Today's Out Spotlight highlight two brave young men who have spoken out this week before the historic decisions made by the US Supreme Court over Proposition 8 and the Defensive of Marriage Act. Oh and they are both 12 years old.
Today's Out Spotlight is Daniel Martinez and Matthew Lannon.
Daniel Martinez is from California and was adopted by a gay couple. He wrote a deeply personal letter to Supreme Court chief justice John Roberts, the father of adopted children himself.
Martinez, suffers from a genetic disorder affecting the left side of his face, he urges Roberts to strike down California's Proposition 8. He speaks from child who was blessed to be adopted to father who choose to adopt. He says his fathers provided him and his sister with a wonderful life when no one else wanted to, and their family should be treated no differently than others.
This is what Daniel's dad posted with the video:
" So our kids know that Prop 8 is coming to the Supreme Court soon and that could be a very big deal for our family. When they found out that one of the Justices hearing the case had two adopted children, they said, 'Hey! They're just like us!'...and so, in a moment that made his dads very proud, Daniel decided to write a letter to Justice Roberts in the hopes that he will see that our families are not so different."
Here's Daniel reading what he wrote to the Supreme Court Justice.
Matthew Lannon joined 600 others testifying before a Rhode Island state Senate committee this past Thursday evening at a hearing in support of legalizing same sex marriage.
The sixth grader with two moms and two dads said :
“In many ways my parents are like other couples. All they want is to be treated fairly. But unlike most of you, they have to come again here year after year and explain over and over why their love is equal to yours. This year, you have the opportunity to change that. I say, choose love.”
These two young men show the common bonds of family whatever kind of family is, straight, gay, blended, adopted - it is love. Loving parents and loving families. They also show the future. Not only should their families be proud but the country as well.
Wonderful. I have no words how touching the Out Spotlight story is.
ReplyDelete"In many ways my parents are like other couples. All they want is to be treated fairly. But unlike most of you, they have to come again here year after year and explain over and over why their love is equal to yours."
Tell 'em, Matthew!!
Pastor Paul Graetz, senior pastor First Metropolitan Community Church
ReplyDeleteAfter the filming of the movie Prisoners wrapped up in our living room yesterday, the best moment for me was to personally thank actor Jake Gyllenhaal I wanted to say thank you as a Pastor... on behalf of all the gay and lesbians of the world for being willing to make the film, "Brokeback Mountain." Many actors would have been hesitant to take on a role like that. I thanked him for telling a story of love that is everyone's story who have been oppressed by inequality thinking or struggled with self acceptance. I wanted him to how much I appreciated his stand and how much the kind of Christian Church I represent appreciated it as well. So again, Thank you, Jake for your role in creating greater awareness and contributing to the higher consciousness of equality for all. We all thank you.
Richard P J: Do you mind telling us what his response was?
Friday at 7:00am
Laurie H: That had to have been an amazing moment Pastor Paul Graetz
Friday at 7:30am
Pastor Paul Graetz:
Yes, he said he was proud to do it and appreciated my comments. He took the part without any hesitation yet, realizing it's impact.
Friday at 7:36am
Terry M: How wonderful! Thanks for thanking Jake, Paul!
Friday at 10:14am · 1
Pastor Paul Graetz: I really felt it was important to tell him how he has touched the world and to let him know that a Pastor appreciated the message of the film as well. It was a great moment for me to say thanks...he told my story as well.
Friday at 11:03am
It is fun to speculate PG. Yes No Could be. Both of those pics could be Austin until proved differently.
ReplyDeleteSXSW 1
SXSW 2
At least we can rule out Austin being next to Jake at the Source Code premiere at SXSW now.
At least we can rule out Austin being next to Jake at the Source Code premiere at SXSW now.
ReplyDeleteHey cool, thank you, 20:49. Gee, why didn't you bring that over this morning? Could've saved a lot of us undue stress and brain cramping, LOL.
No worries, not a big deal. I didn't really think Austin would sit out in the open next to his husband in the theatre like that anyway.
lol. Wow. Amazing, isn't it when people miraculously come up with these amazing pictures and vids to help us poor souls out? Right out of the blue and under a made up name.
Like the alarm clock at my mom's house. Right out of nowhere.
Hey, does Telly have a video of Reese Witherspoon inside that courtyard from Maggie and Peter's wedding in Italy? You know, the one where Reese was said to have accompanied Jake inside? I have been waiting and waiting for that. STILL waiting for that.
; )
One Mystery Solved, yes thanks for the video, I haven't ever seen those before.
ReplyDeleteAnd Facebook, thanks for sharing the story of Pastor Graetz thanking Jake for doing BBM. And it is great to know that Jake is proud that he made it.
As for the two boys in the Spotlight. I just to share it with the decisions due this week in the Supreme Court here in the US. I was so touched by what wonderful young men and sons they were and what they shared.
Locating that video had to take some digging which is why it was only now posted. Looks like someone with a charitable heart couldn't handle the stress being caused by the uncertain identity of the blue jacket mystery gentleman.
ReplyDelete"Reese Witherspoon inside that courtyard from Maggie and Peter's wedding in Italy?"
ReplyDeleteOh but I saw those photos too;)
Austin was in the courtyard in Brindisi,Italy. No Reese in sight, until later when the photo op started.
ReplyDeleteMaybe after four years someone will have finally photoshopped something to place RW in that courtyard.
ReplyDeleteMmm no, better not challenging me ;)
ReplyDeletePlease do post that photo that not even People Magazine got. You will only reveal yourself for who you really are.
ReplyDeleteExactly, memory lane.
ReplyDeleteOooh Don't worry,I will do it! The time is coming ;)
ReplyDeleteOne Mystery Solved, yes thanks for the video, I haven't ever seen those before.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Special. :-)
Hey cool, thank you, 20:49. Gee, why didn't you bring that over this morning? Could've saved a lot of us undue stress and brain cramping, LOL.
No worries, not a big deal. I didn't really think Austin would sit out in the open next to his husband in the theatre like that anyway.
lol. Wow. Amazing, isn't it when people miraculously come up with these amazing pictures and vids to help us poor souls out? Right out of the blue and under a made up name.
Like the alarm clock at my mom's house. Right out of nowhere.
I'm not sure what's going on in your comment there. I think you started off complimentary (or maybe I was reading too much into it) then dissolves into sarcasm and snark. Sorry I wasn't able to post first thing this morning but you see that was middle of the night for me being on the other side of the world and that.
One mystery solved, but I can recall someone scoffing at us when we claimed we saw Austin on the subway with jake and sure enough a few days later we had clear proof it was him. And he has turned up more than once in a photo that comes out years later.
ReplyDeleteGreat videos. Very touching testimony about the kids with gay parents.
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ReplyDeleteThe mystery is not solved because notice that Jake is in the lower L section, not the balcony. As I said in my comment earlier today, Jake originally sat in Row 9 yet booked the entire balcony section. I even speculated that he probably didn't remain seated in the area once the lights went down. He obviously booked the subscription overhang area for friends and family. That is he booked the section to maximize privacy. Yet, he separated himself from his invited guests. Doesn't make sense.
ReplyDeleteI just can’t get online hardly during the day anymore and I did want to get this published sooner than later. But I wanted to apologize to Case Resolved for my pretty bad rudeness last night.
ReplyDeleteNothing like a Monday morning and you purse is full of yogurt from the container that exploded during your commute.
ReplyDelete