Tales of a crazy liberal:

Yes, I'm one of those crazy liberals Fox news is always talking about. According to the right wing, I'm a socialist, commie, atheist, crazy person who is wrong about everything I believe. My beliefs are going to be the downfall of our country. I lack family values and support the evil Gay agenda because I'm pro- same sex marriage. I support Marijuana law reform, so I'm a lazy crazy stoner criminal who wants all our kids to be lazy crazy stoners as well. Also I will eventually start using crack and coke and I will put babies in the oven because I smoke a gateway drug. I support President Barack Obama so I support killing the elderly and sick with the death panels in the new health care bill. I support taxing everyone to death and want everyone to have everything handed to them on a silver platter. I don't feel that closing our borders is the right way to deal with illegal Immigration, and that torture should never be used for interrogation, therefore I don't believe in safety and want the “evil doers” to just walk right into the country and blow us up.

Now of course all these things are sweeping generalizations that most rational people don't believe, and usually when these opinions are spouted by people on TV or other media, I yell at the TV or post crap on facebook and then just go on with my life. Of all the issues though, one in particular makes me so angry every single time, and that is Family Values.

My formative years were spent in what I have always thought of as a typical American household. Nice house with many things falling apart in it. Two parents and a two cars outside the junk filled two car garage. Grill on the deck, and TV in the living room. Mom worked part time and raised me, “dad” worked full time second shift to support the family. We weren't rich by any means, but we had a nice life. My parents taught me what was truly Important in this world: Love. They taught me to not hate or discriminate. I was taught to be good to others and treat people in the same way I wanted them to treat me. I was taught to respect the differences in cultures, races, and the differences we all have from one another. We knew our neighbors and all watched out for each other. It really was the American dream.

My parents educated me in not only sending me to the best schools they could find or afford , but by continuing my education outside the class room. We went to museums, cultural events, and some political events. In fact one of my favorite memories was my mother and I going to see then president Ronald Reagan when he spoke in my home town. In short, my upbringing was similar to millions of other children around the world. I was spoiled at times, overly protected at times, but loved always.

So what is it that makes my story different from many? “Dad” wasn't my father, or even a man. My “father figure” was my mothers partner. So when I see attacks on gay rights, denial of same sex marriage, and the recent denial of same sex partner rights in Arizona, do I get mad? You bet I do. I get furious.

I was raised by my lesbian mother and her partner. They were together for over 20 years. Except for the obvious gender difference, we were the same as any other family. They didn't turn me into some sexual deviant (common myth). They didn't have a “gay agenda”. They were just my parents. They loved me and I loved them. Sadly they did split up after 20+ years together (longer than many straight marriages last). My mother's love for me was and is no different than the love of a straight parent. Her love for her current partner (of well over 10 years) is no different that the love between a straight couple. They go through the same good and bad times as a straight couple. It showed me that real love has many faces. Sadly what i have written here does not do my feelings justice. My words are insufficient. I wish i could pour my heart through the screen so you could truly understand where I'm coming from.

I and like minded people have family values, just like anyone else. We just have a broader definition of Family. If you take anything from my tale, I hope that it will help you join me and others to not be so quick to judge someone by a label. I'm just as guilty as the next person for doing so at times, and it is sometimes an up hill battle. So all I ask is you do the same as I am. Try. It is so easy to label and judge someone for being gay or straight, white or not, liberal or conservative, “normal” or disabled, or even good or evil. But at the end of the day we are all human, all people, and we all deserve the same basic rights and respect.