I'm sure that you have heard of hate crimes. In my opinion it's one of the worst crimes around. To let everyone in on something special that I did years ago. The Star Trek group (The USS Intrepid) and I went to and worked at a Pride Festival that was in Ferndale, Michigan just North of Detroit. This special festival happens every Spring. The Star Trek club that I belong to are trying to do things to help make a united World that is shown on Star Trek. This means everyone working together for the common good and have respect for each other no matter who they are.

The Pride festival celebrates all LGBT people and their lifestyles. In this festival their is music, special events, support groups, and general info to help educate interested people on what these special people are all about. The USS Intrepid is a special group of people that I'm proud to be a part of. We have a diverse group of people that includes LGBT members. We welcome them like anyone else because they are human beings. The only thing that we ask is that they like Star Trek.

One of the honors that I had was working at one of the entrances to this festival. I welcomed people to the festival and asked for donations to help the festival out and the people that participate in it.

Talk about being brave. Imagine me standing on a sidewalk going up to complete strangers asking them to help this special community. Unfortunately I came across a lot of hateful people and preachers that said that these people were all going to the underworld (I don't use the other words). Police and barricades prevented these people from entering the festival. I could feel the hate and when I saw it I urged those people to go elsewhere.

I love being around LGBT in these festivals because they are free to be who they are. smile Pride festivals are all over the United States and other countries. If you want to be in a special place where other LGBT and open Christians like myself seek out and go to these festivals. Pride festivals can help confused people by having someone to talk to and can truly understand what they are going through.

Now for the issue of Hate. Their are many reasons why people Hate. In basic terms they either want everyone to be just like themselves or are afraid of what the other person might do. This applies not just to the LGBT community but others like race, gender, the disabled, and especially people with Mental Health issues. Another big reason for hate is ignorance.

One of the things that I like about the Pride festivals, that when I took a break from being at one of the entrances to the festival I looked around at the many booths at the fair to learn more myself. Even my Star Trek club had a recruiting booth at the fair. This told the world that we accept anyone for a member. People have said to me, how can you be a Catholic and hang around with these people. I smile and tell them that they deserve respect just like other human beings.

I have seen hate at these Pride festivals first hand and was not afraid. I stick up for what I believe. If you have experienced hate just because of who you are, know that they are also people like myself that care about you.

Feel free to tell your stories about hate that you have seen or experienced and how you got through it. You might make it easier for someone else. Because they can say, hey if someone else can get through this I can to. smile

PS - Just to let you know after 20 years the USS Intrepid club has shrunk down to just 50 members. The former members though are out their still treating everyone with respect. So look around their are other people like me out their. Unfortunately the decline in membership is due to less interest in Star Trek.