A Footnote to Previous Discussion of Kiva and Opus Dei University in Kenya

A footnote to what I posted several days ago about the controversy in the GLBT group at the website of the charitable non-profit Kiva after Kiva chose to support the Opus Dei university in Kenya, Strathmore: the GLBT group's discussion of this issue has now become so twisted, due to the wish of several group members to attack each other and subvert open conversation, that I've stepped away from it for now. 

I'm still too sore due to--and, frankly angry about--what has been happening in that group, that I can't talk coherently about it right now. I did want to issue this footnote, though, to explain why I've walked away from the discussion, in case any readers of my previous posting who are following the conversation at Kiva's website wonder about my actions.

I do not in the least want my choice to step out of the conversation to suggest that I am not completely in support of Tony Adams's important work to try to hold Kiva accountable for its decision to support Opus Dei.* A link to Tony's published article about this issue will be found in the posting linked above.

I've stepped away because I'm tired of and frustrated by the underhanded and exceedingly immature tactics of several group members which are designed to subvert all critical conversation about Kiva's support of Opus Dei by attacking other members of the group--that is, by attacking other gay or gay-supporting people who want to call Kiva to accountability for its decision.

Since I myself had become the object of these unwarranted and underhanded attacks, I decided yesterday that the best way to deal with them was simply to step aside, and let the two young folks who are leading the charge have their way--and, in time, I suspect that most members of the Kiva GLBT group will begin to understand what these two group members, who want to drive wedges between gay men and gay women in a movement in which solidarity is essential given the high odds against which all of us who are gay struggle, really want: this is to shut down critical conversation about Kiva and Opus Dei.

We'll see what happens. Frequently, the members of oppressed minority groups are our own worst enemies, as we tear away at each others' throats rather than bonding together to craft effective and resolute strategies to oppose the real oppression that ought to be our primary concern as part of a targeted minority group.