Huh?

A conversation threw me a while back when I was visiting Maine. It wasn't me starting this conversation to fuel the moral fire. I purposely choose to keep my personal beliefs to myself. It's not that it isn't understood; I am definitely a liberal thinker and am proud of it. Everyone close to me knows where I stand. I just don't want to fight with the people I love so I just shut up.

Which is why I was surprised when the comment was made that my nephews need to be more tolerant of gay people. I agree, but I also understand that most adolescent boys are going to shy away from any sort of acceptance on this issue out of fear more than any other reason. Fear that people might think they're gay, fear that maybe they really are gay even. So I said..."boys will be boys." It's a normal behavior. Would I try to teach my child differently? Of course.

Then the real kicker comes in. And why this question was posed I do not know, because we were all in agreement that they should learn tolerance.

"Do you think gay people should be allowed to adopt a child?"

There were three people sitting around that fire, two said no. The two people who sat there and agreed that tolerance is acceptable. BUT...they draw the line at tolerance.

I get frustrated with this response though it wasn't exactly a big shocker. One, because I find that double standard offensive and ridiculous (typical of their political affiliation though) but mostly because I know that homosexuals are loving, caring and nurturing individuals just like you and I are. (I hate adding a label to their preference as human beings but I don't know how to get around it. Otherwise I would.)

So I begin to explain why I feel differently by saying just that. What's wrong with two people who love each other raising a child? Which is better in your eyes? A heterosexual couple who neglect and abuse their child or a gay couple that can offer that very same child wonderful life? With all the unwanted children in the world you think we should limit the type of couple that gets to love them? I'm sure if given the choice, the child wouldn't mind if they had two mommies or two daddies to read stories at night,to show them how to fix a broken fence or make a delicious meal. But most importantly, have a family.

"Well they are going to impress upon them their sexual deviance and make even more gay people."

OMG, not more GAY PEOPLE!!!!

Did we not just use the word TOLERANCE???????

Do people really think this stuff? Really? Because that is just ignorance at its best. (If you're one of these people....I tolerate you, we all have rights to our own opinions, even if they're wrong different than my own.)

Think about it for a minute, if you will. You go through life with everyone telling you what's "normal". Only what you feel inside and who you really are doesn't fit inside this "All American Ideal". It sometimes will take this person years to admit to themselves what they're feeling to be their true self and even longer to admit to loved ones. Why then, would that person raise a child to believe they need to be one way and fit in their ideal or else. It just doesn't make sense. If any family would be loving and tolerant of their children and embrace who they are REGARDLESS, it would be a family with two parents of the same sex.

A good parent is a good parent is a good parent. No matter what way you spin it, the child is raised with people who love him/her. What makes gay parents love their children any less than we love our own? Nothing. In fact, I would bet that if you were to take a look at a few statistics their homes would fair better than a lot of your typical mom/dad families that we have accustomed ourselves to.

Conservatives have coined this particular phrase....but I think it fits well here and in many other situations as well.

I think they call it....."A Right to Life"

As long as they're not gay, right?