Psychologist Dr. Harry Harlow theorized that acceptance and love were the two most important aspects of life. In his studies, Harlow used young rhesus monkeys because he believed they matched human emotional behavior most. He eliminated acceptance and love from the monkey’s lives by separating them from their families at birth. The results shocked everyone involved. The Rhesus monkeys grew psychotic and routinely attempted suicide by chewing off fingers or refusing food completely.
Maybe Dr. Harlow was right – Rhesus monkey behavior is the closest thing we have to human behavior.
Maybe death is better than a life devoid of acceptance and love?
The string of gay and lesbian suicides is shining a light on something too many choose to ignore. The bullying of a gay University of Michigan student by a homophobic Michigan Assistant Attorney General should further illuminate it. The gay bashing going in the NYC should cause even more alert.
We are causing harm through our actions and messages.
Actions and messages like the failure to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. A law predicated on fear and prejudice. A law that is still in effect, serving as a constant reminder to gays and lesbians that they are not yet accepted; not yet one of us, one of U.S.
This law has resulted in the discharge of over 13,000 men and women born of the highest patriotic fiber. These men and women were literally willing to die for this country, a country unwilling to offer a complete acceptance and love. The Obama administration’s failure to repeal this law is not a political failure, but a failure of morality and civil rights.
Today I hope the administration continues to do nothing, and refrains from appealing the ruling of a California Federal Judge that DADT is unconstitutional. Two days ago, a federal judge issued a permanent ban on DADT, which will stand as long at the justice department does nothing and does not appeal it.
Last week the U.S. issued an apology for conducting a research study 64 years ago in which Guatemalans were intentionally infected with sexually transmitted diseases. My America, our America is separating gay and lesbians. Our America is depriving acceptance and love because of prejudice. Kids are taking their own lives because they have been made to feel like outcasts – unaccepted and unloved. I hope it doesn’t take us another 64 years to atone for the mistakes we’re making today.
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