Letter to Sally Kern

Last night was a vigil to protest the senseless shooting of a young gay man in his school because he asked out another young man who was not gay, and in retaliation and fear, the approached straight teen shot the young gay teen and killed him.

Then Senator Sally Kern makes an ignorant, hatefull statement that gays are a bigger threat to our country than terrorists.

I was forwarded this email by a gay friend of mine, and I am posting it here. I have checked it out through snoops, which I do with EVERY forward, and it is indeed true, and I am posting it here. (the paragraphs have been messed up, sorry about that)

I am outraged by the behavior of this senator. It seems that the leaders of our country feel above the law, whether Democrat OR Republican, Bush or Spitzer, and the very basis of freedom from persecution that our country was founded upon, whether it be religious or gender preference, is threatened by Kern and so many others.

The email which I will be reading to all of my high school classes when I return from Easter Break:

Article Date: 03/13/2008

By Tucker

The following letter was sent our way via a field director forEquality Florida. Eighteen year old Tucker attempted to deliver this letter to Oklahoma Rep. Sally Kern after her hateful wordscomparing gays to terrorists, but was prevented from doing so by ahighway patrol officer. As a result, Tucker's family members begancirculating the letter in its entirety.

Please be moved, as we were, by the powerful words of this remarkable young man.

Rep Kern: On April 19, 1995 in Oklahoma City, a terrorist detonated a bomb that killed my mother and 167 others. Nineteen children died that day. Had I not had the chicken pox that day, the body count would've likely have included one more. Over 800 other Oklahomanswere injured that day and many of those still suffer through their permanent wounds.That terrorist was neither a homosexual nor was he involved in Islam. He was an extremist Christian forcing his views through a body count. He held his beliefs and made those who didn't live up to them pay with their lives.As you were not a resident of Oklahoma on that day, it could be explained why you so carelessly chose words saying that the homosexual agenda is worse than terrorism. I can most certainly tell you through my own experience that is not true. I am surethere are many people in your voting district that laid a loved one to death after the terrorist attack on Oklahoma City. I kind of doubt you'll find one of them that will agree with you.I was five years old when my mother died. I remember what a beautiful, wise and remarkable woman she was. I miss her. Your harsh words and misguided beliefs brought me to tears, because you told me that my mother's killer was a better person than a group of people who are seeking safety and tolerance for themselves.As someone left motherless and victimized by terrorists, I say to you very clearly you are absolutely wrong. You represent a district in Oklahoma City and you very coldly express a lack of love,sympathy or understanding for what they've been through. Can I ask if you might have chosen wiser words were you a real Oklahoman that was here to share the suffering with Oklahoma City? Might your heart be a bit less cold had you been around to see the small bodies of children being pulled out of rubble and carried away by weeping firemen?I've spent 12 years in Oklahoma public schools and never once have I had anyone try to force a gay agenda on me. I have seen, however,many gay students beat up and there's never a day in school that has gone by when I haven't heard the word f****t slung at someone.I've been called gay slurs many times and they hurt and I am not even gay so I can just imagine how a real gay person feels. You were a school teacher and you have seen those things too. How could you care so little about the suffering of some of your students?Let me tell you the result of your words in my school. Every openly gay and suspected gay in the school were having to walk together Monday for protection. They looked scared. They've already experienced enough hate and now your words gave other students even more motivation to sneer at them and call them names. After all, you are a teacher and a lawmaker, many young people have taken your words to heart. That happens when you assume a role of responsibility in your community. I seriously think before this week ends that some kids here will be going home bruised and bloody because of what you said.I wish you could've met my mom. Maybe she could've guided you in how a real Christian should be acting and speaking.I have not had a mother for nearly 13 years now and wonder if there were fewer people like you around, people with more love and tolerance in their hearts instead of strife, if my mom would be here to watch me graduate from high school this spring. Now she won't be there. So I'll be packing my things and leaving Oklahoma to go to college elsewhere and one day be a writer and I have no intentions to ever return here. I have no doubt that people like you will incite crazy people to build more bombs and kill more people again. I don't want to be here for that. I just can't go through that again.You may just see me as a kid, but let me try to teach you something. The old saying is sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you. Well, your words hurt me.Your words disrespected the memory of my mom. Your words can cause others to pick up sticks and stones and hurt others.Sincerely, Tucker

Amen Tucker.

If you think this worthy, please forward onto others. Let's end the hate.

Patti