Today I had yet another close family member question me. Make me feel stupid for being young and being naive (his words, not mine). He made the assumption that because I am choosing to devote my time and energy to LGBT equality, that I have somehow excused the civil rights wars that have been staked here in the past. That I somehow feel that this battle is MORE important or HARDER than the fights of women, blacks, gun owners, people with disabilities, etc.
I am really sick and tired of having my passion looped into an assumption that I am therefore blind. Blind to the value of the opposition’s point of view. Blind to the fact that other problems exist out there in the world. Blind to the fact that others have waged this war before me.
I believe that I have power. I believe that I have influence. And I believe that as a citizen of this country, I am allowed to SPEAK and ACT upon the passions that I feel (as long as they don’t break the law).
Just because I am passionate about one cause does not mean that I don’t believe in yours. That I don’t see the value in your passion. It doesn’t mean that I don’t want you to be passionate about your beliefs and your goals. It doesn’t mean that I am selfish, unwilling to compromise, or unable to to appreciate our differences. I ENCOURAGE THEM.
Please don’t be mad at me for being passionate. It doesn’t serve either of us well.
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