The Wind Beneath My Wings

It’s my birthday it’s my birthday it’s my birthday it’s my birthday and you know I am going to Chuck E Cheese. And yo, they do not have wireless internet y’all, so don’t playa hate, congratulate. Here are some nice letters people are writing me lately, in case you think that I have to fight bullshit every time I write some of my correct, true, right in every way and at all times rhymes. I got mad love for all y’all, even the stupid people. Thanks for being my friend – because that is what I think you all are, even if you are a straight up asshole. I am not even talking about it in a FRIENDSTER way. For real tho’…

Letter #1: Thanks for standing up to the religious right

Hey there –

I just wanted to say THANK YOU for having the eggs to stand up to those asshole religious right pundits. I’m sorry I missed your debate on MSNBC with Falwell. It sounds like you were brilliant! I greatly enjoyed your response to RB. Along the same lines, the whole Alabama Judge Roy Moore bullshit has been bugging me a great deal. Lately it seems like Bush’s fundamentalist Christian buddies are doing their damndest to re-write American history. Their claims that America is a “Christian” nation founded on “Christian” ideals is pure, absolute bullshit. The next time you get the opportunity in front of a national audience, could you please remind these fuckwits that a vast majority of the Founding Fathers were Deists – NOT Christians. That means that while they believed in a kind of vague, undefined God they most certainly did NOT believe in using the Bible, or the 10 Commandments, or any other holy Christian scripture as the basis for the Constitution or U.S. law.

In fact, ALL SIX of the first six presidents were Deists, not Christians. George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe and John Q. Adams Jr. were all Deists, as were later Presidents John Tyler, Millard Filmore, Abraham Lincoln and William Taft. Other non-Presidential revolutionary figures who happened to be Deist were Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, Ethan Allen and two other framers of the Constitution, Hugh Williamson and James Wilson.

The U.S. Constitution is a secular document. It begins, “We the people,” and contains no mention of “God” or “Christianity.” Its only references to religion are exclusionary, such as, “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust” (Art. VI), and “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” (First Amendment). The presidential oath of office, the only oath detailed in the Constitution, does not contain the phrase “so help me God” or any requirement to swear on a bible (Art. II, Sec. 1, Clause 8). If we are a Christian Nation why is there no mention of that in the Constitution???

The words, “under God,” did not appear in the Pledge of Allegiance until 1954 and “In God We Trust” was absent from paper currency before 1956. They were both added by Congress during the McCarthy age in an attempt to express our moral superiority over the atheist Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War.

In fact, in 1797 America made a treaty with Tripoli, declaring that “the government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.” This reassurance to Islam was written under George Washington’s presidency, and approved by the Senate under John Adams.

People need desperately to be reminded of their basic American History. From your letters and from what I’ve seen of you I think your views are much more in keeping with what the Founding Fathers had in mind than anything Falwell, Moore and any of their ilk can conceive of. Keep up the good fight, Margaret! Consider it your patriotic duty! 🙂

Sincerly, KF

Letter #2: yo!

margaret,
somehow, i started reading your blog one day and now i must profess that my mission is to send selected ones to people that need them. because,really, some people really fucking need them. for example, you on a diet? BA-BAM read this mofo on the [fuck it diet]. hey, are you acting like a snotty mofo? BAM read some of these. i get exhausted trying to break shit down for peeps, so i use you. hope ya dont mind. oh i forgot why i was writing. oh yeah, i wanted to say that i enjoy your work immensely and i am going to get me one of them black shirts with the polka dots high class cho style. i will be the envy of millions. for real, keep keeping it real.
t___

Letter #3: Dear Yellow Submarine

Well Hello Margaret,

I am a 19-year-old lumbee native american bisexual male and you know what? When I read the post on your blog about Thanksgiving, I couldn’t of said the shit you said any better way. As of yet I basically agree with all your views on stuff! You representin’ honeychild! My bff Maria (who is also bisexual and the karen to my jack) check your blogs daily just to see what’s your opinions & thoughts on current affairs and i also love reading your responses to those biotches that THINK they are getting literal on your ass! I love the fact that you are so into r&b and hiphop. And you know what, many laugh at me when i say i want to be an r&b singer, but just because i’m a minority or double minority doesn’t mean shit basically. I mean, look at Pink (even though homegirl don’t know which genre of music she’s in sometimes) and Jon B. (he’s a fuckin’ hott ass white r&b singer, check him out if you don’t know of him). But anyways, you are an example in my life as someone who has strived & survived in life and in your career choices… and damn it Margaret i just want to thank you for sharing the lessons in life you’ve learned. It gives others like me just a young guy like me a little faith. And a little faith goes along way. You mean a lot to me. Thank you for staying true to yourself! If you don’t have the time to reply, i’ll understand and i also wanted to say that i had to miss your revolution tour but i can’t wait to get your 3rd dvd!
Keep Rockin’ Mommi

One Love,
J___

Letter #4: You’re the fucking bomb and over all a bitchn’ inspiration!!!!

Your most honorable, hot mofo, fine ass fag hag beauty queen Margaret, I would just like to thank you for everything that you say, and that you have, do “go there”!!! My best friend, (who swears that she will take over for you when the time comes, since she really is pretty damn close to you fag hagness! Her brother came out to their Korean immigrant parents two summers ago, and then I followed suit, by coming out to her a month later) her, her brother, and I [have] so much love for you. She saw your show in NC, and I saw you here in lesbo capital Northampton, MA. It was the first time I had seen you live, and # 1 you looked hott (with two t’s!!!!), and #2 I laughed pretty much to the point of crying, and #3 I felt so empowered (esp, as a queer asian american women) after i saw you!!!!!! So thank you!! I got inspired to write you this e-mail one, cause all my gaysian (isn’t that the best word!!) friends recite your jokes pretty much everyday, and I listen to your cd a lot, and two I was thinking about thanksgiving this year and bitching to a friend of mine (hahaha well someone i’m kind of dating, cute girl from harvard!!!) and she was like ya know that margaret cho wrote about it on her blog, and I was like shit i havent looked at it in awhile. So i really am so “thankful” that you wrote that, cause I’ve always felt pretty fucked up in celebrating it!! I mentioned it on a message board cite for my college and of course ppl responed the way that guy responded to you. And I really didnt care about what they said, because I thought about how hopefully ppl would think about it when they saw my small ass blurb (which I quoted you in!!!), and really it is damn fucking necessary that we “go there”!!!! So thank you soooo much, and I love you lots, hahaha i don’t know if i’ve told someone i’ve never technically met that i love them, but you know what i mean. You are an amazing role model and inspiration for people of color, queer people and queer people of color. Thank you for being such a bitchn’ strong Asian American women who could kick anyone’s ass!!!
Peace and love
L____
Smith College 06′

Letter #5: damn…

…can I just tell you how unbelievably hilarious you are? But of course, you already are well aware, along with the fact that you are an amazing writer. That, and your views and opinions on things are just…I don’t even know–they just command respect. I love it. So much that I just had to read like, every entry in your blog thingy. Your words really do have the power to move people. I’m not really moved too easily, especially by things I read, but damn–that “With Love” entry killed me. I don’t even know what it was that touched me because I certainly couldn’t relate, not ever having fallen in love myself, but all I gotta say is go head an do yo thang Ms. Cho cuz you are fuckin going somehere! Not that you aren’t anywhere already, but you’re going to keep going and going, hopefully like the energizer bunny because I’m really tryin to see an Asian WOMAN end up on top. So yeah, that’s basically what I wanted to shout out to you.

-d_________

ps
congrats on all your success over the past years thanx 4 the inspiration i love seeing your face on tv

ya got some flow misses cho!

Letter #6: Dear Margaret

Hi. How are you? That seems like a silly way to start a letter to someone you have looked up to for years and yet have never spoken to, but I’d like to think I can be polite sometimes. So there you go.

I’ve been thinking about writing to you for the longest time. I could never quite pinpoint what I wanted to say, though. I still have no idea, but I wanted to try anyway. I don’t even know if you’ll read this, and I don’t really expect a response (it’s much more fun, I assume, to read your responses to the insanely bigoted letters you apparently receive all the time). It would be nice, but I know you’re a busy girl.

Okay. So. I have to say THANK YOU because you are incredible. You have been an inspiration to me and so many others over the years.. There aren’t enough thank-yous in the world to appropriate for what you have done. Through your comedy, and even moreso through your sheer fearlessness in using your voice and your power (not as a celebrity, but as the person that you are and all you represent), you have been able to stand up for so many who cannot or will not do so for themselves. It’s amazing.

I have identified with so many of the things you have spoken out about. I’ve battled weight and self-image in our society my whole life. I’ve been through hell and back with eating disorders and dieting and pills and whatever else, you name it. I cannot tell you how awesome it is to have someone like you in the media, being out there, saying “Fuck it! Body dysmorphia sucks and I’m done with it!” Your closing from the “I’m the One That I Want” tour was one of the most moving speeches I’ve ever heard. I’ve identified with your struggles as a woman, with the issues you have discussed and fought for in the realms of social equality for people of different sexualities and races.. You have touched on so much that is so dear to my life and my heart. Everything you stand for is something to be respected and admired and replicated with equal passion. When I was in high school, I used to get spit on and called a “dyke” in the halls — and I was “only” bisexual! I never thought there would be someone like you out there, teaching the world that it’s okay for people to be so different. That it would be okay, that we’re all loved, that God, whoever he or she is, loves everyone just the same. You have taught me that I am wonderful, no matter what my body looks like or who I want to fuck or what colour my skin is. And that is a freedom that there is no thank you for

Much love,
j__

Letter #7: your blogs

Dear Margaret,

My name is K_____ and I am 15 years old. My best friend _____ is 17 and gay. He introduced me to you and ever since then I have admired you so much. We both went to see your show in Nashville and loved it. I am a such a huge fan of yours. You have inspired me in all of your shows.

I noticed that you have been critized lately by different people. I wanted to let you know that you have made me realize so many things about myself and helped me deal with different issues in my life. In a response to a letter in your BLOG you said that “You can change the world.” I totally believe that and want to help you every step of the way. I admire you for standing up for what you believe in and not caring what others think. You have helped make me a better person and I just wanted to thank you. Thanks so much for your time and know I am one of many who admire you for what you do. Thanks for everything.

Your friend,
K______

Letter #8: Margaret…

I’ve never written to a celebrity before. I’ve never written a fan letter. But here it is.

I love you. If I knew you personally, I think I’d probably fall in love with you. You make me laugh and smile and cry.

I “met” you on television. You were my age (you’re actually a month older than I am). I had no idea of the problems you faced until recently. I was just a middle-class white kid who thought you and your TV family were funny, and somehow nothing like mine and the same as mine all at once.

Then I forgot about you. Over the years I saw you occasionally on television and always enjoyed you. But I didn’t really learn to love you again until last year, when my two gay roommates brought home “I’m the One That I Want”. (Yep, I too am a fag hag.) We watched it until we knew every line. Since then I’ve picked up everything Cho that I could get my hands on.

Recently, I found your blog. I’m slowly but surely reading through your back entries, and loving them all. But the Thanksgiving entry prompted me to write. Had I read it before I left for my grandmother’s house last Thursday, I would have stayed home. As it was, I felt angry and frustrated that I was going to celebrate Thanksgiving for all of the reasons that you said. I was on my way to eat the few vegetarian items on a table filled with more food than my 30 or so overweight unhappy working class relatives should eat all week. I was on my way to listen to them bicker and one-up each other all afternoon while I wondered how to justify in my own mind my participation in this “holiday”. I arrived home and read your blog and made the decision that I’d wanted to make all day: next year, I’ll stay home and fast.

Thanks, Margaret. Keep puttin’ it out there, girlfriend!

~M___

Letter #9: Yo Cho

Margaret,

I’ll keep it short, I know you’re a busy lady. I’m S____, I’m 22 and I’m a gay male from Dallas, Texas. I just wanted to send you a “thanks” email for having a weblog. You’re truly one of the loudest, most honest voices on the forefront of combatting bigotry in all its forms – especially homophobia and racism. The weblog is very important to those of us who respect you; thanks for using it to stay close and connected. I, as well as many, many others, link to your weblog from my own. I think it’s important that people read what you have to say.

You say you will change the world, and I believe that you will. I believe that you already have – you’ve changed me, and I know I’m certainly not alone. You are truly an inspiration and I can’t wait to see the good things to come. Much love,
S______