Clint McCance - Scary Stuff

Yes, Clint McCance is scary stuff and I don’t mean Halloween scary. This man is seriously disturbed. He was, up until his resignation last week, on the school board of the Midland School District in Pleasant Plains, Arkansas. For those of you who have not been watching Anderson Cooper 360, Mr. McCance posted a homophobic rant on Facebook, that scared the %#*#@ out of me! To think he was on a school board, in a position to impact the lives of children, takes my breath away!

Just imagine for one moment what it must be like for any GLBT child in that district with someone like Mr. McCance connected to their school. School is supposed to be a safe place where we send our children, to learn, grow and become their own self. They’re our future and when we allow individuals like Mr. McCance to have any contact with our children, they are in danger.

This is the perfect time to discuss this frightening incident with our straight allies. Outrage is an automatic emotion for a parent of a GLBT child, for parents who have straight children, they also need to voice their outrage. PFLAG does an amazing job working in the schools, teaching educators how to create a safe environment in their classrooms, but they cannot do this alone. Parents need to have a conversation with their children, friends and family about bullying and hate and how destructive it is.

The saddest part of this story is that when Mr. McCance appeared on Anderson Cooper to give what he thought, was an apology, it was not. He never said he was sorry for his hateful language or show remorse for the devastating internal dialogue the children in his school district must have continuously playing in there heads. I believe the only thing he is sorry for is that he got caught.

I know I’m ranting, but I needed to comment publicly about this troubling situation to make it real for me and for everyone who reads this.

Thanks for listening.

Hugs, Barbara

OyVey, I'm on Facebook!

Yes, it’s true. Max finally talked me into doing this and he has also created a fan page, which friends can now join. Of course I still do not have a clue as to what a fan page is or how to find it. Just last week, my nephew Harry, mentioned that he saw Max’s post about the blog on Facebook. When I started asking too many questions, my brother Steve said “Barby, stop talking, you sound stupid, I will give you a Facebook tutorial next week.” I have yet to have my tutorial so please bear with me during this learning process. I know many of my peers, you know who you are, feels my pain!

Rich and I just got back from our two days in NYC visiting the boys. Max and Robert moved into their new apartment on the upper west side and have created a warm and loving home for themselves. It’s what I have always dreamed of for Max, finding the right person to share your life with and have a home that’s a haven at the end of the day. This is the winning ticket and when you have that combination there is no challenge that cannot be met. Oprah always says, “Your home should rise up to meet you when you walk in the door”. I believe this is true and that is how I felt when I walked into Max and Robert’s building and then into their apartment.

When Richie and I headed for home I was filled with joy and gratitude because as a mother bear, when your child is happy, there is no better feeling in the world.

Speaking of mother bears, I would be remiss if I did not mention my two moms that I mentor. They still want to remain anonymous, and that’s ok, but I must give them a shout out for all the hard work they have done to support their gay sons. These moms work on their journey 24/7 and because of it, their boys are amazing. Both young men are college freshman and are doing great. I believe a key component to their happiness is that their moms never gave up believing in them. I know there will be a time when each mom reveals herself but it takes baby steps to get to that destination. I know it’s just a matter of time and they will be there. I love you both.

Hugs, Barbara