Well, yesterday was the final day of Pride. I've gotten to the point where Gay Pride doesn't mean that much to me anymore. Yeah, it's great that our rights are now recognized throughout the USA. Now no one can stop those who wish to join in a marriage union.
Yes, our country has moved a big step forward. I hope the next hurdle, which will takes years to overcome, is to rid society of bigotry. I know this won't ever happen in my lifetime. With knowing how much many individuals were brainwashed from those who influenced us throughout our lives. Growing up with hatred for others due to their religion, nationality or their difference from yourself. It wasn't until I joined the Army when I finally got to meet a wide variety of individuals who I was taught to hate - but instead, I liked them for the person I know.
From the time I was a child, I was taught to hate those who were not like the rest of my biological family. I learned it was okay to like those who believed in a christian religion and everyone who was the same ethnicity. From my parents and brothers it was pounded into my head that those who were not of the same race, those who were not of christian faith, those who had a disability of any sort and those who were not of the same orientation as the rest of my family; were undesirables, outcasts and should be shunned or belittled.
From being in the Army, I'm grateful for meeting some of the most interesting individuals who taught me a new perspective on people. I've learned to be a whole different person, understanding of those who I don't know and not to judge individuals I know nothing about. I'm happy to have a wide variety of friends.
If it wasn't for taking the initiative to better myself, I would have been stuck in the backwards thought process which was imbedded in my mind. Every year as Pride comes and goes, everyone can see the various of individuals which come together to share the celebration in unity. The diversity of everyone brings us all together, uniting individuals as one. We are all people with the same common goal, to be accepted as the individuals we are, recognize to be and have become. Hopefully society as a whole can learn from the Pride celebration every year. It doesn't matter what religion, political views, ethnicity, one's differences or how one looks; we are all people and want to be accepted for the person we are, not for what one sees or has been taught about others who are different from yourself.
My parents worked hard not to pass on bigotry and prejudice. I'm sure there were many days that they regretted it and didn't approve of my decisions and friendships. Making random judgments is a human thing and it's a very fine line between recognizing diversity and judging differences. I can only hope i'm setting a good enough example to overcome the everyday 'isms' that my children face.
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