On August 8, 2012, I came across this letter from a father to his son. The letter represents a father, rather coldly and matter-of-factly, disowning his son after learning that his son is gay. As with a range of horrors in the world, I know that these things happen but find myself unable to actually believe that they do. Seeing it in such stark and unapologetic terms rattled me, broke my heart, and filled me with anger and sadness. I needed to find a palate cleanser. I needed to find some show of love and understanding that would wash away the bigotry and coldness I had just seen. Unfortunately, I had other matters to attend to and no time to look. But it didn't matter. I knew that, before too long, the palate cleanser would find me.
In the modern world, with its blogs and its Facebook and its Twitter and everything else, I knew there would be a swift rebuke. And there was. Early in the morning of August 9, I logged on to Twitter and found a link to this letter from a father (and blogger) to his unborn, hypothetically gay son. The letter is one of unequivocal love and support. It is, in no uncertain terms, beautiful, inspirational, and (as a bonus) pretty funny. It took me less than 24 hours to find it.
Often times, modern media and internet culture (if you can call it that) is rightfully criticized for being an echo chamber that rapidly gins up hysteria and anger. But it can also be, as it was here, an engine for solidarity and optimism. It can give voice to many people, allowing them to shout back in the face of ugliness. When you see something horrifying and hateful, you can expect a response that is equally as inspiring and loving. Often, it is the loudest person employing the most incendiary rhetoric who steals all of our attention. The democratization of the internet (i.e., widespread access that undermines the control of the traditional media), whatever failings it may have, provides an antidote to that. It reminds us that we are not alone. Sometimes, that's all we need.
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