Education on a Small Level Can Cause Big Change

[Bluestars399]

Something happened in my day today that I feel is worth sharing on the forum. I am currently a freshman in college, and in my Composition class, we are writing persuasive research papers on controversial issues, most of them political. We've been doing extensive research on them for awhile now. Well, the girl who sits next to me is doing the issue of legalizing gay marriage. I'm usually generally cordial with her of course, and she lives in my dorm, and I'm friends with her roommate. She is very sweet, but she is very much a Christian Republican conservative. Everytime she would talk about her paper topic in class, I would get very worried, since I knew she would take the stance that legalizing gay marriage is wrong. She would talk with my teacher about it (who is pretty liberal minded), making the close-minded argument that the U.S. was founded on Christian values and that they should be upheld, and the legalization of same-sex marriage isn't upholding them. She is a really sweet girl though, but is just misguided. She knows I'm an English major and has asked for my help before, regarding formatting and expectations. I would always hold my tongue about her topic and just answer her questions in a loving way. Well, I decided to pray for her in her research.
Today, we had to get up in front of the class and give about a one to two minute summary of our paper, giving our stance and the issues we will address. When she got up in front of the class, I was fully ready to hear narrow minded arguments and have to repress my disapointment and anger inside like I usually do in those situations. She began by just stating objective statements about the issue of same-sex marriage in America, and then I was ready to hear her close-minded stance. To my shock, she then said something to the affect of "At the beginning of this paper, I went into it ready to make the argument that America shouldn't legalize gay marriage, but from having researched the issue more in depth, I have come to the opposite conslusion, that it would be in America's best interest to make gay marriage legal." She then went into arguments about how gay couples should share in the same rights that straight couples do, such as tax cuts, health insurance, etc,. She talked about how it is discrimination to not legalize it and she equated it with the discrimination of African American persons in the civil rights movement. She then concluded by saying that there is a seperation of church and state and that extending the right to marry to gay people is promoting the worth of everyone in the U.S.
I sat there shocked, elated, and pleased. It was truly amazing. It makes me come to a conclusion. The reason most people are so against it is because they aren't educated on the issue. This girl was very against gay marriage prior to looking closer and doing in depth research about it and now she has a more open mind and is for it. I know it's only on an individual level, but if everyone were to research the topic like this girl did and if they changed on an individual level, it could spawn profound change on a larger communal level. I think there is hope for us, especially in the upcoming generations. More and more people are becoming educated and are opening their minds. I pray for these potential people just like I prayed for this girl.

[Zerbie]

That is wonderful!!!


Much of the opposition to gay marriage is visceral reaction, without knowing what it means to deny legal recognition to relationships. What is so wonderful is that this girl in your class was open enough to formulate an opinion of her own based on what she has found out through research. That's exciting! I've met folks who aren't willing to do that. But I think we are finding more and more people like the girl in your class who upon reflection will discover that recognizing gay couples harms none, and only contributes to greater happiness in the world.

Thanks for sharing this wonderful story. I am encouraged!



Zerbie

[adampbricker]

Michael,

I am glad that you found such results in your class, and after praying for her, you saw that people can change. We don't know what prompted her to change, but I hope that it was good writing, and good witness.

Sometimes it is hard to be the witness. It sounds like you are working on that.

I'm just a little older, and I know much of what you have gone through. What i am glad to see is that we can have this discussion, at all. When I first realized that I was gay, you couldn't even talk about it.

Thanks for sharing, Adam
WB Friendship is:
Caring more than others think is wise...
Risking more than others think is safe...
Dreaming more than others think is practical...
Accepting more than others think is possible.

[Daniel]

My partner and I were married in Canada last summer and hope to have it recognized here.

Reading your tale made me smile from ear to ear. Change starts with one person, and your classmate undoubtedly will influence others who thought as she did.

Domino's anyone?

[Lydia]

I found that story very inspiring, Michael.

[tdogg]

This is a prime example of someone who held an opinion (probably due to how she was raised, the opinions of her parents, etc.), decided to do her own research on the subject, then changed her opinion due to her gaining more knowledge and insight.

This is what needs to happen in this country. Instead, sadly, many people continue to jump on the bandwagon of others are are blatently misguideing them. Kudos to your class-mate Michael, for taking the initiative to looking into this herself!! We need more like her, and this place will be a better place when your age group steps up to be our leaders and teachers!