at furcons and furmeets to meet others like ourselves. (And, too, yes, escapism is why we have sexual fantasies). Why do we need escapism? Gee, I dunno. Perhaps it's because humanity is in a state of constant war. Perhaps because there are terrorists who, at any moment, might kill us for no reason other than we don't share their beliefs. Perhaps it is because the news media constantly tells us to be afraid of EVERYTHING so that they will gain viewers to see the latest report as to why (seriously) we can't let our dog lick our face or that multivitamins will give us cancer or that foods we once thought were healthy will actually make us sick. Perhaps it is because people cannot accept us for who we are. Perhaps it is because people who have taken over this world insist on destroying society and the environment, making our water undrinkable, our air unbreathable, and our food inedible. Perhaps it is because religious people fight and kill each other over petty differences when we all supposedly worship the same God. Perhaps it is because we don't feel safe in our schools and the police are as likely to beat or shoot us as they are to issue a ticket. Perhaps it is because rampant greed has made it nearly impossible to find a decent-paying job and, when we finish college, we are tens of thousands of dollars in debt and all we can find in terms of employment is stocking shelves at Walmart. So, when we go to our parents and tell them we are furries, and they turn around and tell us we are forbidden to be furries because furries are sex freaks, they slam the door on the one escape route we have to save our sanity. Is it any wonder many of us have become neurotic? Many people might see escapism as unhealthy, but, actually, it is a form of play (just like videogaming). Play and leisure time are an important part of mental health. It is only unhealthy when you become disconnected from "reality" to the extent where you are no longer able to perceive what is real and function in your life. This is not the case with the healthy furry, who either sees furriness as a hobby or as a part of who he or she is. I recently conducted an informal survey about whether furries saw being furry as part of who they are or just a hobby, and the overwhelming majority (97%) saw it as part of who they are. It is the same, really, as identifying oneself by sexual orientation, race, or religion. It is simply a part of you. Nothing wrong with that. To all those that say we are freaks: yeah, we are freaks, if by being a "freak" you mean we do not conform to "normal" society. You have made us freaks. And we'd rather be freaks than be like you. I'd rather be a furry than a soulless monster like Charles or David Koch. I'd rather be a furry than someone who spouts hatred and fear so that they can get elected to public office. I'd rather be furry than be a preacher who shouts that gay people are going to hell and that the LGBT community is why we have natural disasters. I'd rather be a furry than a cop who kills people because they are afraid of the color of their skin. I'd rather be a furry than a parent who kicks his own son out of the house to be homeless because he is gay. I'd rather be a furry than work for Monsanto or Halliburton, participating in wholesale environmental destruction. Embrace the freaky community. Those who wish to control us can take everything away except one thing: our true identity, our souls. Stay furry, my furiends. Grubbs Grizzly |
Categories
All
A note on comments: Comments on letters to Papabear are welcome, especially those that offer extra helpful advice and add something to the conversation that is of use to the letter writer and those reading this column. Also welcome are constructive criticisms and opposing views. What is NOT welcome are hateful, hurtful comments, flaming, and trolling. Such comments will be deleted from this site. Thank you.
|