The world is a pretty awful place.
Let's not try and sugar coat that. Especially right now.
Teenagers are taking their own lives, senselessly. Mostly because the powers that be in this country have allowed the persecution of minorities to go on too long. The ignorance that is inherent in our society about minority groups is horrific. And, as a result, anyone who doesn't fit in to the non-marginalized "societal norm" feels so unwanted, so disrespected and so out of place that they are turning to drugs, running away from home or even worse, resorting to suicide.
This is everyone's responsibility to fix. Because it's a problem that is intrinsic to our society.
We've all been lead a merry dance over the past ten years by corrupt businesses, corrupt government and and corrupt political leaders. This recent leak of diplomatic documents have revealed a whole rash of shit that undermines the very foundation of what America stands for, freedom, liberty and justice for all.
But there's a little show on television that not only makes light of the dilemmas we all went through as teenagers, it might, it just might, make the horrific world we're living in that little bit brighter, for just those individuals who need it.
Glee comes under much criticism - I myself have criticized the show. But what the show is telling us, is that there's a place for everyone, that nobody should be discount or excluded.
The show magnifies almost every major issue our teenager's face -- teen pregnancy, bullying, sizeism, racism, homophobia, parental separation, parental illness, coming out, same-sex parents, peer pressure....
Yes, it sends its message with a side serving of auto-tuned, middle of the road pop/broadway cheese, but you can't fault the series writers/producers for putting out the bold messages and making the statement "there's no such thing as an outsider."
If this show is even a tiny step towards a mainstream acceptance of all of these pressing issues, but especially the crippling and senseless ignorance towards gays and lesbians which is causing the children of this country to take their own lives then I support their efforts.
There are some groups online who are trying to trash 'Glee' and all it's achievements - these are the same groups who allow traditions and religion to govern their choices, these are the groups who feel it necessary to target, bully and attack gays and lesbians. My response to these groups (other than my favorite comeback, which is "The lady doth protest too much, methinks") is live and let live. That's all. Just live and let live.
Is Glee to gay? Hell no. Bring it on, and let the ignorant and the bigoted see that everyone in our society has a voice. ...Even if it is a little auto-tuned.
