So some people have wondered why I don't have a rainbow ribbon/ definition upon my page.  Well, I guess I do now.  People wondered because I have others on there that are well known throughout the US - why not the Rainbow one?  Well here is my answer.

  Where did the Rainbow symbolism start and what group does it represent?  If you answered homosexual people and gay rights from around the 1970's, you are wrong.  Yes, that's right.  You're incorrect and here's why.

   In 1922 the Reverend W. Mark Sexson, and members of a local chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, presented to 171 young ladies, the lessons of a set of work for a brand new group for young ladies ages 11 - 20 years old.  This was the first initiation ceremony for this character building organization for young women.  Those young ladies with the help of Rev. Sexson began the International Order of Rainbow for Girls.

   The work of the order teaches some fundamental ideas based upon the seven colors of the Rainbow.  Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet, representing respectfully: Love, Religion, Nature, Immortality, Fidelity, Patriotism, and Service.

   It was not long after the creation of the Order that they created a flag to represent the Order, a standard with seven stripes horizontally each a different color of the Rainbow: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet.  The Int'l Order of Rainbow for Girls, which has Assembles, or local chapters, world wide, has had this as their flag since 192? (verifying the date update soon - : )   )

  The Rainbow Flag for Homosexual Rights was designed in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, a San Francisco artist, who created the flag in response to a local activist's call for the need of a community symbol. (This was before the pink triangle was popularly used as a symbol of pride.) Using the five-striped "Flag of the Race" as his inspiration, Baker designed a flag with eight stripes: pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. According to Baker, those colors represented, respectively: sexuality, life, healing, sun, nature, art, harmony, and spirit. Baker dyed and sewed the material for the first flag himself

    However at the time, major commercial flag producers, didn't have a dye for hot pink and so the flag was reduced down to seven stripes, just like a typical rainbow.  It was futher reduced when San Francisco's first openly gay supervisor, Harvey Milk, was assassinated, in November 1978.  The 1979 Pride Parade Committee decided to use Baker's flag, wishing to demonstrate the gay community's strength and solidarity in the aftermath of Mr. Milk's tragedy.  Hoever, the committee eliminated the indigo stripe so they could divide the colors evenly along the parade route - three colors on one side of the street and three on the other. Soon the six colors were incorporated into a six-striped version that became popular.

     So, truthfully what we have are two different flags, one with seven stripes, one with six, although, unless someone really wants to pay attention and count a flag's stripes as they drive past it, or it marches past them in a parade, no one is going to notice.  In fact it has become somewhat of a sore spot. 

    Not saying that I condone this type of action or find it appropriate, but the world still doesn't wholey look favroably upon homosexuality. We haven't made it to Preatoria yet folks.   Because of this, there have been some skirmishes with members of the International Order of Rainbow for Girls.  They find themselves receiving abuse for being gay, when some of them aren't even old enough to know what sex, let alone, sexual orientation is!

     Things were somewhat further complicated for a while, when some members of the Rainbow Coalition (Now the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition) started using a rainbow flag to represent themselves.  This, however, seems to have died down and their current logo only has four bands to it today.

      So, because I am a FreeMason (one of the organizations that supports this group) and I support the work for, on behalf, and done by the International Order of Rainbow for Girls and because technically they had it first, the Rainbow flag, and thus a Rainbow ribbon, are going to represent causes, support and action for The Order of Rainbow for Girls to me.

    If I'm wanting to show support for homosexual rights, I'll use the pink triangle to do so.  I'll chose this one for another reason as well: The pink triangle was used as the emblem to seperate (or would that be segregate) the homosexuals in Hitler's WWII concentration camps.  It serves as a reminder that we should NEVER, EVER, get anywhere near that type of abuse towards homosexuals.  We shouldn't give them ANY type of abuse period.  I, myself, don't condone homosexuality. Sorry, it's a part of my religious beliefs.  However, within those same beliefs I am taught to respect all life.  I may not accept them (or rather their beliefs), but I will respect them, their right to privacy, their right to happiness, their right to exist.     I will also use the triangle for its referal to WWII because it serves as a good reminder to us all, as to how many people were killed in the concentration camps.  Not just the Jewish, but  homosexuals, the Romany (Gypsies), Jehovah's Witnesses (yes, they go back that far), the mentally and physically handicapped, emigrants and more were slaughtered in those dungeons of torture.  Hitler was very selective in whom he kept as friends and countrymen.  He wasn't selective at all in whom he placed in the gas chambers.

    So, when it comes down to the ribbon thing, I will use Rainbow for supporting Rainbow for Girls and a pink triangle for Gay rights.  Both of these organizations are going to continue using their flags, of course, I'm not going to try and stop either, so I ask a small favor to all the prejudice people in the world, well actually two:

    #1  Make sure you spout off your negative tripe to the correct people. Count the stripes when you see a Rainbow flag.  If there are seven, she's a young lady taking pride in herself, her family, and accomplishments in learning how to be a productive member of society, don't start screaming at her that she shouldn't be laying with a woman - she could be dating  your son for all you know!

   #2  If it is a six stripped rainbow flag, don't start screaming at them anyway.  You're not going to have a decent conversation, or convince anyone your mode of thinking is correct if you're spouting off obsenities or threats.  Besides, you're probably not going to convert them anyway so you might as well keep your mouth shut, enjoy the rest of the 99.9% of the parade you came to watch, forget about them and have a peaceful day.

   Well then!  Enough on the topic.  It's causing to many negative emotions.  Quick to the Temple of Inspiration Page - we need a positive boost! : )

  - courtbard