Some boys become better human beings

https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2019/10/10/hate-crimes-against-transgender-community-newday-pkg-sidner-vpx.cnn?fbclid=IwAR0KRBNmpr-Y61yac8qsoRgZkYEqG5Vz2desfApA6fcF8LB--HcsrsD5_Lc

This story brought back memories of a boy who needed learning.

Dear America,
About this hate that name calls, hits, brutalizes, and even murders. 
Lessons my Mother taught me 101, respect all people.

By the age of 10 years-old,
I had heard every racial slur,
Every sexual slur,
Every hateful word possible,
My Father regularly belted out his hate words every night.

By the age of 10 years-old,
I had heard every racial slur,
Every sexual slur,
Every hateful word possible,
My neighborhood regularly belted out their hate words on the streets every day.

One hot summer evening in that old hood,
I took up those words of hate,
My mother was sitting with some other women,
We kids were playing,
We had no idea our mother's were really watching us,
Then Jennifer a Trans Women walked pass us kids while we were playing.

I don't know if I said it first,
But Francisco and I called Jennifer a Faggot,
We ran after her saying it over and over again,
I don't even think we understood what that word meant,
But, we knew she did,
We knew it was hurtful,
We knew it was wrong.
But, we said just the same,
Hate works that way with children,
Hate works that way with adults,
But, hate did not worked that way with our mothers.

Our mothers took immediate action,
They called Jennifer over,
Invited to sit with them,
They shared a Cigaret together,
Laughed and talked awhile.

Francisco and I watched them sitting, talking and joking together.
We didn't understand why our mothers would be sitting with Jennifer,
Then, they called us over,
Said we like to introduce you our sister and Dear Friend Jennifer,
We love the way she does her hair, and were just complimenting her on her dress and heels,
Then, my mother said Little Jess, what did you say to my sister a few minutes ago,
Francisco's mother added, yes Francisco what were you boys saying to our sister,
We knew we were in trouble, 
Then they said you boys owe our dear friend an apology.

Ms. Jennifer, we are sorry for calling you names,
Jennifer looked at us, and said,
I am glad you two young men have these decent mothers, and are men enough to say apologized,
That word hurts me, and everyone like me,
I hope the next time I pass by you would say hello Ms. Jennifer.

From that night on it was alway hello Ms. Jennifer, how you doing, it's a beautiful night.

I don't know where hate begins in America, but I know where it ends,
It ends with mothers teaching the lessons that need teaching,
With sons, hearing the lessons worth learning.

I'm not perfect, I fight hate every day, it pops up its ugly head in our homes, neighborhoods, schools, houses of worship, and even in the White House.

Dear LGBT sisters and brothers, 
America is still learning,
You are beautiful,
There is nothing wrong with you, 
We are still learning, and
This son, brother, father, uncle, and teacher stands with our Transgender sisters and brothers right to be the beautiful human beings they are.
Some boys grow into better men,
Dr. Jesse P. Turner 
Moral Monday Connecticut Education Ambassador