Early on in his senior year, at 17, he left the house on one condition: that he never return...

[WillParkinson]

Dear Mr. Johnson and General Ham:

I am a heavy machinery truck driver; I have been all of my life. A blue collar American who raised my son, Joseph Rocha, in a Roman Catholic home with strong Spanish values, after his mother lost custody for drug abuse. Throughout school Joseph turned out to be an awarded scholar, athlete and leader. I did my best to provide a good home for him. But, I wasn’t prepared for my only boy to turn out gay.

Early on in his senior year, at 17, he left the house on one condition: that he never return.

I learned through my wife that he was excelling quickly in the military. He was promoted twice in his first year and was hand-picked for explosive detection school. We had no idea that during his 28 months in the Middle East, he was being abused by his superiors because he wouldn’t tell them if he was gay or not. He only ever called home to tell my wife he loved working with the dogs and about his aspirations of becoming an officer.

He sent gifts to his kid siblings for every single holiday and called them religiously. He was a hero to my girls. I struggled through our silence knowing that I was missing out on my son. As it sank in that Joseph might be injured or killed in the service, it became clear how irrelevant who he wants to love is. On a phone call home to congratulate me for my birthday, I told my son for the first time that I was truly proud of him and asked him to live his life for himself, not for me or anyone else.


http://www.365gay.com/news/thurs-dadt-letter-he-is-a-brave-young-man-and-a-patriot/

[Bitwit1234]

1. I feel so sorry for the families who deny their gay children

As you know I am battling back from breast cancer. My sister used to call regularly twice a week and emailed every day. Now I haven't heard from her in four months. Why I wondered what happened, she doesn't answer my emails even. I don't have long distance but use my cell phone for those calls..unanswered.

Come to find out her son all of 45 or so has come out of the closet. She is ashamed to call me or even email. I am disgusted with her. she listens to Rush all day long. She is a Fox fan. so now I know what her problem is. How in the hell she can choose that fat POS over her son angers me a lot.

No matter what my children OR any member of my family say about their sexual orientation I would never be ashamed of them or disown them. I can not understand my sister's family AND SHE SAYS SHE IS A CHRISTIAN. I HOPE ONE THING the God she says she worships forgives her. I still love my nephew and would say so to him if he were here.

[unblock]

2. mrs. unblock and i have already decided we're totally fine if mini-unblock is gay.

not that it was much of a discussion. one of us asked if we'd be ok with it, the other said, "well, duh!"

in fact, when it comes time to tell him about the birds and the bees, we'll also tell him about the birds and the birds and the bees and the bees. ok, that metaphor might be a bit tortured, but you get the point. we're not going to let him think for one minute that he should be the slightest bit worried about our reaction.

[NMMNG]

3. It both breaks my heart and infuriates me

the way LGBT people are put through so much hell just for existing. To make matters worse the agony we endure is ignored or dismissed as inconsequential by people who should know better.

[nosmokes]

4. K&R +1

[Hydra]

5. They don't want to believe it's as bad as it is

But I know better. I'm suspected of being LBGT, even though I'm not. That actually means I'm part of the community, even if most LBGTers would laugh at the idea.

I therefore celebrate all of our "deviance" from the "norm," since nobody seems to be able to tell me what that "norm" is and why it is the norm.

[Smarmie Doofus]

7. Hey. I like this:

>>>>>I therefore celebrate all of our "deviance" from the "norm," since nobody seems to be able to tell me what that "norm" is and why it is the norm.>>>>>


Phrasemaker.

[Hydra]

12. Thank you, and feel free to steal it

It came to me as I was writing my post, and I liked it as soon as it hit the paper. Viva la difference!

[NMMNG]

9. Homophobia hurts everyone

Some people like to think it only hurts LGBT folk, so it isn't a big problem (Teh Gays are only a tiny portion of the population, and they "choose" to be dirty pervs, right?). But it goes far beyond that. People like you, who are allegedly LGBT, can suffer as well. Countless individuals face harassment, and even the family members and friends suffer as a result. Like all bigotry, homophobia harms everyone.

[Hydra]

11. Right

It's just the usual social plagues we like to forment as a species- "You is different, different is bad, dat mean I roast you over a fire."

Burning witches and heretics wasn't much different- there wasn't a defense against the charge.

[Divine Discontent]

15. Hydra, you know I've always liked you, and I love your post!

I was 'themartyred' before I changed my user name when they gave us the opportunity.

But I certainly consider you part of the GLBT community, and with you saying you are thought of being GLBT often, well, I know some people like that, and I think they are often big GLBT "Straight but not narrow" friends of us. So, you are the Q, possibly in the GLBT-QI acronym, which is "queer", and since there's no "norm", we know it's so much better to be queer than plain ol' normal! ;)

best to you Hydra!!! :hug:

[Rhiannon12866]

6. Wow. K&R.

:kick:

[tandot]

8. K & R

what a beautiful letter

[Oceansaway]

10. K&R...n/t

[tpsbmam]

13. Awesome letter

Too late to R but not to K! Thanks for posting -- added to my FB page.

[dsc]

14. I feel so sorry for Joseph Rocha

First his father throws him out of the house, then he gets into the military only to be hazed for being gay, then he gets thrown out of the military for being gay (his hazer gets to retire at his rank), and finally he is willing to go back into military despite all of that. we so don't deserve him.