THAT'S WHAT PRIDE IS ALL ABOUT

BUT AREN’T WE ALL PROUD?

All the media, newspapers, TV and social, tout June is PRIDE month! But isn’t everyone proud? Should you be proud to be white? Should you be proud to be black? How about religion – proud to be Christian? Jewish? Atheist? Ethnicity, proud to be Irish? Chinese? Eskimo?

As the song goes - I’m Proud To Be An American… but not all of it. Racial slavery was a blight, cost us a civil war with hundreds of thousands of deaths and destruction. And it’s the same with any group loudly celebrating their PRIDE. Flaws abound, it’s just part of human nature.

We need to be proud of the good any group we identify with accomplishes, and make sure the bad is noted and eliminated. That leads to simply making this a better planet for everyone – not just folks in “our group”. Many of the excesses of gay pride festivities aren’t good, drag shows and sexual situations presented to minors and kids. Lots of gay folks simply don’t tolerate these actions and aren’t shy about condemning them.

If you haven’t seen a shift in how America feels toward all our neighbors, you haven’t been experiencing America for the last 50 years. We don’t condemn folks for who they love, we don’t deny them jobs, housing, inclusion, friendship, education or elected office. And this President appoints them to the highest offices in the land…and they’re confirmed by Republicans in the Senate - and serve with distinction.

So let’s stop singling out small groups for PRIDE. Everyone should strive to be a great American, a good neighbor, a solid friend and a productive, valued member of society. That’s what pride is all about.

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