I wrote this a while back about McClurkin, I guess it is needed again

[dsc]

How I spent my 17th birthday


I was so excited. I was sure it would be the day I was praying for. In health class the year before we studied homosexuality and the teacher told us that it was a phase and would go away by the time a boy was 17. So I circled that day on my calander. I was sure my prayers would be answered. I didn't want a car. I didn't want new clothes. I wanted one thing for that birthday. I wanted to be normal. Of course it didn't happen. It also didn't happen a few months later when I was on a harrowing trip from NYC to West Point (don't ask) and I promised I would swear off men forever if I only didn't get killed.

I went so far as to look into an ex gay treatment center but my parent's insurance wouldn't pay. They called it quackery. Decades later I am an adult who is comfortable with myself. It took a very, very long time and I took a side trip down many a bottle getting there.

I look back at that time in my life and wonder just what I was thinking. What could have made me so ashamed of myself that I so desperately wanted to change? I was ranked 6th in my class in high school, I got a full scholarship to a private college, I was section leader of both my band and my choir, I acted in several plays. In college I graduated with a 3.48 average with majors in both poli sci and math. I was in both choir and collegium all four years. Yet, deep inside I knew I wasn't good enough. I knew that good people prayed and the gay went away. I knew my parents deserved a better child, my siblings a better brother, and my friends a better friend. If I truely were a good person, then I would beat this. Only one friend was able to get those feelings to subside. Good old alcohol. So I drank bottle after bottle of vodka knowing it would eventually kill me.

Now I have been sober for 7 and a half years. I have a job, a dog, a car, have lost 50 lbs., and have taken steps to come out at work. I worked hard to get here. I am strong enough now, not to fall for the false promise of change. I know Donnie is a charlatan. But does the current crop of 17 year olds, do their parents? What will happen to them?

If you don't get it by now, I don't know what else to say. What Donnie said really cuts that deep. This isn't about Hillary, John, Bill, Chris, Dennis, Mike, Joe, or anyone else. Barack chose to associate himself with Donnie and all he stands for. His supporters here, not all of them but many of them, are defending the indefensible and behaving irredeamably.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[thunder rising]

2. And finally, feel free to vote Republican.

[dsc]

4. assuming that Obama is your candidate

your candidate voted for the renewal of the Patriot Act and every single solitary cent of war funding that has come up since he has been in the Senate. He also skipped the vote on McCain/Lieberman aka the Iran Revolutionary Guard vote.

[Der Blaue Engel]

7. Did you just call dsc a selfish piece of shit??

Who the FUCK are you to treat another DUer that way after they talk about something so personal?

This is way beyond "defending" Obama. You don't give a damn about Obama.

[oasis]

9. Yours is the rudest post I've read today, in a day full of rude postings.nt

[Unsane]

3. Terrible. I wish Hillary and Obama would stop associating with these kinds of folks.

[IndianaJones]

5. no you don't. nt.

[terrya]

6. Yes, it is needed.

I'm so sorry about what you went through. I really am.

There are people who are ignorant about the evils of the Donnie McClurkins of the world and their words. And, there are people that simply don't care. And there are sure a lot of them around here.

I can't add anything else to your powerful story. And your post.

Thank you.

[JohnnyLib2]

8. Thank you for the reminder.

Getting votes is not always the highest priority.

[Solon]

10. Dude, you know I got your back, right?

:hug:

[xchrom]

11. ...

:applause:

[Der Blaue Engel]

12. dsc, I'm sorry that your heartfelt post was met with such vile hostility

:hug:

There is no way someone could read what you posted and not understand how deeply personal this is to you. To attack your post by telling you to "go away" is beyond reprehensible and in my opinion is thinly veiled hate speech.

Yeah, we know; there are some of you on DU than couldn't give a flying fuck about the GLBT community and would love for us to just go away and shut up. Too fucking bad. We're here, we're queer, get used to it.

:grr:

[dsc]

13. thanks

It is so not worth my responding in kind. I will just let his post stand as testiment to how vile our opponents really are.

[yardwork]

14. k&r

[dsc]

15. kick

[Marrah_G]

16. I am so very sorry- my daughter is 17

She is bi or lesbian. She is currently beginning her first lesbian relationship. It's scary as a parent, knowing she will have a harder time then others, because of who she is.

As her parent I will be there for her if she needs support. I will back her up and never make her feel less then what she is. Fortunately we have a good group of friends who embrace her decision and will be there for the things she isn't comfortable talking to me about.

My heart breaks for people who's parents turn against them out of ignorance and fear.

[dsc]

17. My didn't thankfully turn against me

You sound like a great mother whom your daughter is lucky to have.

[Cameron27]

18. K&R