What's the message....

I'm troubled by something that keeps ringing around my head and I idiotically just tried to post it on the wall of a Facebook organization.

Here's my thought.  Let's say you have a group that shows up at funerals and other events protesting human rights.  Namely, my rights to love and live.  I'm not mentioning said organization because that's my point.  News articles always call those that come out against this organization "counter-protestors" when we should not be giving free advertising to hate at all.  Hate speech, and the organizations that spread it, should not take advantage of getting free press to spread their message.  We know they're haters.  We get it.  I'm a queer.  But I'm also cute and funny and smart.

At the end of the day, maybe too smart and I think too much.

Let's work on changing the message we put out.  Instead of the headline "Hundreds block Westboro Baptist Church from funeral" we should say "Hundreds turn out to show their respect to a soldier."  Yes, I mentioned that group.  But do you see the change in the message?  Better - do you FEEL the change in the message?  Rather than being initially filled with their hate/disgust, aren't you immediately thinking how awesome it must have felt to the family of the soldier to have hundreds show respect?  That's big.  That's beyond big.  That's a change that we can make - focus on love only.  Don't give hate an entry.  Instead, the message is love, acceptance, and strangers (for the most part) coming together to speak over hate.  And since love is louder than hate, let's not even mention it again.

Can't save the world...

My epiphany moment today - big enough that it's caused me to take to my rarely used blog - is that I cannot save the world.  I have moments that I think I'm super.  And I am a man.  But I'm not superman.  I'm a regular guy, with thoughts and emotions, that wants to change the world.  Let's face it, even those in powerful positions rarely change the world.
So I'm setting my bar lower.  I'm going to change my world.  My family, my friends.  I have passion.  I definitely have strong opinions.  At the end of it all, I have no fear.  Sure, I am still afraid of heights, I don't want to drown, but interpersonal relationships, communications...none.  What's the worst you can say to me?  And will your worst change me?
No.  I know who I am.  At my core, I think I've known the answer to that question longer than I would acknowledge.  I'm stronger than anyone, including myself, thinks.  Last year (2012), I somehow managed to breathe, stand up, and walk after the absolute worst thing that could have happened.
Rather than change the world, I'm letting me out.  And hopefully the world will follow.
     "I may be disturbed but won't you concede, even heroes have the right to dream."
                  -Five for Fighting.