Viva America!

Sometimes I’m asked about Puerto Rican pride and why we love our Puerto Rican flag.

Both of my parents are from Puerto Rico, but I was born in the Bronx and raised in Manhattan. I can understand Spanish for the most part and know enough to hold a basic conversation. I hate the taste of bell peppers and cilantro. Most of my friends are Caucasian and African-American. What do I consider myself…. and why?

I am 100% Puerto Rican, but considering the fact that P.R. is part of the U.S.A, that also makes me 100% American. Pride of your “roots” is seen all over the place, by mostly everyone. While I do enjoy all the “American” aspects of my life, I also enjoy what makes me different. Trying to fit in is never easy for anyone and it can be a process to face your differences and appreciate them for their “uniqueness” and that’s how I look at my Puerto Rican heritage.

I live in the South now, and there are so many people here who love the fact that they are “Southern” and have a culture unlike the rest of the country. American Black Pride totally changed the way that African-Americans began to view themselves and walking through Little Italy or China Town felt like a lesson in cultural diversity. For me, when I visit the “Island”, walk through an ethic neighborhood, hear Martin Luther King Jr’s speech or sit down to a delicious southern meal, I don’t feel detached from my National pride at all… I feel American.

I think of how all of the mistakes and victories our fathers experienced made us who we are today. When I look at myself, I can see the European, African and Amerindian mixture but I feel American. When I served in the U.S. Navy, I was an American Sailor and when I travel abroad, eager to experience new cultures, food, people, etc., I do so as a proud American who just wants to know what the rest of the world is like.

Personally, like many of you, it was so easy for me to hate myself as a child. Of course, every once in a while I still have my days, but for the most part I can finally appreciate “me”…..All of me.. I am a proud American, Puerto Rican, gay man, veteran, northern transplant, etc… etc..

You know, that’s something that I wish for everyone. No matter what you are or where you’re from, be proud and wave that flag!!

So what do you think?

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Who Cares?

After the first gulf war, I was so proud to be an American and felt like, since I lived in the best country in the world, the least I could do is pay my dues. I just turned 17 and decided to join the military (U.S. Navy) . Suffering from low self-esteem and going from overweight to underweight in the blink of an eye, I knew that I was physically and mentally ill-prepared. So, when I was told “You’ll never make it through Boot camp”, I believed it.

It wasnt until after I signed up and left for duty, did it occur to me that gays were not allowed to serve in the military and worse, one could be discharged because of it. Not that I hadn’t heard of “Dont ask, don’t tell” before, but like most teens, politics wasn’t something that dominated my current thoughts. I was more worried about my family, friends and what God had planned for me.

Well, I made it through my 4 year enlistment and aside from hearing the normal “F” bomb being dropped in most testosterone filled conversations, things went pretty well. Actually, towards the end, I told many of my fellow sailors about me and I’m pretty sure that the entire squadron knew the deal. I’m also sure things were said behind my back, but I was a hard worker, was well-liked and I knew that people trusted me.

Some of my fellow sailors were atheists, some were bible-thumpers. Some were just trying to make a name for themselves, put food on the table, or find a place to belong. Some loved being in the military and others counted the days for their enlistment to end. What was definitely true without question, is that when we put on our uniforms, we were sailors. When we took off our uniforms, we were like the rest of you… American..

It’s easy for me to think of why gays SHOULD be allowed to serve in the military, but for the life of me, I can’t think of a valid reason why we SHOULDN’T.. Can you?