It's not a competition. I'm sure lots of gay folks have family members that served as well.
This is one of those weird things that's presented as a culture war even though the vast majority of us agree about honoring those who fought in Normandy, and anywhere else for that matter. Most of us also agree that gay folks should be able to live their lives how they want, as long as they aren't hurting anyone. Somehow people get it in their heads that these are some kind of cultural/political opposites.
The fact that its so easy to get sucked into an argument about gay pride vs D-day remembrance is what actually says something about our culture. Those men sacrificed their lives in the name of freedom. So that we could have things like a gay pride parade without being sent to the gulags. Celebrating that freedom actually seems like a pretty great way to honor their sacrifice IMO.
I agree with most everything you've said here.
The part that is just off-putting to me personally (to each his own, though) is just how over-the-top and in-your-face, cram-down-everyone's throat, many corporations, social media, etc are about "celebrating" GLBT community. I personally prefer "
respect diversity" over "
celebrate diversity". What has been accomplished that we are celebrating?
It sometimes feels like GLBT activists are extra-vocal and active and in people's faces to the point of making some people uncomfortable - in an effort to rectify or make up for the times in history where they have obviously wrongly been persecuted, discriminated against, etc. I just don't think that gets the intended result or reaction in society in the long term - of being treated with equal dignity and respect - via coercion, antagonism.
Maybe I could be proven wrong - but it just seems like the culture, companies, social media is less likely to promote or push or even acknowledge "celebrate, honor D-Day".
Its just not as politically correct these days, to say that "American toxic males did good over a different evil culture and regime, via joining in and leading in wining a war". Many of the words in this last sentence trigger or offend a lot of people in today's society.
But - yes I totally agree its not a zero-sum game. Its not like one group has to be celebrated at the expense of the other group. I guess I'm just saying what it cost in blood and in the lives and families of these heroes is
taken for granted a lot today in media and corporate world - in my opinion - and I'm not sure we as a country have the spine, courage, etc to meet the challenge like they did then