I’m here because, yesterday morning, 49 Americans were brutally murdered. And it made me sad. And it made me angry. And it made me confused. I’m here because those 49 people were gay. I’m here because it shouldn’t matter. But I’m here because it does. I am not here to tell you that I know exactly what you are going through. I am not here to tell you that I feel your pain. I don’t pretend to know the depths of what you are feeling right now. But I do know what it feels like to be scared. And I do know what it feels like to be sad. And I do know what it feels like to be rejected. And, more importantly, I know what it feels like to be loved.
I grew up in a small town and went to a small rural high school. There were some kids in my class that were different. Sometimes I wasn’t kind to them. I didn’t know it at the time, but I know now that they were gay. I will forever regret not treating them with the kindness, dignity and respect — the love — that they deserved. For that, I sincerely and humbly apologize.
Over the intervening years, my heart has changed. It has changed because of you. It has changed because I have gotten to know many of you. You have been patient with me. You helped me learn the right letters of the alphabet in the right order even though you keep adding new ones. You have been kind to me. Jim Dabakis even told me I dressed nice once, even though I know he was lying. You have treated me with the kindness, dignity, and respect — the love — that I very often did NOT deserve. And it has made me love you.
From: Lt. Gov. Cox speaks at vigil for Orlando: ‘My heart has changed’ | KSL.com
Wow. This should be in the news.Report
And for each and every person who uncritically thought stupid things, said stupid things, or otherwise did something that they regret, I hope they can understand — we did that too.
I think, in mulling this over, of a person I met on the internet — a young Muslim from the Middle East, who had — years ago — ascribed to some rather wrong beliefs about a supposed Jewish Conspiracy. This man had foolishly written about it, and — ten years later, having long forgotten it, was hauled up and criticized for it.
We should always be able to apologize for our younger selves, so long as it is a true apology, with not just contrition, but active work to make things better for those around us.Report
It’s a very good speech.Report