Why does the US government own the airwaves? Why does the US government own the roads? Why does the US government own the mail? The First Amendment in the US Constitution protects our freedom of speech and the freedom of the press. Right? So why does the US government own every avenue to which these various media types can reach the people (all the while making these various outlets the most wasteful and least productive)? If private industry owned these, we'd have more competition, lower prices, and actual freedom of speech and the press instead of the perceived freedom thereof. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should not even exist in the United States with the existence of the First Amendment. It's an oxymoron. Likewise, the US Postal Service is the only “company” legally allowed to process first class mail (not to mention sending packages to our loved ones serving overseas). Newspapers are still free from government influence! Hooray! We the people still have a legitimate outlet – wait. The government owns the roads we use (and the mail) to get those newspapers to the people (even though we the people own the roadways through taxes, vehicle registration, driver license fees, tolls, etc.). It's easy to sever those lines of communication when the government has control over them instead of private industry. You don't meet moral censorship guidelines for television or radio, so you're cut off (and/or fined) when, instead, you have a built-in censor – the remote control, dial, or power button on your TV and radio! If a “subversive” newspaper or magazine is in circulation, it can simply be plucked from the mail and roadways can be blocked in various ways. Instead, how about not opening, reading, or subscribing to it?!

I lost my way for a minute there. I'm back on track now, I'm pretty sure, but it cost me a friendship that I valued deeply. In my opinion, that is too high a price to pay. I know I'll not make that mistake again, but that doesn't take away the guilt and emotional pain of having constantly and continually hurt someone who considered me a good friend, his best friend. It doesn't take away the fact that I was an ignoble, selfish jerk who was only looking out for himself. It doesn't take away the fact that I did it, that I was the cause of this farce I tried to pass off as a friendship, that I was so unfair to my friend in most everyday things. Instead of loving and accepting him just the way he is, as I have done with others, I pushed and pushed and pushed until there was no desire to be my friend anymore. It's a testament to him as a friend, as a person, for his character, that he put up with for as long as he did. Trying the whole time to be there for me, to do things for me, to be my friend despite all the shit I [intentionally? I don't know - I'd like to think not, but who knew the part of me that came out then?] put him through. And I explained my actions away by telling myself that I was simply protecting myself from being hurt again by someone I thought of as a friend. Not only is that NOT what friends do, but it's most certainly not who I am. I'd like to think the vast majority of my friends know this about me. 

I found this really good vlogger that talks about being gay, and, in this episode, he talks about coming out, why it's important, and the effect on your life when you come out. It's a great point.

Pay particular attention from 4:23 to 5:05 (and the rest of it from there). He has some really great points!

“Since coming out, a lot has changed. I've become completely confident in who I am, my self-esteem has gone up so much. I'm just so... ready to be myself. Coming out was one of the best decisions I've ever made in my entire life. I'm so glad I did it, I would never take it back. I would do some things differently... but it was absolutely amazing. I'm so glad I've done it. I'm a completely different person. Really I'm not a completely different person though. I'm able to be the person that I am: which is different than what I was... Coming out has just been an amazing experience, I'm so glad I did it.”

Don't forget, if you need to come out, or know someone who does, I'm here for support, and PLEASE pass this little gem along to them!!! Trust me, I know first hand how important and liberating this jump is and can be! I also know how terrifying it is! But trust me, it's SO worth it!

These three clips are quite good!