This video has been buzzing around the internet, lately. This preacher in Springfield, Mo. went in front of the city council to speak out against gay marriage. At the "final minute," there is a surprise. Please watch the video all the way to the end.
When I finished the video, I wanted to hug him. Immediately, I sent out this email:
To the City Council of Springfield,
My name is Bri and I am writing to you, this evening, regarding the subject of gay rights. When I was 18 and in college, my best friends were gay men. Now that I am 31, all of my best friends are still gay men. Gay men peopled my baby shower. Gay men were the first non-family to hold my precious daughter when she was born. When my family has had financial trouble with bills and Christmas for our children, it has been my gay friends who have come through for us with monetary help, food and gifts. In turn, when they stumbled upon hard times, my family returned their generosity in kind. Gay people are my friends. They are my family because one of my cousins is gay. They are my support network, the shoulder that I cry on and the people that I trust.
This country that we live in, The United States, was not founded on religion or intolerance for that which is different from us. It was founded on the principles of freedom, meaning that we are all free to choose our life paths. We are free to our happiness, to help our neighbors and to tell our governing bodies what we think. Council, I say this to you. Gay people are not some "other," like black people were once considered, as well. They are not to be pushed aside, demonized or denied their rights. They are our friends, our neighbors, our coworkers and our families. But, more than that, they are citizens of the United States of America which used to be the country who led by example. We used to be "the land of the free." Can we still call ourselves that, anymore, if we don't give all of our citizens equal rights? If not, then where are we left? What do we stand for? Where do we go from here?
Council, I hope that you will keep these thoughts in your mind as you decide the issue and I hope that the wisdom I know you have will prevail. We can change the world. We can make it better for everyone. People all over this country are looking to you.
Thank you for your time,
Briana aka Visionary Bri
I don't often write letters to the political sphere. Though, when I was pregnant with my daughter, I did find that I could write letters to the office of the President and those pregnancy hormones did fire off a strongly worded letter or two. Want to write one too? Here's the web address.
I know that not all countries have even a portion of the freedoms that we have, here, in The United States. I also know that other countries give their citizens more freedoms than we have. At this point in time, I'm just trying to make my little corner of the world better for everyone around me. I'm not one of those that champions the country that I live in to be the best. It is only one of many. I'm very much in favor of world ideas, meaning ideas that bring us together, rather than divide us. I look forward to the day that everyone, no matter where they're from can truly be a citizen of this world and not just a citizen of a country.
In this world, it is the artists who give rise to movements. We question, we spur, we inspire. Artists dream revolutions and write about peace. If you are a creative person, this is your legacy. You can be a vehicle for change in the world through your art and in your life. That is one of the things I'm trying to do with this blog and, indeed, my entire creative arsenal.
What would you like to see change in this world? What are your revolutionary ideas? What causes do you champion?
Remember that we are all visionaries. We can all make a difference in this world. We just have to figure out where our passions lie and where we excel.
Happy Creating!
-Bri
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