Giving Credit to Those Who Deserve It.

The following is a letter to the Editor that I submitted today November 14, 2013. The letter is in response to 2 very distasteful letters to the Editor regarding the hiring of a LGBTQ coordinator at a local University.  I am blogging it so that individuals who do not access my local paper will be able to read my letter.

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I would like to thank Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania for having the wisdom and compassion to appoint a LGBTQ Coordinator to assist the young women and men coping with challenges such as bigotry and misunderstanding. Bigotry and misunderstanding, that is sadly and quite unbelievably still present in our society. I also applaud you Mr. Barkus for accepting such a demanding job for a meager salary. A salary that I might add, that is far less than most individuals make in this geographical locale.

I would also like to express appreciation to those LGBTQ individuals who through their contributions to society have improved and saved many lives. Since the beginning of time, LGBTQ individuals have provided their contributions to society without reservation, even to those who scorned and castigated them (and by the tone of recent letters to the Editor continue to do so). For you see true humility and compassion are based upon sharing your individual gifts from God to help and support all of society, not just those who share similar views.

We as a society owe much to LGBTQ individuals. Alan Turning devised the first computer prototype and helped the Allies win WWII. Mr. Turning helped to translate German coded messages, thus saving countless American lives, soldiers’ lives, perhaps even one of your relatives’ lives!  S. Josephine Baker a physician, drastically lowered infant and child mortality rates by educating healthcare workers and Mothers about the benefits of good hygiene. Most of us are alive now because of Ms. Baker’s revolutionary ideas. Louise Pearce developed the cure for African sleeping sickness which many people, including Missionaries, faced while working in Africa. There are 1000’s of other LGBTQ individuals to whom we owe so much. I could list many of them but the 600 word limit on editorials precludes me from doing so.  I encourage you to do your own research, which you can do thanks to Mr. Turning’s technological discoveries.

To LGBTQ individuals, I appreciate your struggles and pray that you have a long, wonderful and prosperous life. Please remember for each of the people who spout hate there are far more who love and embrace all people as unique and equal.