Comments on: The Day I Thought I’d Never See http://blurbomat.com/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see/ Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:19:18 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Gaytorcop http://blurbomat.com/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see/comment-page-4/#comment-17306 Gaytorcop Fri, 20 Jan 2006 23:29:21 +0000 http://blurbomat.com/wp/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see#comment-17306 Jon, THANK YOU! This is the first time I've ever read a BLOG much less responded to one. I am very pleased to see that not one person who respond to this was negative! Thank You again! I am a gay cop from Orlando, FL (Bible Belt & "Happiest place in the world" Walt Disney World. So many gays.) 15 years ago I was fired because the Sheriff found I was gay. I had to sue the Sheriff's Office to get my job back! Huge media coverage and I had to tell my family the day before it hit the media. First that I was fired and second that I was gay. WHEW! (Both my parents were Law Enforcement in the area) OMG What a nightmare! After three years in the lawsuit I won the case and the Sheriff was forced to hire me back. Things are great now and have been for many years. It appears the only people who had a problem with me being gay was the upper ranks. (Most of whom had never even met me) I've since been promoted three times (Not because I'm gay but because of my merits) I've been called in several times to assist some specialty units with gay related crimes. Boy how times have changed. BTW The Sheriff is no longer the Sheriff. (What goes around comes around!) Orlando has progressed, but we still have a long way to go. We are currently battling the County Mayor over adding sexual orientation as a protected class to the county's non-discriminations policies on housing, public accomodations and employment. I was pleased to read from Jason226 about Indianapolis. I don't think we were aware of that one. Hopefully it will help our cause here in Orlando. I wish more people in positions such as Law Enforcement, Fire/Rescue, Military, Judges, etc. would come out of the closet. It's time we show people that "us gay people" come from all walks of life and have all kinds of jobs... Just like everyone else!! We lead normal healthy lives and have normal healthy relationships... Just like everyone else!! ***Bornfamous*** Go see the movie. The sex is only about 45 seconds (no organs seen) and it's a very minor part of the movie. It's really a great love story! I could go on forever, but people might get bored or already are. Thanks again everyone for being on the positive side of life and this issue! Tom AKA Gaytorcop Jon,
THANK YOU! This is the first time I’ve ever read a BLOG much less responded to one. I am very pleased to see that not one person who respond to this was negative! Thank You again!

I am a gay cop from Orlando, FL (Bible Belt & “Happiest place in the world” Walt Disney World. So many gays.) 15 years ago I was fired because the Sheriff found I was gay. I had to sue the Sheriff’s Office to get my job back! Huge media coverage and I had to tell my family the day before it hit the media. First that I was fired and second that I was gay. WHEW! (Both my parents were Law Enforcement in the area) OMG What a nightmare!

After three years in the lawsuit I won the case and the Sheriff was forced to hire me back. Things are great now and have been for many years. It appears the only people who had a problem with me being gay was the upper ranks. (Most of whom had never even met me)

I’ve since been promoted three times (Not because I’m gay but because of my merits) I’ve been called in several times to assist some specialty units with gay related crimes. Boy how times have changed. BTW The Sheriff is no longer the Sheriff. (What goes around comes around!)

Orlando has progressed, but we still have a long way to go. We are currently battling the County Mayor over adding sexual orientation as a protected class to the county’s non-discriminations policies on housing, public accomodations and employment. I was pleased to read from Jason226 about Indianapolis. I don’t think we were aware of that one. Hopefully it will help our cause here in Orlando.

I wish more people in positions such as Law Enforcement, Fire/Rescue, Military, Judges, etc. would come out of the closet. It’s time we show people that “us gay people” come from all walks of life and have all kinds of jobs… Just like everyone else!! We lead normal healthy lives and have normal healthy relationships… Just like everyone else!!

***Bornfamous*** Go see the movie. The sex is only about 45 seconds (no organs seen) and it’s a very minor part of the movie. It’s really a great love story!

I could go on forever, but people might get bored or already are.

Thanks again everyone for being on the positive side of life and this issue!
Tom AKA Gaytorcop

]]> By: P http://blurbomat.com/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see/comment-page-4/#comment-17305 P Fri, 20 Jan 2006 19:22:31 +0000 http://blurbomat.com/wp/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see#comment-17305 THAT made me cry. Well said! THAT made me cry. Well said!

]]> By: Stacie de la Rosa http://blurbomat.com/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see/comment-page-4/#comment-17304 Stacie de la Rosa Tue, 17 Jan 2006 03:16:05 +0000 http://blurbomat.com/wp/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see#comment-17304 Yes Yes Yes Yes and Yes. Nicely done! Yes Yes Yes Yes and Yes. Nicely done!

]]> By: Jer http://blurbomat.com/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see/comment-page-4/#comment-17303 Jer Mon, 16 Jan 2006 21:05:41 +0000 http://blurbomat.com/wp/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see#comment-17303 Simply, thank you! Simply, thank you!

]]> By: bornfamous http://blurbomat.com/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see/comment-page-4/#comment-17302 bornfamous Mon, 16 Jan 2006 20:00:33 +0000 http://blurbomat.com/wp/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see#comment-17302 There was an excellent article in NYTimes Magazine yesterday, about the pressure in society to "cover" our differences to blend in. It was written by a gay professor at Yale law school: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/cwfnp" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/cwfnp</a> There was an excellent article in NYTimes Magazine yesterday, about the pressure in society to “cover” our differences to blend in. It was written by a gay professor at Yale law school:

http://tinyurl.com/cwfnp

]]> By: Leta http://blurbomat.com/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see/comment-page-4/#comment-17301 Leta Mon, 16 Jan 2006 18:55:54 +0000 http://blurbomat.com/wp/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see#comment-17301 Wow. To Jon and pretty much everyone on this comment run, do you know how lucky we are? I'm eight months pregnant, and one of the million things I've contemplated is how I don't have to worry about whether or not my child will turn out to be gay- neither myself nor my husband could care less. It's so freeing to just not care who someone else is attracted to. By the time I was about 8, I'd figured out that just as about 25% of the people in mom's family were left-handed, a significant minority of my dad's family were gay. I do not think there's anything wrong with addressing this with kids. My little cousin, who's seven, informed myself, his mom, and our grandma that sometimes two boys or two girls fall in love and get married and have kids. Aside from pointing out that male and female gametes are both needed to breed, we told the little guy that he was right, people love each other in all sorts of ways, and there are all different kinds of families who raise children. So if my 70-plus grandma and my elementary age cousin get it and don't have a problem with it, we must be making progress with it. I have to believe that, anyway... Wow. To Jon and pretty much everyone on this comment run, do you know how lucky we are? I’m eight months pregnant, and one of the million things I’ve contemplated is how I don’t have to worry about whether or not my child will turn out to be gay- neither myself nor my husband could care less. It’s so freeing to just not care who someone else is attracted to.
By the time I was about 8, I’d figured out that just as about 25% of the people in mom’s family were left-handed, a significant minority of my dad’s family were gay. I do not think there’s anything wrong with addressing this with kids. My little cousin, who’s seven, informed myself, his mom, and our grandma that sometimes two boys or two girls fall in love and get married and have kids. Aside from pointing out that male and female gametes are both needed to breed, we told the little guy that he was right, people love each other in all sorts of ways, and there are all different kinds of families who raise children. So if my 70-plus grandma and my elementary age cousin get it and don’t have a problem with it, we must be making progress with it. I have to believe that, anyway…

]]> By: john http://blurbomat.com/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see/comment-page-4/#comment-17300 john Mon, 16 Jan 2006 17:00:05 +0000 http://blurbomat.com/wp/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see#comment-17300 Leta is very lucky to be able to have you as a role model. Leta is very lucky to be able to have you as a role model.

]]> By: MissBehave http://blurbomat.com/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see/comment-page-4/#comment-17299 MissBehave Mon, 16 Jan 2006 15:59:49 +0000 http://blurbomat.com/wp/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see#comment-17299 It's so refreshing to hear someone say things so succinctly. You honestly rock. I think you are amazing for standing up for the minority & unfairly persecuted. You're an inspiration. And so is your wife, and daughter. It’s so refreshing to hear someone say things so succinctly. You honestly rock. I think you are amazing for standing up for the minority & unfairly persecuted.

You’re an inspiration. And so is your wife, and daughter.

]]> By: MTKT http://blurbomat.com/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see/comment-page-4/#comment-17298 MTKT Sun, 15 Jan 2006 20:31:00 +0000 http://blurbomat.com/wp/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see#comment-17298 Thank you! I've never responded before, but your post inspired and moved me. Having been raised in an area known for our cowboys and ranching way-of-life, the gay-experience factor here is limited. However, I don't believe that it's neccesary to have an active gay/minority-community in order to learn or practice tolerance. In recent debates over the "gay-cowboy" movie with my anti-gay friends, I find myself so frustrated with people's judgmental stance on other people's private lives. The counter to my arguments - "Would I see a movie about a man having sex with his grandmother? Then why would I see a movie about 2 men having sex? (The Bible says) both are wrong." That NON-thinking way of thinking is exactly what endangers everyone's right to love whomever he/she chooses. The issue is NOT about sex. It IS about love. Do I think people choose to be gay? No. Are they born that way? I don't know. I don't believe I have chosen to be heterosexual. But I know, I love my husband and didn't have to choose to love him. No one told me I needed permission. For that, I am fortunate and I wish for everyone - no matter who you love, to be allowed the same acceptance. Thank you for voicing, far-better than most of us can, the support so desperately needed by anyone struggling with this issue. Thank you! I’ve never responded before, but your post inspired and moved me. Having been raised in an area known for our cowboys and ranching way-of-life, the gay-experience factor here is limited. However, I don’t believe that it’s neccesary to have an active gay/minority-community in order to learn or practice tolerance. In recent debates over the “gay-cowboy” movie with my anti-gay friends, I find myself so frustrated with people’s judgmental stance on other people’s private lives. The counter to my arguments – “Would I see a movie about a man having sex with his grandmother? Then why would I see a movie about 2 men having sex? (The Bible says) both are wrong.” That NON-thinking way of thinking is exactly what endangers everyone’s right to love whomever he/she chooses. The issue is NOT about sex. It IS about love. Do I think people choose to be gay? No. Are they born that way? I don’t know. I don’t believe I have chosen to be heterosexual. But I know, I love my husband and didn’t have to choose to love him. No one told me I needed permission. For that, I am fortunate and I wish for everyone – no matter who you love, to be allowed the same acceptance. Thank you for voicing, far-better than most of us can, the support so desperately needed by anyone struggling with this issue.

]]> By: Dogmom http://blurbomat.com/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see/comment-page-4/#comment-17297 Dogmom Sun, 15 Jan 2006 19:06:01 +0000 http://blurbomat.com/wp/archives/2006/01/12/the-day-i-thought-id-never-see#comment-17297 You know, when I was in high school in the late '60s, I read a book called "Consenting Adult" by Laura Z. Hobson. It's about a man coming out to his mother and the drama and heartache over that, which was significant and tragic, but the real important thing I took from that book then and remember and use as a benchmark today is this thought: Can we just allow everyone the courtesy of privacy? We generally don't obsess about our friends' sexual practices, or our parents', or our siblings', so why not allow that same courtesy of the LGBT people in our lives. It's not always easy and sometimes we're curious -- I think that's natural -- but when I remind myself to allow so-and-so their privacy, it really stops the inquiry, so to speak. The comment above about there being a time and place for "icky" displays of affection is so true. For everybody. You know, when I was in high school in the late ’60s, I read a book called “Consenting Adult” by Laura Z. Hobson. It’s about a man coming out to his mother and the drama and heartache over that, which was significant and tragic, but the real important thing I took from that book then and remember and use as a benchmark today is this thought: Can we just allow everyone the courtesy of privacy? We generally don’t obsess about our friends’ sexual practices, or our parents’, or our siblings’, so why not allow that same courtesy of the LGBT people in our lives. It’s not always easy and sometimes we’re curious — I think that’s natural — but when I remind myself to allow so-and-so their privacy, it really stops the inquiry, so to speak. The comment above about there being a time and place for “icky” displays of affection is so true. For everybody.

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