now is praise for real men:today is my father's 96th birthday. what he showed me: honesty, compassion, humour, commitment to family,joy in life and love. he taught me to share in the work, to lead by example, to be tolerant but still hold to my values. he would have been perhaps amused by Trump, disgusted by Cruz, but not voted for democrats, because he was an Ike man, a Goldwater man, but not a nixon  or bush man: he hated war and encouraged me to be a resister. "I will drive you to Canada myself" he told me in 1970, but he respected my decision to stay in this country and work against the War. he acknowledged my queer self but still felt that it was somehow wrong. he always wished for grandchildren and did not live long enough to see that queer people could parent, too. thanks, Daddy, for your way, the way of honor. i miss your smile, namaste,brooks lynn