Activated American

I’ve always stood apart in a crowd, and oftentimes, alone. Group projects have never been my preference, because invariably, one teammate either contributes less, takes more credit, or strong arms the group. Everyone has a talent, everyone has a skill, but when a person becomes resentful of another person’s skill/talent or dismissive of his/her expertise, the well-oiled machine that once surged over all obstacles suddenly begins to rust and deteriorate. My mother warned me to NEVER join a group that was predicated on a single race, culture, or shared characteristic. I was never allowed to join the Spanish club in high school, and I refused several invitations to become a member of Log Cabin and other Republican groups. Why?

I’m more than my race, my politics, and my sexuality. Joining the Palmdale Freedom Coalition was like joining a family made up of many backgrounds, religions, and personalities. I am unique, valued, respected and encouraged within this group, although I only share ONE commonality with them–our love of freedom. The group is not entirely gay, although some of us are. The group is not entirely black, although some are. The leadership is not all Christian, although some members are; we even have a self proclaimed Satanist, who recently started attending our meetings. Diversity is America’s strength, and in my life, I endeavor to embody this truth. 

Against my intuition, I joined another organization; I rapidly advanced within this organization as my advocacy skills were instrumental in creating a ground team that could cohesively and successfully coordinate and build rapport within local communities while seeking support for the mission. This group was made up of a very diverse yet extremely specific demographic, LGBT, and I was immediately uncomfortable. Straying from the lessons of my youth, I stayed with the team for the good of the mission despite my internal struggle and concerns regarding dismissed heterosexual resources—yet I longed for and maintained contact with these like-minded comrades. These people are my friends; they are valuable, and their intentions are pure, they must have a place, but this is a “No Straights Allowed” club. 

Eventually, I found my voice having less and less value, and decisions that were made outside of my control started to take a toll. Was I wrong for wanting to expand beyond the limits of the internet? Was I wrong for wanting to take an internet movement into the real world? Absolutely not, but the real world and the internet are very different places. What’s amplified online isn’t always translated authentically and accurately into the real world. More often than not, I found myself explaining the concept of grooming so people understood what the organization was about. Eighty percent of people thought we were against pet grooming until they were educated on what was happening on campuses all over the country.

Coordinating teams and encouraging members to step in front of a school board, a city council, or even the legislature was my focus. I strove to put together a team ready to take ACTION. It’s easy to get in front of a camera and record a video. It’s even easier to spend 30 minutes composing a tweet, but it’s monumentally more difficult to convince someone to drive an hour (or more) to speak for 3 minutes and then drive home. I lead by example because I’ve done these things without expectation of reward or accolades for years. I don’t charge for my speeches, but if I’m driving 2 or more hours, it’s nice to be reimbursed for gas money, which the organization happily did. To me, this is what being an activated American is about. It’s not about the group you’re with or the number of followers on your social media, it’s about action. Doing from the heart and for the right reasons brings its own rewards, and unfortunately, its own obstacles. 

As a creator, as an activated American, I hope that concerned Americans see the little things I’m doing, and I hope it encourages people to get involved in some way. Being activated means taking the initiative to send an email, submit a FOIA request, or speak during public comment. Our society has become apathetic and desensitized and is unwilling to take action unless they see someone else charging forward first. I hope the skills and knowledge I contributed to Gays Against Groomers will continue to be valued and utilized. It is time that I soldier on because I am more than the single issue of grooming. Thank you for affirming my gut instinct not to join groups based on race, sexuality, or culture. I am so much more than these things. I am Mario Presents, an Activated American and Information Captain of the Palmdale Freedom Coalition. I represent a freedom that only a country like America could create.