What would you do observes how people react to gay parents with children being harassed by a waitress.
This takes place in a small conservative town in Texas which is very family oriented. I assumed that the reactions would be very different than they were. I thought more people would be judgmental. I was pleasantly surprised and even brought to tears by the kindness and understanding of the most unlikely people in this restaurant.
I have a lot of respect for the two main men in this video. They both represent what I feel is the ideal Christ-like person.
My personal opinion about gay parents raising children? I am all for it. There are enough kids in this world with no parents who need homes and need love. Love from two moms or two dads is still love, there is no difference. It will absolutely not "make them grow up to be gay", that is just ridiculous.
Also ridiculous, how there are apparently still states in this nation that allow discrimination against homosexuals in public places. If you have thought that sexual orientation wasn't a human rights issue up until now, please reconsider.
As you watch this video truly ask yourself how you would react in this situation. I hope that we could all be that voice of kindness, love and tolerance. As is said in the video, "Silence is the only failure".
Chantelle Lyman
ReplyDeleteI was also very surprised when I watched this! I didn't think that so many people in such a conservative town would stand up for this unconventional family. I'd like to think that I would stand up to the waitress too. I can't stand seeing a person treat someone else so unkindly. She was judging them and being very in-their-face and rude about it. Just because someone doesn't have our same "values" does not give us any right to criticize them, especially in a public setting like that! And I was also very upset that there is still legal public discrimination against gays. That is proof to me that although it's "2011," we stil have a long way to go. As for what I think about families with gay parents, I don't have a problem with it. I agree with The Family: A Proclamation to the World that every child is entitled to be in a family with a mother and father that honor their marital vows, but I also think that it is not possible for every child to have this privilege in our world today, sadly. If a child can be in a family where they are loved and cared for then I think that is a good thing, no matter the sexual orientation of the parents.
I too was shocked by the way the customers acted towards the situation. I honestly thought that in that "conservative" town the people would be a little less open to homosexuality, especially since they had a family. It was interesting to see the different ways the customers reacted to it. I was touched when the guy wrote a note to the ladies, it was really unexpected and so sweet! We honestly should not judge others, although it is difficult when it does not agree with the standards we have in the church. If I were in that situation, I know that I would intervene and ask the waitress to stop being rude to the customers. But I do not really agree with a gay couple raising children. Yes, it is true that all they may need is love. However, I think that it would effect them in the future because of the way they are nurtured. I would like to see the results of a study on children of gay parents and if they grew up to be different. There are many children in foster care that need families but I do not think it is the right environment to raise them in.
ReplyDeleteI was actually expecting a decent amount of people to stand up and say something. Although Texas is a conservative state, the people are generally very warm and friendly, especially in a smaller town. I would expect Texans to not put up with a social injustice like that. I found it interesting that both males and females stood up for the gay families. I really liked the guy who wrote a note. It kind of took the experiment to another level. Although he can't change the way others act towards the gay family, he can make a difference, and he wasn't afraid or embarrassed to do so. He wrote a well thought out note and truly made a difference. It just goes to show that while we cannot control the actions of others, we can make a difference, we can stand up for what we believe in, and we can do so in a cordial manner. This experiment is not about whether or not gays raising a family is ethical or acceptable, the question is how will others react regardless of their opinions. While those who spoke up may not necessarily agree with that lifestyle, it is still inappropriate to chastise them, whether in a public place or not. I'm proud of those who stood up for what they believed, and I would encourage those who didn't or maybe even those who encouraged the waitress to reevaluate social decency, regardless of opinion.
ReplyDeleteBy: Jennae Haug
I don't exactly how I feel about homosexual parents raising children. I feel like if there are gay couples who could provide a loving home for children, then that would be a better option than foster care. Yet, like the second comment mentions, I worry about the differences they would have in growing up with that environment. Specifically I think school would be really difficult for them and they would probably be teased and bullied a lot. I would hope that this wouldn't be the case, but you can get teased for just about anything in elementary school. Still, the foster care systems can be so hard and damaging that I wonder about the long-term effects of growing up in an unconventional home and how it compares. I would imagine that kids who grow up with consistent parents who love and provide for them, whether gay or not, would end up much better off than children in foster care. As children growing up with homosexual parents becomes more prevalent, I guess we will find out!
ReplyDeleteThis video was very shocking. I've seen many "What would you do" videos, like discriminating against blind people or the other video shown in class with the group of kids, one group white, one group black, vandalizing the car. Out of all the videos I've seen, this was the most shocking to me. You expect people to stand up for the blind person and even, as sad as it is, to walk by the white group of kids, but not the black kids. And, because of today's society, I expected that little or no people would stick up for a gay couple, especially in Texas. It's great to see that even with differing views there are still great people in the world who care. I also agree with Donovan's statement, "Silence is the only failure." We can't sit back and watch things like this happen because then, it is failure.
ReplyDeleteSarah Brinkerhoff
This video was really surprising to me. I was expecting the people of conservative Texas to make a stand with the waitress but, when people stood up for the gay couples it was a cool thing to watch. As I considered that this was done in Texas where it is all about southern hospitality and love I understood why those people in the restaurant were so offened and upset at the waitress' behavior. I believe we should love all and be kind too all. I believe we should treat each person with the same love and human care that we would want to be treated with. I think it was inspiring that people were willing to stand up and help defend these couples but I do not believe the lifestyles they have chosen to live are okay. I believe we should tolerate and love everyone no matter their life choices but that doesn't mean we condone or accept their lifestyle. As for raising children by two lesbian/gay parents I am not sure how I feel about it. I feel like that goes against completely the church's concept of family, so to me it seems like it should not be condoned. The family a proclamation to the world states that,"HUSBAND AND WIFE have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children.THE FAMILY is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity." This to me states clearly. Marriage and parenting should be the responsibility of a man and a women together, not a woman and a woman or a man and a man.
ReplyDeleteby: Melanie Dean