Room For Justice

This song, which I wrote in April, is a response to what I have observed and experienced, and is also an act of personal accountability.  It was not easy to write, and I struggled with how I, as a straight male, could genuinely speak upon this issue.
Initially, I tried writing from the perspective of a gay, bullied kid, but after getting some feedback, I felt it wasn’t my story to tell.  What I do know, and where I wrote from, is my own perspective growing up in a culture where “that’s gay” was commonplace, with a huge stigma on those who identified and were perceived as gay.
Growing up in the Catholic Church, I saw first-hand how easily religion became a platform for hate and prejudice.  Those who “believed” were excused from their own judgments, bypassing the stark issue of basic civil rights.
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More than anything, I am aware of how comfortable I (and many other straight people) have become in staying silent on this issue.  If we choose to not speak on an issue of injustice out of fear, or how our peers might perceive us, we’re part of the problem.  We know the truth, and vainly refuse to uphold it, when people’s lives are caught in the balance.
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This song is a humble submission to help bring this conversation to the surface, so that we can reflect on the language we use, and how powerful it can be.  Rethinking, and understanding the gravity of how we communicate with each other.  Change happens when dialogue happens.  When we confront our prejudice and are honest with ourselves, there is room for growth, and there is room for justice.
—  Macklemore
From:  http://macklemmore.com/post/27481163762/this-song-which-i-wrote-in-april-is-a-response
[“As a straight male” who is also a practicing Roman Catholic, I am powerfully moved by the lyrics to this song:  “Same Love“.  I have included the lyrics to “Same Love” on my Poems page.
My God is a god of LOVE.  Writ large – LOVE!  It is simple, yet profound – love…
If you spend your life trying to bring love to the world, the God of my beliefs will reward you with love.
I do not recall ever making a decision to be straight.  I do recall making a decision to try to spend my life bringing love (and respect for others) to the world around me to the glory of God’s spirit.  Posting this song (lyrics) is one (another) small step in demonstrating, publicly, my commitment to a loving God.
As an aside, because this song moved me so, I have included a YouTube link to the video.  This is a first for me as I normally take “my” lyrics from multiple versions of a song (many times by multiple artists, too) or, alternatively, sometimes I pick the version which I remember as being definitive (for me).  I do believe the inclusion adds to the page.  I was not convinced before.  In the future I will add the YouTube video link to all lyrics.  If you have a video link which you prefer, please let me know and I will be happy to alter the link to another version or video provider.  I have no personal interest / preference to YouTube.  It is simply convenient.  Over time, I will be going back to add the videos for the other song lyrics on my Poems page.  Inshalla…
As always, please read the lyrics before viewing the video.  Also, please remember to go see your local artists performing live.  There is NO substitute for living life – and that means live performances.  Support your local arts in all their glorious flavors and hues!!    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2012	Extinction, n.
2011	Snap!

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In The Minds Of Others

Every person passing through this life will unknowingly leave something and take something away.  Most of this “something” cannot be seen or heard or numbered or scientifically detected or counted.  It’s what we leave in the minds of other people and what they leave in ours.  Memory.  The census doesn’t count it.  Nothing counts without it.
-–    Robert Fulghum
From his book:  “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten“
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On This Day In:
2012	Extinction, n.
2011	Snap!

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