Can't We Really Find the Silver Lining To Be Part of the Rainbow Community In America?

This is probably one of the hardest essays I have typed up, ever.

Not just because of where or how I was brought up or of things I have seen and experienced growing up. And because I am really torn on the issue of being L G B or T.

Lesbians

I empathize with lesbians. I really do. I grew up watching how some of them were ostracized. But then again, everyone else is being bullied, ridiculed, persecuted and shunned about one thing or another.

To me though, society is still evolving and slowly American society and various groups within the USA are embracing lesbians. Of course it could be better, but it is nonetheless better than in many other nations or societies.

Gays (Or Homosexuals)

I grew up and went to school with a lot of gays -- a whole lot. In fact, I have become friends with some of them and still in contact with some. In my experience, gays are more accepted than lesbians. But that is not to say that this this is enough. It's not.

And then again, like lesbians, it could be worse. They could be living in an Arab state or in some cultures or communities where they will not be tolerated at all.

In the US of A, there are a ton of Gays and Lesbians who are in power or highly successful and visible and vocal in their chosen fields and I'm not saying that's all there is to it. But various laws have been put in place and being put in place in support of their rights and such. Some things just take time.

Bisexuals

Again, I've known a few bisexuals and much like gays and lesbians, I would say the same thing. Coming out is usually the problem for the rainbow community, or for all three and the accompanying consequences. But then again, straight people have problems of their own, sometimes it is best not to focus on ours alone.

Transgenders

It is the transgenders that I am having mixed emotions with. There are so many intriguing things about them, as well as hard to explain and understand terminologies and definitions. But then again, everyone is hard to understand.

Colors of the Rainbow

So I really have nothing more to say about those who belong to the Rainbow Community living in the US of A.

I understand their gripes and frustrations and all that. And change may be slow and far in between.

But then again, as I've always said. It could be worse. Be thankful for the growing acceptance and tolerance, especially when you compare with many other societies and communities and nations. And yes, like a broken record, you could be living somewhere else. Change is coming. Just be hopeful that it would be a change for the better. People will always be people. We cannot really coexist perfectly peaceful with all our differences but sometimes looking at the issues from your opposing parties' point of view could be the only to bridge the divide.

Peace!

It Is Really That Bad To Be A Mexican In The US of A?

It is really that bad to be a Mexican in America?

Again (to be more politically correct), It is really all that bad to be Hispanic (or a Latino) in the United States?

Stop! Don't answer that yet, especially out loud.

Think, first.

Look around.

Do you see anybody within eyesight or who could hear you? Are they Hispanic? Are you?

Yes, this all boils down to where we came from and maybe our political leanings, our religious beliefs and the hardships we are going through right now, among many others.

And because we are all different (at least in the outside--size, shape, speech, smell, shade, etc.) then each of us also have our own unique response to this question.

But please, if the _________ (and don't get me wrong, you can put in whatever people here, aside from the Mexicans, such as the Canadians, the Cubans, the Costa Ricans, the Czechs, the Croatians, the Cambodians, the Chinese, etc., etc., etc.) yes any of these and the other people all over the world who are represented in the US of A are "happy" in their "own" homelands then why would they have to endure the "unwelcomeness" that they seem to have to endure in the US of A and from the so-called Americans?

I mean, if they have a choice and they aren't happy living or being in Uncle Sam's House then why not pack up and go home?

Look, the United States has a lot of things working for it (and of course many more totally not working for it) but take a look at the half-full/half-empty glass here as half-full instead of half-empty.

The USA is far from perfect, but if you have one country that is, then go live in that one, quick.

Look, in the USA, there are programs for the unemployed, the homeless, the disabled, those who are pregnant, single parents, the sick or those needing medical attention. I mean, people from many countries all over the world would kill to see something like these happen in their own lands.

In the US, there is a Public School System, wherein kids can obtain virtually free an education from Preschool, to Kindergarten to Grades 1 to 12 (or High School). And for a few kids, they can go get a College/University Degree after that. And I would think, kids would just need to show up for school and get their supplies, their books, their education of course if they care to take it and even free food and in many countries all over the world people would really do anything just to have something like that. And still kids in the USA don't want to go to school (and this might hurt--study and speak English, I know, ouch but I guess I needed to say that out loud).

In the US, there is the World-wide-web and you can read this (that is if you can read) and you can visit many websites which would not be the case in many other nations all over the world. (Yes, as in say what?)

In the US, there are food stamps and many other federal programs for free food, for nutritional needs, for housing, for skills training, for job programs and for other things.

I mean, many (poorer) countries all over the don't even have one of those.

And this idea, I have been playing around inside my mind for quite sometime now.

Why? Because so many kids in the USA today are so totally blind they can't even see what they have unless somebody slaps them in the face with the stark reality of what it could have been if they have been born elsewhere, and they should see it firsthand. They SHOULD BE FORCED to watch and check out for themselves what it would be like in the countries where their parents, their grandparents of their forefathers came from.

I mean, can't the School System or the Federal Government or some agency make videos of what it might be like to be born and grow up in say Mexico, and other Latin American countries, the countries in the continents of Africa and Asia, and in many parts of Europe and elsewhere?

And maybe they can Title This Short Documentary Videos Like "A Look At The Typical Life of a Mexican Born In Mexico" (again you can use whatever people and whatever country here).

And in this short video, they can show

• what a typical mother needs to endure to bear and give birth to her child,
• what the newborn could have in terms of medical and health care,
• what kind of food they eat (if any),
• what type of house they have to live in,
• what living conditions they have to endure (and for some that would be living in the midst of wars, genocides, violent protests, famine and all that),
• what little they have,
• what age they have to leave home,
• what age they have to work, etc. etc.

And in the end, say a simple but hopefully an eye-opening statement such as "If you are born of Mexican Parents abroad and you do not have to endure any of these in your homeland, then be thankful and all that crap." And yes, "stay in school, be the best that you can be and look at your life in a whole new light".

I mean, I hate to be a teacher, a principal, a school bus driver, a police officer, a parole officer, a juvenile hall worker, an employer of many young people in the USA.

And I am pretty relieved not to be high school teacher Natalie Munroe and writing any of these in her blogsite.

I mean wake up young people (and many of your parents too)!

Is it really that bad to be a Migrant (Hispanic, Black, Asian, Pacific-Islander, European, others)  in today's US of A?

It is of course! (Again do not get me wrong)

But compared to where one could be if they were born and live in their parent's home country, then we too would probably be looking at the glass as half-full and not half-empty.

Peace! (And yes, if you're back in your homeland, you would probably be complaining of something else)