Carpe
Diem
We
Are
Family…
By
Ros
Prynn©
2005
This
week,
the
Canadian
parliament
voted
to
acknowledge
'same-sex
unions'.
This
has
been
the
subject
of
ongoing
debate
in
Canada,
and
as
they
prepared
to
make
history,
an
evangelist
was
seen
in a
sound
bite
saying
"I
pray
that
God
continues
to
bless
Canada,
despite
this".
Family
is
very
important
to
me;
I
believe
we
are
ALL
part
of a
far
greater
family
than
is
narrowly
defined
by
any
human.
A
while
ago
I
wrote
the
following.
Now
seems
a
good
time
to
share
it
with
all
of
you.
Yesterday,
I
got
a
'forward'.
Yesterday's
gem
was
a
plea
for
prayers
from
the
American
Family
Association.
They
are
asking
for
"help"
as
they
battle
the
scourge
sweeping
the
American
heartland
families.
The
scourge?
Homosexuality.
To
hear
them
tell
it,
gays
everywhere
(and
especially
teachers!)
are
promoting
the
homosexual
lifestyle,
corrupting
our
children
and
causing
the
breakdown
of
families...(that
is,
families
as
defined
by
them).
I
don't
know
about
you
but....been
a
while
since
I
saw
a
nuclear
family
-
you
know
:
mum,
dad
and
2.1
children.
(we
won't
get
into
the
.1 -
poor
kid)
What
annoyed
me
was
the
idea
that
a
single
group
feels
the
need
to
impose
their
views,
about
what
IS a
private
matter
after
all,
on
the
rest
of
us.
I
have
been
blessed
to
know
quite
a
few
gays
in
my
lifetime,
and
ya
know?
I
have
never
seen
their
lifestyles
as a
threat
to
my
family.
I
don't
understand
at
all
why
the
AFA
finds
others'
sexuality
so
threatening.
Family
definitions
are
a
strange
breed.
Some
of
you
know
I
grew
up
in a
very
unorthodox
'family'
(never
mind!)
Along
the
way
I
learned
a
lot
about
'family',
as
society
labeled
me
things
that
the
AFA
can
only
dream
of.
But,
my
lesson
in
all
that?
MY
family
is
precisely
that,
and
nobody
else's
definition
of
their
family
needs
to
threaten
me.
I
have
worked
with
many
kids
who
come
from
'unorthodox'
family
groupings.
I
have
seen
"normal"
families
where
"family
values"
leave
the
kids
lacking.
Unless
you
are
in
someone's
bedroom,
sexual
behaviour
is
totally
irrelevant.
In
all
my
years
with
kids,
and
any
other
arena
I
have
worked
in,
I
have
NEVER
ever
heard
a
gay
person
try
and
'recruit'
a
follower.
Like
the
rest
of
us,
they
raise
their
families,
go
to
work,
contribute
to
society;
they
bleed
just
like
us,
they
cry,
they
laugh,
and
they
put
their
clothes
on
the
same
way
as
we
do.
(Gasp!)
Fact
is,
we
are
all
born
loving,
caring
beings.
How
we
express
that
love
is
usually
nobody's
business.
Fact:
we
ALL
have
the
right
to
live
our
lives,
do
our
lessons,
as
we
see
fit,
as
long
as
we
do
not
negatively
impact,
abuse,
others
on
their
journey.
Pierre
Trudeau
once
said
the
"state
has
no
place
in
the
bedrooms
of
the
nation".
Poor
guy
is
probably
rolling
in
his
grave
these
days
as
even
here
in
Canada
the
debate
is
on
about
same
sex
marriages.
Shocker!
It
seems
to
me
there
are
many
more
issues
than
sexuality,
which
contribute
to
the
breakdown
of
the
family:
poverty,
abuse,
war.
Simply
put:
groups
like
the
AFA,
if
they
really
care
about
the
breakdown
of
the
'family',
would
be
better
served
turning
their
energy
to
eradicating
intolerance,
disease,
hunger,
war.
Oh,
and
add
illiteracy
too,
so
kids
can
actually
read
intelligent
ideas.
And
yes
-
you
know
it -
I
have
forwarded
this
one
to
the
AFA!!!
"
R.E.S.P.E.C.T....."
smiles