A Tribute to All Veterans - Including the Gay Ones

GayAgenda.com would like to take this moment to honor and pay tribute to all of the veterans who have served our country.  Especially those who have served so selfishly they put their country first over themselves and who they really are. Those who were our gay and lesbian soldiers.

Even though the U.S.A has been involved in military actions that not all agree we should have been involved in (Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq to name a few) there is still respect owed to those who have served this great nation.

I realize in the wake of the defeats the GLBT community has experienced with the past election, not everyone is feeling quite so patriotic.  But, if you look back through history, you’ll find in the short time we have been a nation, we have made a great deal of progress.

As I have said before, as unfortunate as it may be, our rights are NOT going to be handed to us on a silver platter.  We will have to become veterans of a very different fight.  A fight to become equal.  But also as you look back through history, I think you can find we have a reason to fight.  We do live in a great nation, where even though our voice may not equal, our voice can be heard.  The rest is up to us.

So again, please take a moment to honor our fallen heroes.  Those who gave their lives so we have a voice.  Those who stopped the likes of Hitler in WWII who shamelessly branded and murdered so many gay and lesbian people.  Those who stopped the progression of world domination by those who didn’t believe anyone, regardless of race, creed, color or sexual orientation should have a voice.  With out those heroes, the world we live in today, would be much worse.

Yes there is progress to be made, but we have also come a long way.

Thank you again to those who have served.  Thank you again for giving your life, so we can have one.

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell But Do Serve Your Country

Jeff didn’t join the Marines at 20 and then realize he was a homosexual. Key had been out of the “closet” for 20 years, but had an urge so profound to serve his country and, at age 34, he called a recruiter to see what the cut off age was, and was told 28.  His answer was not “bummer,” it was “shit.” The recruiter asked Key’s age and said to come down and he would see what he could do. After a self-written letter asking permission to serve his country, Jeff was accepted. Key went through boot camp as the squads “guide” the whole time, most everyone loses the guide title at some point during boot camp, but not Key. In a squad of young men, young enough to be his sons, he remained their leader…their guide. Much like my “hero” (my grandfather) who finished the police academy training 1st in his class at the age of 55. Marines see second place as unacceptable, just like Key did.

Read the rest at burtsellfamily.wordpress.com.