June 2008
Sunday morning at church my Pastor challenged us to reach out and share Jesus with someone this week. He had us all say a prayer and ask him to show us someone to tell about him. Well, my answer came today when I sat down to write my column. As you can see I had thought of writing all about the insanity of the paranoia of some people when it comes to reading things into totally innocent situations and have taken a turn onto a different subject.
I don’t have any miraculous story of being deep into drugs or alcohol or anything like that. I was not a wild teenager. I didn’t need saving from a life of crime or prostitution. All my life I grew up in a good Christian home with strong moral beliefs and was labeled the “good girl” by all my friends. I didn’t back talk to my parents or smoke cigarettes. I did good in school and showed respect to my teachers and all other adults. I went to church every Sunday morning and night. So, what was there that I needed saved from? Surely someone like me would go to Heaven when I died, I had nothing to be sorry for. Wrong!
We are all born in sin, but are not meant to go to Hell. Hell was actually only created for Satan and his fallen angels, it was never meant for man. But, of course, like all oppressed leaders, Lucifer decided that if he couldn’t share Heaven with his creator and if he was to be downcast and suffer, that he would take as many of God’s precious creations with him into that deep abyss as he could so he set out to steal man away from God.
We can choose not to follow any path we have set our foot on. That is the beauty of being human, we have freedom of choice but God is always watching and waiting for us to say, I want something better and I am trusting you to show me the way. I’m not saying as a Christian your life is going to suddenly be a breeze and easy and that everything you wish for will be yours. We aren’t promised that. In fact, he tells us that we will face trials and tribulations and even mortal death. But, we are promised a reward when we die from this life and an eternal one in a greater place.
Nobody is for sure what Heaven will be like, we only have the writings of John in his book of Revelations, but we can imagine. We are told that the streets are made of the purest gold, so pure that it is clear. That the gates and walls are made of precious jewels. That there is a great celebration and that we are all going to live in mansions and share a great banquet feast. We will know no more sorrow or sadness, no sickness, no pain, and no death. Sounds pretty good to me.
I was not put on this Earth to judge anyone else or point my finger at them and tell them that they are a sinner and are going to burn in Hell fire for eternity. I am not put here to tell you that being gay is a sin in God’s eyes. If that was my purpose on this Earth, I wouldn’t want it! I think I have been here in this place at this time in this position to give you a message and to be God’s voice. What message is that you may ask? Plain and simple, God loves you and only he can judge you and your life. Nobody else has that right and don’t let them tell you that they do or that they are talking for God because God can talk for himself.
I don’t know what God some of these so-called Christian groups are following or where they are reading in His word (The Holy Bible) that we are to hate people or judge them or tell them that God hates them. The God that I follow and listen to tells me to love people, to tell them about His love for them, and to share the promise of Heaven. His forgiveness covers all sins no matter what they are, He has made it very easy to recieve, and your past is never remembered against you ever again. All you have to do is pray and say, “God, I know I have sinned, I am truly sorry for that, and I want you to forgive me and take them all away, and I know I will never be perfect and I will make mistakes and yes even be tempted and might fall again, but I know that no matter how far I fall away from you, returning home is only 1 step.” Say it, believe it, mean it, and it will be done! That easy, that simple, that lifechanging.
You don’t have to agree with me, you don’t have to believe what I believe, you don’t even have to accept what I have said as fact. I actually don’t have any pictures of God or Heaven, no physical proof that it all exists because nobody has ever been there on an exploration and returned with treasures and vacation photos to share. I can only tell you of things that have happened in my life and of the peace that has filled my life when I have been in a situation where I have been down and close to out. I won’t lie to you, it is still a daily struggle with me to rise above my life and to get out from under the depression that I have fallen into. But I will tell you, there have been many things that have happened in my life that if I didn’t have my faith and my belief in the power of prayer and my hope in a better world to come and in a God that loves me, I would have crumbled and broken and probably been in a home somewhere staring out the window at the world passing by. And after all isn’t that the most important thing? Not that we are afraid of burning in Hell, or that we even have to believe there truly is a God; but that we have something greater than us to believe in and to focus on when we are in need of something to help us when we are in a place where we know we can’t help ourselves.
Until Next Week, Dear Ones, Love & Hugz! Leeza
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Upon arriving at the scene and recognizing the victim as a member of the gay community, Officer Bowman informed Snead that the victim was HIV+ and that he was to step away from Green and sit in front of the truck. Bowman then proceeded to direct traffic around the scene and not help Green. Bowman called 911 and asked for an ambulance to be sent to the scene. Snead then tried to return to helping his friend only to be stopped and instructed a second officer to take Snead to his patrol car and take a statement.
No help was offered to Green in the almost ten minutes that it took for the EMTs to arrive. When the ambulance arrived, Bowman again informed those who were attempting to save Green’s life that he was HIV+ Because of this delay, Green died at the hospital. During the autopsy it was disclosed that Green died of coronary artery disease and that CPR administered in a timely fashion possibly would have saved his life. Withholding CPR from the victim had indeed led to his demise. It was also discovered that Green did not have HIV afterall.
The ACLU was called in since Officer Bowman’s actions were based on his belief that Green was gay and thus HIV+. The following is a quote from a court case that was filed: “The ACLU filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on behalf of the surviving family members of Claude Green, Jr. against the City of Welch and Robert K. Bowman, Welch’s Chief of Police. The lawsuit charges that Bowman discriminated against Green by preventing others from providing life-saving medical care to Green because of his sexual orientation and/or perceived HIV status. The lawsuit also charges that Bowman violated the Americans With Disabilities ACT (ADA) by discriminating against someone he preceived to be HIV positive.
Claude Green left behind a mother, a 19-year old son, 3 sisters, and 1 brother. They broight a case against Officer Bowman and the City of Welch, WV. They stated that they lost a son, father, brother, friend, confidant, and a source of inspiration. According to the court documents; “As a result of Defendants’ actions, decedent’s estate and his surviving family members suffered both economic and non-economic losses, emotional distress and other condensable damages, including, but not limited to loss of income, services, protection, care,assistance, society, companionship, comfort, guidance, counsel and advice. Additionally,Plaintiff is entitled to an award for the medical, funeral and burial expenses occasioned byClaude’s death.”
The judges ruling is as follows: “U.S. District Judge David A. Faber found that Helen
Green, representing the estate of her deceased son Claude Green, Jr., could bring both a federal
civil rights suit and a claim under the Americans With Disabilities Act against both the city of Welch and Police Chief Robert K. Bowman.”
At this time I have been unable to find any documentation of such a law suit being brought but if I discover it in the future I will bring the information to you. I just find it totally reprehensible that in this day and age when we all know that AIDS and HIV cannot be transmitted by life saving techniques, that anybody, especially a police officer who has probably been instructed in procedures regarding AIDS and HIV+ victims; would refuse critical care to a dying man and would obstruct those willing to assist him to do so. Hopefully he never finds himself in need of emergency assistance and someone refuses to help him.
For more information on this case please check out the following links:
http://www.aclu.org/images/asset_upload_file653_24334.pdf
http://www.gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17671306&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=568860&rfi=6
Until Next Week, Dear Ones, Love & Many Hugs! Leeza
P. S. I would like to thank all of you who sent me e-mails this week and let me know that you read and enjoy my column. You will never know how much it meant to me to read your words. ~hugs
