Ellen and JCP

In general, I don't make public comments about anything related to politics.  I find that my opinions are molded by my mostly conservative values and tend to put me in situations that just breed arguments, so I usually just keep my political opinions to myself.  This is especially true with controversial topics.  I usually have pretty strong opinions about these topics but I don't feel the need to convince everyone to think the way I do, so like I said before, I don't usually throw in my two cents on political issues.

Today is a new day, though, and I have something I want to say.  JC Penney department stores recently named Ellen Degeneres as their new spokesperson.  Because Ellen is openly gay, a conservative group called "One Million Moms" threw a fit and told JCP they should fire Ellen or risk losing lots of customers who wouldn't continue to shop at a store associated with a lesbian.  This just makes me want to roll my eyes and scream at the same time.

Let me be clear:  I am a conservative wife and mother who is also a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).  I believe in traditional values and I do NOT support gay/lesbian relationships or marriages.  However, I do not see what that has to do with how people who consider themselves gay or lesbian are to be treated.  I happen to have a strong belief in the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman; I also happen to believe that every human being has a god given agency that allows them control over their own bodies - physically and emotionally.  Due to this agency, I believe that we all have the ability to choose how we feel, how we react, and yes, who we love.  It doesn't make sense that God would command us to love if we had no control over who we could or could not love.  Basically, I do not believe that people are "born" gay; I believe that same sex attractions are feelings that some people struggle with and people make a conscious choice to act on those feelings.  These people convince themselves that they cannot control their own feelings because it is so difficult and they don't want to believe that such strong feelings are controllable.  That being said, people who choose a gay or lesbian lifestyle are still people.  They are still my brothers and sisters and I don't think that they should lose any of their basic rights just because of their lifestyle choices.  (For those who wonder how I can say that and still not support gay marriage - I completely support every single person's right to get married - to ONE person of the OPPOSITE sex.)

So what this comes down to is that I think it is completely ridiculous that anyone should call for Ellen to get fired simply because of her choice to be a lesbian.  Do I support her personal choices?  No, I don't, but I do think she is super hilarious, smart, and talented.  She has proven herself as an actress and comedian.  JCP cites her significant fan base, which proves she is popular with a large range of people.  JCP was smart to use a well liked spokesperson and it makes my blood boil that people want to discriminate against her because she chooses to live a lifestyle they don't approve of.  That is exactly the same as someone saying that I should lose my job or be denied a basic right just because I am Mormon (LDS).  You can disagree with someone's choices without mistreating them as human beings.  Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their personal decisions or sins or whatever.  I support JCP and Ellen and I am ashamed that people would so openly discriminate and mistreat in the name of traditional values.