pride

 the following is my 8th grader's final language arts persuasive presentation. i am so proud to have raised such an open-minded child.

Gay Rights


What do you think about gay rights? Do you think someone should be discriminated against because they don’t act the same as you? This is a lot like when the African Americans were treated differently in the 1900’s, and it’s not fair. In fact, children raised by gay or lesbian couples fair just as well as any other child, gays don’t effect society in a negative way, and contrary to what most military leaders say, their talents and hard work add to the armed forces’ effectiveness in an entirely positive way.

According to the U.S. News & World Report there are now more than 160,000 families with two gay parents. The number of children raised by gay or lesbian parents is more than likely to be closer to one million children. And those children fare just as well as any other children.

“I just say I have two moms.” That’s what a girl named Madison says about her two moms when explaining to her friends. “They're no different from other parents except that they're two girls. It's not like comparing two parents with two trees. It's comparing two parents with two other parents.”

Also, according to Gallup Polls, 89% of people say gays should have rights, and 57% think their lifestyle is acceptable. So most of the time people think gays are okay to live with. And yet 40% think that same sex marriage should be legal. And 49% want a ban on these unions. If gays are okay people, why do we want to suppress them?

Another thing: the military discharges more than 11,000 people a year under the current “don’t ask don’t tell” policy, and in the process has lost more than 1,000 service members with important talents, including 58 Arabic linguists. And with the military stretched thin as it is with two wars going, we need those 11,000 soldiers. Three quarters of the soldiers returning from Iraq said they are "personally comfortable" with gay people being in the armed forces. So why not?

Why not? Because they are different. People often discriminate against those who have major differences. But because of that, we need to fight for their rights. People say that they [gays] have a negative effect on society and the children they raise. But what they are really doing is helping. They raise many of the world’s orphans because they are unable to have children of their own. And they provide many skills the military needs to win wars. So why not help them get their rights?