This just gave me goosebumps.

From a letter by Chris Crutcher.  Read it in its entirety at ASIF!:

Educators, particularly social studies teachers, are fond of repeating the old saying, "Those who refuse to learn from history are bound to repeat it." I couldn't agree more. Overwhelmingly, modern censors are made up of conservative Christians. You might want to visit some Ku Klux Klan history and listen to them evoke the name of God to back their bigotry. And make no mistake about it; if you engage in policy that diminishes a tenth (or even a hundredth) of a population that is born into their circumstances, you are a bigot. I don't care how many houses you build in Latin America or how many days you volunteer to work at the local Food Bank or how much money you tithe or give to charity. We believe in equality or we don't; we believe in justice or we don't, and hiding the truths of people's lives is unjust.

A thirteen year old gay boy that I worked with recently (who has given me permission to air his views) told me the thing that hurts him most is that for the next four years he will be unable to let anyone know who he really is. He can't allow the most powerful forces of his adolescence to be made evident even in harmless flirtation because of the possible consequences. Nobody wants to be Matthew Shepherd. But he also told me the kids these days aren't as bigoted as the adults. That gives me hope for our kids, but shames me as an adult. It should shame us all.

More people need to stop pulling punches.  Rock on, Chris Crutcher.  See you in March!