Carlos Hazday

@dughlas The more we encourage kids like Rogelio (or for that matter CJ) to get involved and speak up, the better our chances for positive change. Thanks, Dugh. You have no idea how much I appreciate all the comments this story has garnered. And I agree it's wonderful to see different opinions expressed without anyone resorting to name calling.

@droughtquake Now we're teetering on a political discussion so I'll just say, Federalism, capitalism, and mobility can be powerful forces. If a state's unable to or unwilling to raise taxes to fund education, they will sooner or later lose population to places that do, and businesses will not necessarily flock to lower taxes locations. Without getting into detail, Amazon's new headquarters locations are a perfect example; Virginia and New York aren't exactly low tax burden locations.

My pleasure! By now you know I like setting stories in the real world and this one was no exception. Inspiration for me often comes from news reports.

Thank you, Dave. We're definitely on the same page.

Nurses have been historically overworked and under compensated. When fewer people went into the profession and shortages appeared, wages went up. Maybe we need something similar in education. I know there was a shortage in parts of Florida and school boards started offering monetary incentives when recruiting. Supply and demand is a wonderful way of eliciting desired outcomes.

Teachers spending countless hours on their job is nothing new and not due to budgetary issues. My mother was a first-grade teacher when I was a kid and I remember her reviewing work, preparing flash cards, and who knows what else at home. The 40-hour work week is an artificial creation which doesn't always track well with professions. The Affordable Care Act created so much additional paperwork for doctors, I know a couple who've taken early retirement so they don't have to spend hours filling out forms instead of caring for patients. Public defenders are so overloaded with cases, the representation they provide their clients is often worthless. Throwing money at these problems is not always a solution. What's the cost/benefit comparison for increasing taxes? I don't have a solution and I can't even think of what one could be. It may just be some professions require more than the 9-6 approach.

That's wonderful praise. CJ and Owen may not be the sappy, lovey-dovey type all the time, but I wanted to make sure their deep love for each other came through. Thanks, Parker

I think this is one instance where you and I do not need to agree to disagree. I support citizens owning firearms but value the rights outlined in the first amendment as even more as more precious. The framers of the constitution must have felt the same since they made it number one. I find a free press, freedom of and from religion, freedom of speech, and the right to assemble and protest as essential to American democracy. Thanks for reading, reacting, and commenting!

Thanks, Def! It's my alter ego writing these things. You know how quiet and introverted I am. I realize it can be tough for educators to separate their personal feelings from what their responsibilities are but you're correct: some people are not meant to have that much influence on young minds. It's then up to the rest of us to encourage children to stand up against injustice.

@dughlas Can you believe little Ritchie will be turning 16 in that chapter? Kids! They grow up so fast...

Oh, I don't know... they may take a trip or two and try to check off a few things on their bucket lists. Maybe I'll post a little excerpt before the year's over. I will confirm the first chapter features Harley and Ritchie prominently...

Not everyone is cut out for that type of involvement but I believe we can all do out part. Write a letter, make a phone call, contribute a couple of loonies... Whatever it takes just so we don't sit on the couch and ignore the world around us.

@northie The events that inspired the story took place in Colorado and Ohio. I set the story in Texas but you're right, it could happen almost anywhere. As much as everyone focuses on the gun issue (entirely expected) the story's really about taking a stand for something you believe in and fighting against those who stand in the way of progress.

@travlbug I'm glad the story inspired you sufficiently to leave a comment. And you're correct, it's incumbent on those of us who are older to instill values and nurture the next generations.

@comicfan Thank you for your thoughtful words, Wayne. I tend to have strong negative reactions whenever I encounter discrimination and injustice; reading about the two teens who inspired this story was no exception. Writing stories like this one is my therapy, my way of dealing with the wrongs I perceive. The drive and passion of MSD high school survivors gives me hope for our future. Engaged citizens help safeguard our democracy.

December 1 and only 31 days left in 2018. What will the New Year bring us? And more importantly, what's next for CJ and Owen? When we last heard about them, they were in San Francisco at the tail end of their honeymoon. Anyone interested in finding out what happened next?

Twenty years ago today, on December 1, 1998, the Miami-Dade County Commission approved the addition of sexual orientation to the county’s human rights ordinance. The battle many had fought over the past year culminated in victory. A temporary achievement since the hateful Christian Coalition worked to place the decision on the ballot the following year. They lost. For over a year, I helped increase awareness, raise money, conduct outreach, lobby politicians, debate homophobes, and granted countless interviews to the media. I was called vile names by those professing their Christianity often enough my dislike for the religion became permanent. To this day, any mention of Christian values makes me frown. On that fateful morning, my boyfriend and I awoke in darkness and were in front of the Commission chambers by sunrise. With hateful chants as background, I spoke to National Public Radio, The New York Times, the Voice of America, Armed Forces Radio, and who knows how many more outlets in both English and Spanish. My fifteen minutes of fame thanks to the marketing people thinking I spoke well and came across as a level-headed individual. Ha! Seeing my name on the front page of the Times and listening to the NPR report the following morning was a thrill. I still have the newspaper and a cassette of the radio show. However, the most wonderful part of the experience was working with the men and women who made the day’s events possible. Maybe it was not on par with the promise made by the signers of the Declaration of Independence to “mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our Sacred Honor,” but to me it was close. The time and financial commitment made by many propelled us to victory. Liebe Gadinsky stands out amongst all. The mother of two and her husband became friends, and although we rarely communicate these days, I will treasure the time I spent with them for as long as I live. Liebe and Seth were proof that the fight for our humanity was not limited to GLBT community members, but encompassed caring individuals who felt discrimination was unjust. Many of you dislike and dismiss political involvement, I read the comments often enough when I posted a story revolving around a presidential campaign. As an aside, my involvement back then influenced much of what I wrote in that book. I would like you all to remember that without drag queens fighting in front of the Stonewall Inn in 1969 or volunteers canvassing throughout Miami in 1998, most of us would be hiding in the back of a closet too scared to live. Go out, give money, volunteer, make phone calls, write letters; do whatever it takes to elect individuals who will not treat us as second-class citizens. It was the experience of a lifetime and I am grateful I was part of such a momentous event. My participation also allowed me to keep a promise I made when the Anita Bryant-backed forces led to the overturn of a similar ordinance in 1977. I swore that if the issue arose again, I would not remain quiet. I am glad I did not. I’ll close with Margaret Mead’s words: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has” https://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/02/us/2-decades-on-miami-endorses-gay-rights.html

@Headstall Thanks, Gary. You should google the names of the two kids who inspired the story.

I live in a duplex and share the yard with my neighbors. Two kids in their late twenties. They're cool and we've been talking about hanging a sling from a tree branch. So... Mac, you, my two kids, and tim. We'll make it work.

ROFLMAO Doobie, doobie, doo... Thanks, bud. There may have been politics involved, but the story was about a kid taking a stand and fighting back. That's something we can all rally behind.

Restraints? A harness?

Temps are back up. Bring shorts. Skimpy ones preferably...

Crap! Somebody's gonna have to spend a lot of time moving comments from my stories and my discussion thread to The Pit. I seem to invite a lot of political discussion with both the right and the left jumping on me. Now, if we could get a few of those jumpers to be hunky rugby players...

Change is often painful. The industrial revolution created urban crowding, blight, and eventually sprawl. The technological revolution has affected our lives just as much. Who knows what will create the next upheaval, but I'll bet the changes that began when hunter-gatherer societies became agrarian ones will not end. It's the nature of humans to adapt and I suspect we will do so again, and again.

You elicited sadness and anger at first, and a smile at the end. Good job.