As some of you may know, Life has done a fairly huge 180 degree turn for me. I have been on TV, Radio, written columns for magazines, and recently on a billboard. I forget how much has changed in my life until I am reminded of myself as a kid growing up. Now I have a very busy and very full social life. Plenty of people around and always a fabulous event to attend. This was not always the case for me. Growing up life was much different. I was the insecure kid with glasses that was the target of name calling, and bullying. I went through much of my middle and high school life just trying to fit in. Wanting so badly to be that cool guy that always had a choice of tables to sit at in the lunch room instead of the one looking for a quiet corner that he may be able to eat and not be noticed.

As adults we like to think that the bullies from school somehow disappear, or mature into good hearted people. Some of them do, some of them don’t. In school I was referred to as “Queer” and beaten up in the locker-room. Too afraid to defend myself and not knowing how to find a voice to speak up. Through my life and my travels I have found a very loud voice and am able to speak very openly, sometimes too openly, about my feelings, concerns, and all of the good things in life as well! I have been very blessed to have a platform that I can speak from. Last weekend my Spiritual Guide in Atlanta reminded me of the importance of making a change. Using such a platform to make a difference in everyone’s life and not just my own. She was so right.

I have been out and very proud of who I am for the past ten years; And in those ten years I have seen the world become much more tolerant. When I left my small hometown of Milledgeville Georgia for the big city in Florida I was leaving severe name calling, threats, and even people stealing hubcaps off my car, and was hoping to find a home in a place where people accepted me, and maybe a place where I could find love.

Although much has changed we still have a very long way to go. Just in the past month I was attacked by a very homophobic person. Hit twice in the head and once in the groin. The actual punches didn’t hurt near as bad as the motives behind it. I just don’t understand peoples need to hate. I can’t fathom why someone would harbor so much disdain for a human being simply because they are not like them. I have so many friends that are so different and so beautiful in their own way and even when I don’t like the way they think, I can’t imagine wanting to hurt them. I could not impose harm on another living, breathing being. That person is now facing charges. However Georgia doesn’t classify attacking a person because they are gay as a hate crime. Georgia along with 19 other States doesn’t feel like it is a “Hate Crime” if I were killed because of who I love. It is time for us to change that.

Some years ago I met Mrs. Judy Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard. Mathew was brutally murdered and left in a field tied to a barb wire fence. After admitting he was gay, the two men killed a very bright young college student because they didn’t like the fact that he was different. My heart broke for this Lady who spoke of her son who she will never get to hold again because of hate. She has used Mathew’s life and his death to try to make this world a better place. Please help her do that. I will include a link below for you to read more about Mathew and find out more about the Mathew Shepard Foundation.

I am calling for a “call to arms”. I am asking for every single one of you that may have ever felt like you didn’t have a voice to find one. I would like everyone to proudly stand and say “NO H8!” Post it on your Facebook walls. Post it on your friend’s Facebook walls. Tweet about it, but most importantly live it! Try your best to be a loving caring person who is tolerant of other people. Let’s all stand up for the people who can’t or will not stand up for themselves, defend them, and teach them how to stand on their own and the world will be a better place. We all have a voice and we should all use it for good. For the better of every community let’s say NO H8!!! Tell your friends to visit this blog. Tell them to get on board! If we all take a stand together we can help open people minds and heart and have a much stronger community. I thank every one of you for the support you have shown me. Now let’s show support to others!

For questions regarding hate crime laws please…click here.

For more information on Mathew Shepard and what he went through because of who he was please…click here.

And for more information on Judy Shepard and what the Mathew Shepard Foundation is doing to promote tolerance and peace please…click here.

We can all learn to love. Take this pledge with me to end HATE! NO H8! post a comment to make your pledge. Thank you all so much! We CAN make a difference!

Much Love,
Christopher Macken