Over the past two hours I have stared at my laptop wondering how to approach this topic my heart seemed compelled to write about. I tried to change it and then I would come back. This is the beauty of writing, I told myself. Not everyone will agree with you the difference is you have the guts to say it.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
This line is from the first line of the Declaration of Independence. It speaks of a struggling nation that was courageous enough to take on a much larger and scarier opponent that very well could have crushed them in their endeavors. I refer to this line now because I feel it holds significance to the point of this article. Our nation has built its historical mark on this world based on the underdog winning the fight. We have watched time and time again as those who abhor change and the unfamiliar fall to the people who weren’t expected to win the day.
Over the last week, I have heard countless opinions of the Orlando shooting. Some that made my heart soar with joy of such caring souls who have gone above and beyond in the wake of tragedy, some that made me sick to my stomach. I couldn’t believe there were people in this world who truly believed that this was God’s way of bringing the victims to realization. I also couldn’t stomach the thought that someone who could ever believe that could be a friend or an acquaintance to me. How could someone watch this tragedy and say such horrendous things?
Whether we want to believe it or not, there are people in this world who choose to love the same sex as themselves. They are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, family, and friends. They have hopes and dreams as well as goals and desires in life no different from anyone else on this planet. We are no different on the inside. We will at some point in our lives feel each of the same emotions. We will all have the opportunity to fight for our rights as humans.
Living in central Alabama, I know my opinion won’t be the popular one. I know this is going to ruffle some feathers and have older people rolling their eyes in disgust. But honestly, who cares?
Not me, that’s for sure.
Am I a Christian? Yes, I am. As a Christian, I realize my true duty is to love and accept all creatures that God made in his image. I am not God. It is never going to be my place to judge another human. Dear reader, if you think you are pure enough to equate yourself to the one true judge, let me point you to Romans 3:23.
When I have kids I never want them to question if they will be loved in my household because of their preference for a life partner. Why you might ask? Because that is unconditional love. It is me looking at how happy a person makes my daughter or son and knowing that as a parent that is all I will ever be able to ask for in my life. It doesn’t matter if he or she prefers the same sex or opposite. What matters is that my child will be happy and be treated with respect and love. I want them to wake up 50 years down the road and be right next to their soul mate who makes them want to strive to be a better person.
With that being said, it is my sincere hope that anyone fighting the seemingly never ending battle for acceptance continues to do so. I hope after this heart-wrenching blow that you are able to dust off your beaten armor and suit up for the fight once more.
I am rooting for you. I am behind you 100 percent. Courage is not necessarily the loudest voice in the crowd. But it is the unfailing one. It will not quiet down simply because there are others who are trying to drown it out. It will remain steady and wait out the storm.
"Find out who you are and be that person. That's what your soul was put on this Earth to be. Find that truth, live that truth and everything else will come." ~ Ellen DeGeneres
