PART SIX----THIS IS MY LIFE
A
child born and raised on the edge of a Louisiana
A
gay boy falling in love with a straight classmate was a recipe for failure.
Nevertheless, I was left with a damaged heart. The question is then asked, “How
do you mend a broken heart?” The English language does not possess a word that
sufficiently describes how to fine-tune a broken heart and place it in perfect
harmony with the demands of society. American society is dominated by a macho (masculinity)
culture, therefore it is impossible to mend a heart broken by the confines of social
norms.
In
an attempt to mend a broken heart actions occurred that require regrets.
“Regrets, I have a few,” but the biggest regret is the inability to forgive
myself. Forgive me for the things I have
done “when I was young.” Forgive me for
the years wasted living in the closet. Forgive me for not “coming out” to my
parents, especially my mother. Forgive me for the failure to provide better
guidance to troubled LGBTQ students. Forgive
me for the conflicts I had with God, and the failure to understand my true
purpose in life.
****************
The
history of the universe is the history of oppression. Christianity has totally misrepresented
sexual orientation. They have emphasized Biblical scriptures that fit their
lifestyle and ignored others. In terms of longevity it is not even close in the
number of years LGBTQ individuals have been subjugated to oppression. In
counting the cost, it is unbelievable the discrimination that has needlessly
been placed upon LGBTQ people. Religious oppression has been practiced around
the world for thousands of years with group after group each claiming their
righteousness is superior to all others. Under the present administration
American Christianity has proven to the world how fragile religious doctrines really
are.
Even
though it has been slow, the world is realizing the hypocrisy that is within
most religious organizations. For the first time in history the public has
witnessed the pealing back of layer after layer of Christianity and what it has
revealed is alarming. Christians have
incorporated into their standard doctrine acts that are unbelievable sinful, and
the exposure has been devastating. They are now supporting murder, pedophilia,
cheating, lying, bigotry, and numerous other forms of injustices.
It
does not require a genius to read the handwriting on the wall. When
Christianity began to endorse sin the outcome was predictable. I began calling
for change many years ago. While I was waiting for American Christianity to
change, a vacation changed the path of my life. I was offered a job writing for
a local newspaper in a third world country. Not only did I find a new life, but
I found a novel world filled with new and different people. It is what I call my
“second chance” on life. It was then that I was able to bury a constrained man
and give birth to a free man in a “coming out” celebration.
Until
this “coming out” experience, the highlights of my life were flat notes sung
with an element of discord with each note. Now “you can tell everybody” this
one time secret life of a gay boy is now the happy life of a gay man
experiencing freedoms never before experienced. A mere taste of freedom meant
to me never returning to the restricted walls of a closet. If my knight in shining armor never appears,
I can truthfully say, “I don’t need you anymore.”
Now
I can put to rest a myth. Some say an 80 year old plant will never bloom, but I
can tell you that an 80 year old man can blossom. I can also tell you that, “a
whole lot-of loving,” can take place at eighty. Lay down the walking cane, put aside the
walker, and ditch the wheelchair, I am enjoying life to its fullest. Retirement
could never be better!
**********
Congregations
are in order to THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD. It is a remarkable accomplishment that
students organized a march that will go down in history as one of the greatest
events of all times. Millions of students from around the globe marched to
bring attention to the climate crisis. Although other children marches have
occurred this was the first global climate march. Hooray for students! It is
unbelievable, but a number of adults, including some church leaders — pastors
of large congregations --- have spoken out against the children’s march. No longer hold my tongue! Shame on you!!!
Perhaps those individuals should become familiar with their own scripture: Isaiah
11: 6 --- AND A LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM.
I stand firmly with the children of the world who apparently are more
concerned about the future of the universe than many adults.
Now
I send a message to all LGBTQ children, those who are presently living and
those yet to be born. Rise up young boys and girls and never be ashamed of who
you are. If it can be done for climate change it can be done for equal rights. Join
the fight with other minorities who have suffered at the hands of vindictive
white men. The responsibility rests on your shoulders to make sure the world
never forgets the brave heroes and heroines, who gave their lives so we can
enjoy the rights we have today. The world must never forget the LGBTQ
individuals, who were beaten, hailed to fence posts, hanged, beheaded, and
pushed from tall buildings. We must
never allow any government to take away the rights we have already earned, and
we must continue to fight for all our civil rights because “it’s been a long
time coming, but I know change is gonna come.”
Footnote----quotations
represent words taken from Rock and Roll songs that have been made famous in
the USA
