Everyone needs love, acceptance — and hugs

Everyone needs love, acceptance and hugs

My 14-year-old nonbinary child and I recently attended the Pride Parade in Babylon. I wore my #freemomhugs T-shir and was invited to join the FreeMomHugs-Long Island Facebook group. I didn’t find the group of hugging moms until after the parade was over. But the experience was something I never expected, and will never forget. So many people of all ages, shapes, colors and sizes walked up to us for hugs. Some just hugged, some cried, some were shaking with emotion — making us cry, too. These people, good, loving people — someone’s child — looking for hugs from moms. It just made me feel so grateful to be able to hug and hug and hug some more.

In my conversations with some of these people, they said no, they do NOT get hugs at home. How can this be? How can parents deny their child’s basic needs? Everyone needs love and acceptance — whoever they are, however they live their lives. Against your religion, you say? What kind of a god would want parents to deny their children, to deny their identity? You as a parent were chosen — by God, the fates, whatever — to raise this person in love and acceptance. Who are you to deny that role you’ve been assigned in your life? Accept, support, love. That is what any human being needs, some perhaps more than others.

So hug your kids. Accept them. Love them. Give them what they need to be and express themselves. We will be back at the parade next year, but hopefully we will not have as many people needing hugs as just wanting hugs.

— Kara Gallagher, Seaford

Dreams of a kinder, gentler world

I fantasize about a world where people say please and thank you. Where they see books as a pathway to greater knowledge, not a threat. Where they show empathy to others in a genuine manner. Where they are able to decipher the difference between beliefs and facts. Where they realize that we are stewards of this planet and our greatest concern should be to respect it for the next generation. Where they show decorum and understanding to those who have different beliefs, looks and religions. Where we reminisce together about when humans had wars, famine and hatred. And where graciousness, decency and truthfulness are lauded.

 — Steven Taub, Melville

Celebrate Flag Day at home and at work

The American flag was adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777 but Flag Day wasn’t officially recognized until proposed by Congress and signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1949.

The week of June 14 is designated as National Flag Week. I urge that the American flag be displayed outside homes, apartments, offices, businesses and stores everywhere. We do this to honor all that our country represents, which is freedom, equality and justice for all. We should also do this to show honor and respect for all our brave men and women who are serving our nation today. And also, all those over the years who gave their lives to preserve our cherished freedoms. Our flag is the fabric of our country, and by flying it we can be reminded that we prevail against all adversity.

 — Frederick R. Bedell Jr., Bellerose

We have our liberties, but not a democracy

Why do so many people think we are a democracy? I hear and read about people complaining about certain aspects of our government such as the Electoral College, lifetime appointments of U.S. Supreme Court justices, or the fact that, no matter their population, every state gets two senators. These people say that as a democracy, the U.S. should not rely on such undemocratic mechanisms.

The U.S. was never intended to be a pure democracy. Our founders feared such a government. John Adams wrote, “Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself.” Instead, the founders opted for a constitutional federal republic where they gave us a Constitution and employed the Electoral College and the concept of each state getting an equal number of senators to protect us from the mob rule of a pure democracy. Lincoln said it best: “Don’t interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.”

 — Michael J. Cisek, East Islip