Do All Mormons Look Like This?

Disclaimer:  No, I don’t think all Mormons looks alike. It just seems that three of my Mormon friends looks eerily alike! Love you guys!

The beautiful and incomparable Madame Hawtness (aka Mandi)

The intuitive and witty Miles
(Did I mention Miles would probably give his left arm to be adopted by Mandi?)

The unapologetic Konrad

So here is the question for you…if I converted to Mormonism would I instantly become pencil thin, have awesome bone structure, and watch my hair turn blonde?

Just a random thought.

Amazing Student

Bigotry and Discrimination is Still Alive in the South!

Like many of my friends, I have given up hard copies of local newspapers in exchange for the electronic versions. Call it me being Earth-friendly or economical. Whatever!

This morning I logged on to the Knoxville News Sentinel…just one of several papers to which I have a subscription. I waded through a barrage of articles about Vol football, education reform, fires, obituaries, etc. Finally, my eyes were caught by an article titled I’m Proud of My Gay Son.

While I agree it was not the most compelling article from the mother of a gay son. It was something that brightened my day and gave me hope of acceptance that may one day come from my mother.

What I love about reading the paper online is that it also allows for readers to make comments about the articles. The comments are usually rather comical given the area of the country in which I live.

I live in the true south of the United States. I live in an area where farming is still a way of life. Friday nights are still football game nights. Everyone knows your business. My hometown high schools are still rather segregated. (My high school only had 3 black students and no black teachers. The rival high school is 85% black.) The largest building in our town is the First Baptist Church. It is larger than our county courthouse. There is a large percentage of citizens in our county who never received a full high school education.

I bring this up because of the comments made in response to Mrs. Griffo’s article. As suspected, there were many disparaging remarks about homosexuality. One in particular made the following reference:

I would conjecture that this boy’s mom is probably divorced and did not know how to raise a boy to become a man. In all likelihood the boy was sexually traumatized when he was young by either a male or female and it opened up a window in his soul to homosexuality…

It was at that point that I logged in and posted a reply to this fool! Below is what I wrote:

Everyone is entitled to their opinions...I get that. We live in this blessed country known as the United States where it is legal to express our thoughts at free will. I have no problem with that.

What I do have a problem with is your sickening conjecture about Mrs. Griffo's marital status and her ability to raise sons. Since it is obvious that you don't know this woman, I am angered that you believe that single women cannot properly raise their sons to become your definition of a "man." The fact is that many single moms raise their sons to be great men in our society.

My question to you concerns your definition of "men." Are you suggesting that a homosexual male is any less of a man that a heterosexual male?

I also have concerns about your conjecture that Mrs. Griffo's son was likely "sexually traumatized when he was young...and it opened up a window in his soul to homosexuality." How can you even suggest something so disgusting?! Now you are saying that boys who are sexually traumatized grow up to be gay men? According to the American Medical Association, this just is not so.

Here is some evidence against your hypotheses:

1) I grew up in a single-parent household. However, I grew up living with the greatest male role model I know...my father.

2) Even though I grew up without a mother, I had some wonderful female figures in my life...my paternal grandmother and a paternal aunt. (I throw this point in just in case you decide to make an argument of a lack of female figures in my life, too.)

3) I was raised in a wonderfully loving and supportive family that would do anything to protect me.

4) I grew up in a fantastic Southern Baptist church family where I accepted Christ as my personal Lord and Savior when I was a teenager. For the record, He and I talk daily. Thank you!

5) I was NEVER sexually traumatized as a child, teenager, or as an adult.

And here is the last bit for you...I happen to be gay.

That doesn't make me a sexual deviant or promiscuous.
It doesn't make me any less of a man that your definition might suggest.
I am a man who is a productive contributing citizen to this beautiful state of Tennessee.
I am the uncle to 8 beautiful nieces and nephews.
I am a brother.
I am a son.
I am a Christian.
I am an educator.
I am a community volunteer.
I am a Vol fanatic.

I will continue to be me no matter how much discrimination and bigotry I will face in this life. It is not a life I would ever have chosen for myself. This is just me.

My Dad and His Mortality

Tonight I got a phone call from my dad. He still calls me almost every day of the week. Yes, even after 33 years of life he considers me a kid. That will never change…I accept that.

As the conversation went on about his extended stay out in Las Vegas (darned him), he proceeded to tell me he had been talking with my brother about plans for the future. I figured he was talking about selling his current house and finding a smaller house for him and my brother. Maybe he was talking about making vacation plans. Who knew he was talking about plans if he were to pass away?

I never did like these types of talks with my dad. I have lived with my father in my life for 33 years, and I cannot imagine my life without him here in it. My family members that have passed have set a nice precedence for longevity. Everyone seems to live into their seventies, eighties, and a few in their nineties. I am certainly hoping the same hold true for my dad. Realistically, he is 61. If he lives to the age my grandparents lived to be, then he will make it into his mid- to late seventies. That would mean only about 15 more years with my father in my life. Ugh, now I am depressing myself!

My dad has always been a super father. I could not have asked for a more caring and compassionate dad. There is no man that I respect more than him. He is my true hero in life. Dad’s only concern in life has been the welfare of his kids. So it comes as no surprise that he continues to think about what will happen to his kids once he has passed away.

I proceeded to let my dad tell me his plans for when he passes. The short-and-sweet version is that my brother would get to keep dad’s house (which is what needs to happen for my brother) and I am to get dad’s brand new Harley Davidson. I cracked up at him telling my brother to make sure I get the Harley Davidson.

Let’s be frank for a moment…I have not ridden or driven a motorcycle in at least 15 years. Dad told me that my brother, Jason, could give me a refresher course on how to ride a motorcycle. I don’t think I would have any problem. This all just made me smile.

On a side note, being the eldest child, I am the one who will be making all medical and financial decisions for my dad when the need arises. I already have power of attorney over his medical needs and finances. I have had that since I was 18. Dad and I have had the medical discussions since I was young. I know my father does not want to be put on life support and that he wants to be cremated. I have always told him “Not to worry…I will be sure to pull the plug and strike the match.” (We are a sick family, and I like it that way!)

Kids Say the Darndest Things

My students are always making me laugh with their observations and sayings. Believe me when I tell you that every teacher could write a book and make people roll in the floor with what they hear.

Today on the way out to the track one of my boys, Jacob, told me I needed to go to YouTube and search for Double Rainbow. I asked him what it was about and he said the following:

It is a video of this guy who was taping a double rainbow, and he wasn’t high or anything, but he was crying at the sight of this double rainbow.

I was just perplexed by the comment about this guy not being high. I had to ask him “What does being high have to do with this video?” Jacob was quick to point out that he didn’t think it was normal for a guy to cry at the sight of a rainbow, but he knew the guy just wasn’t high when watching this rainbow. (Evidently he thinks people who get high are overly emotional.)

I loved the rationale behind this, and it just made my day. Kids really do say the darndest things!