LGBTQ Mini-library: before and after

There was a sad local news story from Wake Forest, North Carolina, which is about 20 miles north of my home in Raleigh.  An LGBTQIA mini library (see photo) was vandalized and stolen from in front of a supportive local business.

Who are the heroes in this story?

First, this mini LGBTQIA was lovingly built by a local Girl Scout troop as a community service project.  Kudos to the Girl Scouts of the USA who continue to emphasize a fully inclusive environment for all and training our female leaders of the future to be respectful and inclusive of all.

Second, a local business, Heritage Flowers of Wake Forest, who agreed to have the mini-library installed on their property.  They are the ones who reported this vandalism and vowed to assure the library is replaced.

Who are the villains in this story?

First, obviously the person or people who vandalized this mini-library.  It is a nasty criminal act and hopefully the perpetrators will be caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.  And if caught, this should be prosecuted as a hate crime since it is not just a criminal act against the business owner’s property, but against the entire LGBTQ+ community.  UPDATE DEC 14: They have arrested the perpetrator (link).

Second, national, state and local politicians and leaders who continue to demonize the LGBTQ+ community and use it as wedge issue to gain votes from bigots and homophobes.  They use the queer community as bait to create division among citizens of our country.  And they pass laws which deny equal rights to LGBTQ+ people and that actually harm segments of our community.

And third, anyone who stands by and is not enraged by this is also a villain.  Are you speaking out about this kind of hate?  Do you refuse to vote for and support politicians who feed this hate?  People who stand by and indifferently watch injustice like this and refuse to act, or worse yet, tacitly support this hate with how they vote, are complicit.

So are you a hero or villain?  There is no middle ground on this issue.

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Stan C. Kimer is a retired IBM executive who formed his own diversity, equity and inclusion consultancy, Total Engagement Consulting, in 2010.  He is a former President of the North Carolina Council of Churches and currently a member of the Raleigh LGBT Center’s Board of Trustees.