I was thinking about a coworker yesterday and why I disliked him so much. It all stemmed from a small statement about Harry Potter (yes this is relevant to the topic, just pay attention). He claimed he wasn't going to bring his kids to see Harry Potter because the writer was a wiccan and it was just another wiccan "plot" to taint the minds of kids everywhere.

I was instantly switched to attack mode. I didn't do anything and I'm still yet to even say anything to him. Nevertheless I realized why it struck such a cord with me. In my experience true Wiccans are some of the most unobtrusive people I've ever met. At least, in regards to their religion. Never have I met any Wiccan, or group of Wiccans with a demented plot to take over the world with their beliefs. As a matter of fact, from what I can tell, their overall impression on the subject is the less people they have the better. This is purely speculation of course as I'm not an active participant in any pagan belief (though it's what I lean to most). But I digress. Allow me to explain how this relates to us.

I can't say "I don't want to point any fingers" like most other people would when they were about to say what I'm about to say. That would merely demonstrate my incompitence because I am about to point my finger. And my finger points to, none other than, the Christians! Bare in mind though it's not the Christian religions, precisely, that I would blame for our harrasment and the overall fear of what we are. Rather, it's the Christian approach to beliefs and groups that appears to be the problem. You see, Christians, from what I can tell, are funny people. They think that just because their particular sect is trying to influence everyone into joining them, that every other group must be doing the same thing.

"I mean they must be, otherwise everyone would be Christian by now."

Except, everyone's not Christian, and noones really competing with them. You don't see Wiccan missionaries. You don't see Wiccan flyers, comic books, or pocket bibles do you? The belief in and of itself is what draws its members, and keeps them. There's nothing more to it. It is, in my opinion, the ideal way of going about the subject of religion.

So how does this relate to the gothic movement? Well every month there's a new article denouncing us and our so called "ways." And almost every article describes us as a cult. As if we're actively seeking out depressed angsty teenagers (which I'm sure you'll all agree are just as annoying as the next lifeform of flesh and blood), in an effort to add them to our subculture so we can forward our goal of... art? fashion? appreciation of the human psyche?

I suppose they figure that once we had every person on earth being gothic we'd all kill ourselves. And while I'll admit that would be pretty cool to see. I don't consider it practical, nor would I pursue that end by any means.

But just think about it. What goal do you have in being gothic? Hopefully none. I have none. I'm gothic because I am (Note that at this point I'm tired of side-stepping the label and just going with it, who really cares anyway?). Gothic is gothic. I am me. I am gothic. Gothic is me. It sounds like a Dr. Suess story but I can't think of any more accurate way to explain it.

In short: people don't fear/hate us because we're different. They fear/hate us because they're afraid we're trying to make them (or dear lord their children) different. When it's really quite the opposite. I don't give a bat's ass (my first corny goth pun - I'm so proud) who's gothic and if the trend (and it's not a trend) dies out, I don't plan on changing. As long as people can't just see us with their mind responding something like: "oh, hey, different person type thing, pay them no mind" we'll always be "evil" so to speak. And honestly I don't mind that generalization too much at all.

Feel free to flame me.

† - Bare in mind, I wrote this while listeneing to TKK so it may be a bit... influenced. Or even "tainted" if you will.

‡ - Also, I will completely understand if anyone/everyone disagrees with me. And you'll get no argument from me for deleting this post. I understand this has the potential to be a touchy subject.