WWII Vet Fights For Equality For All!

[romantico]

Posted: 10/21/09 at 3:45pm

You may need a tissue.

"The woman at my polling place asked me do I believe in equality for gay and lesbian people. I was pretty surprised to be asked a question like that. It made no sense to me. Finally I asked her: what do you think I fought for in Omaha Beach? "

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrEbJBFWIPk&feature=

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/21/09 at 4:02pm

Beautiful.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 10/21/09 at 4:36pm

Wow.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/22/09 at 9:40am

I am here today because of a conversation I had last June when I was voting.
A woman at my polling place asked me,
"Do you believe in equality for gay and lesbian people?"
I was pretty surprised to be asked a question like that.
It made no sense to me.
Finally I asked her,
"What do you think our boys fought for at Omaha Beach?"
I have seen much,
so much blood and guts, so much suffering, so much sacrifice.
For what?
For freedom and equality.
These are the values that make America a great nation,
one worth dying for.

[romantico]

Posted: 10/22/09 at 11:12am

Philip Spooner is a lifetime Republican, World War II veteran and, to everyone's surprise, a gay marriage supporter. The 86-year-old gave a heartfelt speech in support of gay marriage to Maine's Judiciary Committee back in April, and the video has just now become an internet hit.

Spooner's voice wavers often as he weaves his own life story into the speech, using his experience as a soldier as his main defense for gay marriage. He lists his accomplishments in the war, among them serving in Patton's Third Army and carrying POWs back home, making it clear that he's a true American -- and according to Spooner, there's nothing more American than fighting for equality.


Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/21/philip-spooner-video-wwii_n_329446.html

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 10/22/09 at 12:49pm

A true American hero. 86 years old and still fighting for the rights of others.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/22/09 at 2:27pm

And that's how you define "hero": Someone who fights for the rights of others

[Scripps2]

Posted: 10/22/09 at 4:06pm

An excellent and moving testimony.

This made it on to a British gay social networking site (members only - so I doubt I can post a link) where the feed back was extremely positive and plentiful.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 10/23/09 at 2:06pm

Every time I watch this video (it's been posted by many of my friends on Facebook), I smile. And wipe away a tear.

Bravo.

Time well spent.