admiration measured in years

I feel like there has been a frenzy of forwards over the past few weeks. Videos, commentary, tweets and posts regarding the recent political unrest regarding the state of marriage in america; same-sex and otherwise. While I understand that I recently wrote about the NOH8 campaign, a symbolic stance that serves as a representation of the struggle, I risk seeming a bit one note writing about it again here; however, what I find so amazing about the recent frenzy, in these specific cases, is the age, posture and wisdom of those speaking out. 


Zach Wahls is a 19 year old from Iowa. From every view point he's your normal, All-American teen. He has good grades, extracurriculars and his own business to boot. He was, however raised by two moms. Unless you look at his birth certificate, his dining room table or his family photos you would never know who raised him, other than assessing they had done a wonderful job. What Zach, so eloquently spoke to in his speech was the fear that government was pulling for the power to define what is right and wrong. Iowa, one of few states that currently allows for same sex couples to be legally wed, was voting on whether or not to ban that current civil right. 

"If I were your son, Mr. Chairman, I believe I'd make you very proud," he said. "My family isn't very different from yours." He added, "You are voting for the first time in the history of our state to codify discrimination into our constitution." Utterly composed and with not the least amount of animosity Zach spoke to the audience of believers and non-believers with poise that in-and-of itself deserves recognition. When someone looks at you, at your parents and tells them they don't deserve the right to be your parents simply for falling in love... I can't imagine the amount of restraint and honor it took and I find it beyond commendable. 


While the mostly democratic State Senate has made it clear that they won't put the legislation to vote, the argument was judged by the Iowa House of Representatives with startling support. 


Graeme Taylor is only 14-years-old. He is a Junior Highschool student in Ann Arbor, MI and wears long sleeve tees. He is also a past guest of Ellen Degeneres ... 1 of these things isn't like the others. 

Graeme  traveled to a Howell Highschool school board meeting to speak on behalf of a teacher who was disciplined for asking a student to remove an article of clothing with racist undertows. The student who resisted with homophobic comments was not disciplined. While the heart of the argument lies in the inherent idiocracy of a teacher suspended for  asking a student to at least mask their overt hate, it becomes something even bigger when a young man of only 14, can see the dilemma and speak to it with a clear, coherent and utterly personal message. 


Citing Dr. King and likening the millions of estimated suicides each year (due to the struggle of gay and questioning individuals) to a silent Holocaust, Graeme spoke with knowledge, charisma and self assurance beyond his years. He point blank stated that he supports this teacher, a position that many adults would be too cowardly to do. 


When young adults refuse to accept the status quo or resist the temptation to hide behind what is expected of them, they inspire. These two men could not be more different. One just beginning his teen years and the other on his way out, one gay and one not, one an entrepreneur dressed in a suit and the other a student dressed to play, they both believed that they were directly effected by a ruling and an inequality that threatened to be built in to the legal system. 


While I was a precocious child myself, I'm not sure I ever contained the amount of self awareness or self assurance that these men did at their age. I'm truly in awe of their ability to speak from the heart, to speak to the law and to speak to what they believe. Neither backed down in the face of opposition or cried foul simply because they were themselves at the core of the debate. They used their personal stories as a jumping off point to speak on behalf of so many more who simply cannot. 


When the power of a voice becomes louder and stronger than the power of doubt, when students become the teachers and when wisdom trumps age, maybe standing up and speaking out will be the new black.