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Thread: How would you want to be known after death? As a Professional or for being Gay?

  1. #1
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    Arrow PERSONAL COMMENT Only:

    ABC News reported this item, and it begs the question:

    How would you want to be known after death? As a professional or for being Gay?

    Here is an example how it turned out for this congressman:




    COPY OF NEWS REPORT:


    1st openly gay person elected to Congress dies


    BOSTON (AP) — Former Rep. Gerry Studds, who became the first openly gay member of Congress when his homosexuality was exposed during a teenage page sex scandal, died early Saturday. He was 69.

    Studds died at Boston Medical Center several days after he collapsed while walking his dog, his husband said. Doctors determined his loss of consciousness was due to a blood clot in his lung, Dean Hara said.

    Studds regained consciousness and seemed to be improving, but his condition deteriorated Friday because of a second blood clot. The origin of the second clot was not immediately determined, said Hara, who married Studds shortly after same-sex marriage was legalized in Massachusetts in 2004.

    Hara said Studds gave courage to gay people by winning re-election after publicly acknowledging his homosexuality.

    "He gave people of his generation, of my generation, of future generations, the courage to do whatever they wanted to do," said Hara, 49.

    Studds was first elected in 1972 and represented Cape Cod and the Islands, New Bedford, and the South Shore for 12 Congressional terms. He retired from Congress in 1997.

    In his early career, Studds was known for opposing the Vietnam War and military intervention in Central America. Studds later became an advocate for a stronger federal response to the AIDS crisis and was among the first members of Congress to endorse lifting the ban on gays serving in the military.

    In 1983, Studds acknowledged his homosexuality after a 27-year-old man disclosed that he and Studds had had a sexual relationship a decade earlier when the man was a teenage congressional page.

    The House of Representatives censured Studds, who then went home to face his constituents in a series of public meetings.

    At the time, Studds called the relationship with the teenage page, which included a trip to Europe, "a very serious error in judgment." But he did not apologize and defended the relationship as a consensual relationship with a young adult. The former page later appeared publicly with Studds in support of him.

    The scandal recently resurfaced when Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., resigned after exchanging sexually explicit instant messages with a page. Republicans accused Democrats of hypocrisy for savaging Foley while saying little about Studds at that time.

    Hara said Studds was never ashamed of the relationship with the page.

    "This young man knew what he was doing," Hara said. "He was at (Studds') side."

    Studds told his colleagues in a speech on the floor of the House that everyone faces a daily challenge of balancing public and private lives.

    "These challenges are made substantially more complex when one is, as am I, both an elected public official and gay," Studds said at the time.

    In Congress, Studds was an outspoken advocate for the fishing industry and was hailed by his constituents for his work establishing a limit for foreign fishing vessels 200 miles from the coast. After leaving Congress, he became a lobbyist for the fishing industry and environmental causes.

    "His work on behalf of our fishing industry and the protection of our waters has guided the fishing industry into the future and ensured that generations to come will have the opportunity to love and learn from the sea," Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said in a statement. "He was a steward of the oceans."

    In 1996, Congress named the 842-square-mile Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary after him in recognition of his work protecting the marine environment.

    In addition to Hara, Studds is survived by a brother, a sister and four nephews.

    Source:
    http://www.usatoday.com/news/washing...4-studds_x.htm

  2. #2
    Ms Minta Thomson's Avatar
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    Question ??

    Cynthia...Im not quite sure what the title of your post is referring to.

    Before I answer this, because I do have an opinion, I would like to hear what your motivation was in that title.

    Looking forward to reading your reply.

  3. #3
    DJ Moran --'s Avatar
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    Question Same here!

    Quote Originally Posted by Ms Minta Thomson
    Cynthia...Im not quite sure what the title of your post is referring to.

    Before I answer this, because I do have an opinion, I would like to hear what your motivation was in that title.

    Looking forward to reading your reply.
    Same here too,

    I have an opinion....ALTHOUGH..... (may have to post my opinion in the "religion forum") "DJ"

  4. #4
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    Personal preference

    Well that is up to you. I am not sure where you are trying to go with this. However, I must tell you if you are trying to start a fire on here, I don't think that you will be able to do that here. In being on here in the forums, even though I am a newbie here, people on here do not fight, they work things out.

    Please share your opinion as I would like to hear it so that we can have a civilized chat on here.

  5. #5
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    PERSONAL COMMENT Only:

    My reason for posting this news story is not to judge a lifestyle or a political party or agenda. It is simply a question as to what each of us want to be known for after death.

    This particular ABC News story gives us an example of how one man's actions shows to different groups a different reputation to each group or how they may view the man after his death.



    Ask yourself what you believe the following people's reputation are:

    John F Kennedy
    Joan Baez
    John Adams
    Rock Hudson
    Alexander the Great
    Cary Grant
    Horatio Alger Jr
    Tony Curtis
    Hans Christian Andersen
    Randolph Scott
    Anne Heche
    Marlon Brando
    Susan B. Anthony
    James Buchanan
    Drew Barrymore
    Leonard Bernstein
    Janis Joplin
    Raymond Burr
    Eleanor Roosevelt



    As to the above ABC Story:

    1. The news story portrays the man as a known gay. The story also portrays the man as a known congressman who aided the fishing industry.

    2. The country is divided over gays. Some want to associate themselves and know about the man's gay persona. Others refuse to associate themselves with gays and do not care to know or read anything about any gays.

    3. The country is divided over congressional parties and agendas. Some want to associate themselves to the man's party and his political agenda and accomplishments. Others refuse to associate themselves with his party and do not care to know or read anything about his political agendas.

    4. Then we have a third group not mentioned. This group may not pay any attention to the gay issues reported in the news story or the political items mentioned. They may be parents who are appalled that an adult seduced a teenage minor after the boys parents placed their son in the care and oversight of this man. They may be outraged that there were no criminal actions or remedies available to the parents once the boy became an adult and approved of the conduct.




    We are all going to die. We are all going to be known as "something".

    How would you want to be known after death?

    1. Will you want to be remembered by your profession? Or,

    2. Will you want to be remembered by your sexuality and the choices you made?




    As for the news story, I find the following curious:

    • He was elected in 1972, and the following year he engages in a homosexual relationship (as a congressman) with a minor 17 year old teenager.

    • He kept his conduct secret, including not admitting it to the boy's parents, for a period of ten years.

    • In 1983, the teenager (now an adult at age 27) disclosed the secret, which prompted the congressman to finally admit it.

    • Although congress censured him, the man was still able to gain enough state support to get re-elected.

    • Although the headline and general tone of the news story seems to stay close to the gay issues, the man is also mentioned for doing work in preserving fish.


    So I ask the question (and although we may feel that others will have known us for may things, in the end it will be what the majority (the highest percentage) will think of us that may end up in a news report. Therefore, let us try to choose only one answer for what the majority will come to know of us after our death.



    By his own words, he says: "I am both an elected public official and gay."

    I say: If you had to make one choice to be known as after death, which would it be?

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