………I would love him, plain and simple. I would want him to be happy. I would want him to be healthy. I would want him to find love, the kind that makes all the hardships and worries and happy times and triumphs complete  because that special person is by your side, sharing and loving and struggling and triumphing WITH you through it all. If I had a gay son (or daughter) I would still be the very proud and loving mom that I am right now, and if I have gay grandchildren, they will ALWAYS know that Grandma has their back. I had a very good weekend……..it was dance recital time, and it was a great experience. I could not have asked for a better studio or employer for my first foray back into the world of dance in ten years, and my two youngest daughters are now leaping about the house in full-on ballerina mode now, so I think it was a DEFINITE success. And then, Saturday evening, as I was perusing the Book of Faces and commiserating with old dance friends I came across something that just blew me away on so many levels, I don’t think my words can do it justice. You may recall my post a few months back about the young dance student I had just before I stopped teaching ten years ago whom I am now back in contact with thanks to YouTube and the Book of Faces………if you missed it, you can read about it here and watch him in action. Bailey is an amazingly talented young man, and is an amazing human being as well. I am proud beyond measure to call him my friend, and I would be proud beyond measure if he were my son, which is something people like John Brock just do not understand. John Brock is  a veteran, a former newspaper editor, a retired collegeprofessor, a homophobe, and an all around old-school southern douchebag who wrote the following op-ed piece for the Georgetown Times, here in our local  Georgetown/Myrtle Beach market:

John Brock: President puts same-sex marriage back on the front burner

   So President Obama has now “evolved” in his views on homosexuality and is now in favor of same-sex marriage. Many folks believe it was his view all along but like in so many other cases, he always makes politically expedient decisions. He probably would not have “come out” now but for the utterances on his motor-mouthed vice president who jumped the gun several days earlier and made it almost mandatory that the president come forth with his newly “evolved” stance. No logical reason The president’s views aside, I have tried to conjure any logical reason why any sane society should legitimize same-sex marriages. Call me a bigot if you must because that is the usual charge hurled at anyone who does not agree with so-called “progressive” thought. The simple truth remains that I cannot come up with one valid argument in favor of such an arrangement. Apparently there are many reasons in the minds of the majority of Americans for not recognizing two people of the same sex who attempt to join the ranks of Holy Matrimony. There are religious reasons for opposing. Surely there are many sociological and societal reasons. And last but not least, there are biological reasons that same-sex marriages do not compute. In fact, “same-sex marriage” is an oxymoron when equated to the historical significance of the term “marriage.” The biological premise of the joining of one man and one woman is propagation of the species. This simply cannot happen between two people of the same gender. Once uncontested terms such as “marriage” had a firm, historical, cultural, sociological, biological, religious and well-documented meaning, but “enlightened” thought has enlarged the concept to encompass much more than would have been suspected by most folks throughout human history. I looked up the definition of “marriage” in numerous dictionaries and all pretty much matched the one found in the granddaddy of lexicons, the Oxford English Dictionary – “The formal union of a man and a woman, by which they become husband and wife.” The definitions most often contained the thought that marriage denoted a desire for procreation. The only deviations from this definition can be found in a couple of “modern” on-line dictionaries which tend to promote the views of “enlightened” thought. Civil right? The argument that comes up the most frequently is that homosexuals must have the same “civil rights” as the rest of society. Guess what? They already do! They have the same civil right to marry a person of the opposite gender just like the rest of us. We share that civil right. There have always been some restrictions on marriage in addition to the limitation that you must marry someone of the opposite sex. For instance, marriage laws restrict the age of marriage. You cannot, by law, marry your sister, brother – your mother, two women or men, your pet, etc. But now there are those who would strike down all borders of common law and commonsense. Same sex marriages open a Pandora’s Box for all kinds of kinky arrangements. But thankfully there are now 38 states with mandatory prohibitions against same-sex marriage. Only six states allow such. This gives you some idea of where the American people stand on the issue. I know. I know. I am a bigot, a hate-monger, a racist and all of the other slurs aimed at folks who oppose the adulteration of gender roles in marriage. But be certain you know what you are talking about before taking up poison pens to complain. Know of which I speak I spent a number of years in the entertainment, academic, creative and business worlds. Along the way I have had many close associates and friends who embraced homosexuality. I was able to put aside my personal preferences and acted in accordance with civil society. Although I did not approve of their choices, I never let it stand between them and me as we went about our daily and professional lives. I have always believed that my fellow humans deserve the same respect and treatment as any other. I have even discussed the matter with those among my circle of associations who have “come out’ as the expression goes. Surprisingly, most felt that the same-sex marriage issue was silly but do favor so-called “civil unions,” whereby, couples of the same sex can enjoy the same rights as married couples. Civil unions are constructed along the same line as the formation of a corporation. I’m still “evolving” on that point. In the meantime, it just makes no sense to me that we should destroy the very foundations of society. Just as there are certain eternal truths in a successful civilization, there are also specific natural outgrowths of humanity. The prime motivation of the joining of a man and a woman is survival of the species. No individual or group can alter this function however hard they argue otherwise.

                                John Brock is a retired newspaper editor/publisher and college professor. He can be reached by mail at this newspaper or by Email at: brock@johnbrock.com

And Bailey, Georgetown native, brilliant dancer/choreographer, person I am SO proud to know, and yes – gay man , wrote a simply brilliant response that probably won’t see the light of day in the Georgetown Times…..but it should. It should freaking go viral, because it is absolutely fantastic, and should be read by absolutely EVERYONE. He posted it on the Book of Faces, and it made me sad and happy and proud and ashamed all at once……..he has grown into such an amazing, intelligent, well-rounded young man, and he and everyone like him should not be treated any differently under the law than anyone else because he’s gay. If he were my kid I would never cease bragging about him and I would dance like a dervish at his wedding to the person of his choice, and if John Brock or anyone else disapproves? THEY DON’T HAVE TO COME. Here is Bailey’s beautiful letter, via the Book of Faces:

Just in case the Georgetown Times doesn’t post my response… Mr. Brock, Your recent opinion article on the topic of same-sex marriages saddened me. Not only as a gay man, but as a forward thinking American citizen, I whole-heartedly disagree with you on your views. No matter what kind of intentions President Obama had for announcing his support of same sex marriage, he will be relieved one day when he finds his beliefs to be on the right side of history. You say, “The biological premise of the joining of one man and one woman is propagation of the species.” If that’s true, why should elderly people be allowed to get married? Or heterosexual couples who can’t conceive children? Should they be banned from marriage and the rights that come with it because procreation will not be apart of their matrimony? I probably shouldn’t even venture into the topic of same-sex couples adopting; God forbid the millions of children in orphanages and foster homes find a loving and caring home. Also just in case you are unaware, animals have no legal standing in the sense of marriage. They physically don’t have the capacity to sign a marriage contract. To me, your point insinuating that same-sex marriages will lead to other “kinky arrangements”, sounds like a cheap blow stemming from a societal fear to accept something that may appear to be “uncommon.” And if you think gay couples will ruin the sanctity of marriage, what do you think about Britney Spears’ 55-hour marriage to Jason Allen Alexander or Newt Gingrich’s three marriages? Why aren’t you writing letters about Kim Kardashian’s display of ostentatious exploitation of the holy sanctity of marriage? These marriages certainly seem to be preserving the idea of a holy matrimony. As a former college professor, I shouldn’t have to school you by making you aware that church and state are separate entities. Although marriage has religious connotations and practices, the word is one defined by our government. Marriage grants benefits that civil unions do not. How exactly would legalizing same-sex marriage directly affect your own marriage? Where in Connecticut or Massachusetts, among other states, has same-sex marriage led to negative consequences? Maybe you think legalized same-sex marriage will increase the likeliness of making your children or grandchildren gay. Might it lead to the demise of your own marriage? I have a simple answer for you: No. Straight couples conceive gay babies. Regardless of whether or not same-sex marriage is legalized, gay children will still be born and will still want to be treated as equal citizens. Just imagine, as impossible as you may claim it would be, that someone in your family was gay- would you honestly want the government and society to be able to deny them happiness, and even more importantly societal acceptance? I don’t think you have any idea the kind of torture it is to grow up in a society that doesn’t view you as legitimate. Hearing people claim that it is a phase or a disease that can be cured makes homosexuality appear toxic to a child. How many children committing suicide will it take to get people like you to realize it’s not a choice? This fundamental fight for marriage isn’t just about wanting equal rights. It’s teaching children to accept others and to bring our country to a new level of compassion and pride. If the Civil Rights Movement serves as any kind of example, it shows that decisions involving minorities should not be left up to the majority. Also, I don’t “embrace” the gay lifestyle. I was born gay. It is just another one of my labels: white, southern, student, etc. Being gay doesn’t define me; it only classifies my sexual orientation. The sooner our society realizes and accepts this, the closer we will be to a land true to its words of “all men are created equal.” You may find my response cynical, but I’m just trying to set you straight, no pun intended, on the issues I have with your article. Humans are fortunate enough to understand how to love, no one should be judged for how they direct that love.

If I had a gay son……………….. I would want him to be as self-assured, loved, and supported as Bailey Moon is. I want that for ALL the gay sons and daughters out there, and for the John Brocks of the world to pull their heads out of their crusty asses and just leave them be. You don’t have to like gay people……….just leave them be. Stop legislating your personal hang-ups. Have I mentioned how fucking proud I am to know him?????

PROUD.