On Saturday, June 11th, Boston celebrated Pride. The highlight event was the parade. I marched in the parade with The Gay Fathers of Greater Boston. The parade route was 2.7 miles long and there were estimated to be over 25,000 participants with 200 groups represented. The streets on both sides were packed with people all cheering and shouting out their support. It was young people, old people, mothers, fathers and children all out to lend their voice to acceptance. It was emotionally moving to walk down the street to this cheering crowd. One estimate I heard that has not been verified is that there were around 700,000 attendees.
Then Sunday morning we wake up to the news of the carnage in Orlando. This violence was born out of hatred for the gay community. The family of the gunman said that he was distraught over seeing two men kissing. A simple act of kissing created the rage that took 50 innocent lives?
Such a juxtaposition of love and hate. Two men showing their affection towards each other brings about so much death? How can that be?
Where is the love in the world? Where is the love between people? For that is where it starts. We must learn to love each other. How do we do that?
It starts by looking within your own heart and rooting out the prejudice. Oh but I am not prejudice. Yea, right. We all are. We were taught from an early age to be. Pay attention to your own thoughts and you will see it. We are all guilty of intolerance. Find yours and root it out. That is where we start.
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