When I was in the military
They gave me a medal for killing two men
Ans a discharge for loving one.
Consequently, my good friend was discharged from the US Army for being gay a couple years ago. Being a good friend of mine, you can bet I was pretty ticked off by how he was treated. All of this happened because someone had a vendetta against him and sent emails to his commanding officers outing him as gay. Yes, my friend even made national headlines several years ago. To make it worse, he was an Arabic linguist. He was someone who was crucial to our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but our leaders decided he was not fit to serve because of who he loved.
Being an American, I am ashamed of the continued discrimination of approximately 66,000+ men and women in our Armed Forces who identify as gay, lesbian, or bi-sexual.
Each school day (and beyond), I teach my students to love, honor, and respect one another. I try to teach them that under the auspices of the United State Constitution, all men (and women) are equal in the eyes of the law. However, how can I look my students in the eye and tell them that every American...all 300,000,000+, live and follow the Constitution? Truth is that discrimination is alive and rampant in this wonderful country we call home. My 6th graders are not blind. They see, hear, and observe everything.
Love, honor, and respect one another!
When will the adults learn the same lesson that my kids understand so easily?
Perhaps the adults need to go back to school...
The picture above just sent shivers through me and set off a spark that ignited in me. Thus, this posting. Thanks for listening.
I've felt like that chick in the photo at times in my life. I don't want to be like others, straight that is, just want to be treated like others. I do believe that that time of equality is coming.
ReplyDeleteI have often felt like that chick in the photo. Not always so, but more times than I care to admit it...I feel like the chikadee.
ReplyDeleteI am with you. I do believe that the time of equality is coming. I sometimes just get furious with all the injustice in this nation. We are supposed to be the land of the free. We have always been the country that says "Give us your tired, your hungry, your poor." What does it say then that we have such hate and discrimination for one another.
Where is the love?
I know that there are those in this world who love unconditionally. I am blessed to have a father in my life who displays that unconditional love for all his children. Why can't the rest of my father's generation (and all others too) take notice and learn something from this incredible man?
Okay, I am don't with the rant and rave session. I am off to bed.