To all you young people out there---- it will get better.

[trumad]

the current generation running things will be to old or dead in another 40 years, and then it will be your turn to run the show.

Here's an example of "our turn" fucking things up, and why your turn offers hope for a better world.

More than 100 parents, students, residents and a few pastors showed up at a Lake County School Board meeting Monday afternoon, many wearing red shirts to show support for a proposed Gay-Straight Alliance club at Carver Middle School in Leesburg.

The demonstration came as the School Board weighed a possible ban on extra-curricular student clubs at secondary schools that are not tied to academics. Such a rule would keep the gay-straight student group from forming at the school.

Eighth-grader Bayli Silberstein, an openly bisexual 14-year-old, is heading the effort to get a group started at Carver Middle School after a previous effort was denied last school year. In November, Bayli reapplied but never received word from the principal about whether it was approved or denied.

Bayli says the club is needed to help combat bullying of gay students at her school, and said she didn't expect such a reaction from board members.

"I expected more from adults," she said. "I didn't think they would be so judgmental about this."
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-gay-straight-club-lake-20130218,0,3605634.story

[Bluenorthwest]

1. It will get better if we make it get better and refuse the bullshit excues of the straight community

which are all old and tired and based on lies and ignorance and vicious intention. We must not allow politicians to speak ill of us for their own advancement, we must not allow straights to pretend that their politicians attacking us is somehow acceptable.
It gets better if we do not allow the majority to keep making it worse.

[Gorp]

2. My eldest daughter has an openly bi friend. She brought her girlfriend over this weekend.

What's rather gratifying is that she isn't comfortable taking her girlfriend to her own parents' house but had no problem with bringing her here. She knew we would be accepting. They were even cuddling like my daughter does with her boyfriend. It was a non-issue and that's how it should be everywhere. Bayli is right. Adults should act like adults and part of that means accepting people for who they are.

And, if you haven't guessed yet, I do NOT believe that sexual orientation is a choice anymore than I do skin color, ethnicity, gender, or allergies for that matter. We're all born as we are. I can choose to drink beer or not, smoke or not, drive or not, but I can't change what I am. And I'm really sick of people pushing their prudish views on other people. If someone wants to have prudish views, fine. Have them. But that's not an excuse to impose them on others.

Sorry for the rant, but I had gay friends in high school 30+ years ago and still do because my daughters accept them (how we raised them might have something to do with that). I got called a "fag" all the time in grade school because I was small and didn't have the "neanderthal" look in the locker room shower and my voice was late to break.

I've never had the slightest impulse to persue a male in that respect, but it was one of the nastiest insults at the time. Yes, bullying of anyone even remotely perceived to be gay is and always has been a problem. It needs to be addressed and what she is doing is awesome. More power to her. We sorely need more young activists like her.

[pinboy3niner]

3. Some supporting those students are old folks

I won't be alive forty years from now, but I'll still do what I can to promote a better future for those who follow.

ALDONZA: Why do you do these things?

DON QUIXOTE
What things?

ALDONZA
These ridiculous... the things you do!

DON QUIXOTE
I hope to add some measure of grace to the world.

ALDONZA
The world's a dung heap and we are maggots that crawl on it!

DON QUIXOTE
My Lady knows better in her heart.

ALDONZA
What's in my heart will get me halfway to hell.
And you, Señor Don Quixote-you're going to take
such a beating!

DON QUIXOTE
Whether I win or lose does not matter.

ALDONZA
What does?

DON QUIXOTE
Only that I follow the quest.

ALDONZA
(spits)
That for your Quest!
(turns, marches away; stops, turns bock
and asks, awkwardly)
What does that mean... quest?

DON QUIXOTE
It is the mission of each true knight...
His duty... nay, his privilege!
To dream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go;
To right the unrightable wrong.

To love, pure and chaste, from afar,
To try, when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star!

This is my Quest to follow that star,
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far,
To fight for the right
Without question or pause,
To be willing to march into hell
For a heavenly cause!

And I know, if I'll only be true
To this glorious Quest,
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest.

And the world will be better for this,
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove, with his last ounce of courage,
To reach the unreachable stars!


--From 'Man of La Mancha'