Dear Megan:
Hey, girl, hey.
I'm not sure if you remember me in your plethora of hate tweets that you tweeted over the years, but we had a number of exchanges. I produced LARAMIE: 10 YEARS LATER here in Hollywood with an all-star cast. You told me you were coming. You didn't. I was bummed, because we had ordered sandwiches for you guys.
Last year I even visited you guys at your church/ home/ place. I made a sign and everything! But no one was home.
I even made a movie about it!!
When I woke up to messages from family and friends that you had left the church, I literally burst into tears. I sat in bed for 20 minutes reading your letter with ugly tears (like bad Oprah crying) streaming my face and I couldn't stop.
I am so proud of you.
I am so happy for you.
I (we) never felt hate in our hearts toward YOU. Sure, we didn't like you that much, but the action of you physically removing yourself from that situation, is a strength that most humans will never know. That was your family and your main source of interaction with people. We get it. Trust me, we ALL get it.
Welcome to the rest of your life, Megan. One that isn't about "hate." One that will undoubtedly kick you in the teeth and have you screaming for mercy, but one that can live in hope and faith.
Megan, it would be the great honor of my church, my people to have you as a guest. We can fly you in and put you up and give you a tour of Hollywoodland if you want. Dog and pony show. But I want to show you what a CHURCH based on love and community is all about.
Hollywood United Methodist Church feeds nearly 200 homeless people every Tuesday. We send teams to Haiti to rebuild homes. We are active with the HIV/ AIDS ministries for those in need in our area. We build homes for Habitat for Humanity. We make health kits for natural disasters... we do a lot. We have families - both straight and gay. We have movie stars and we have homeless people in our pews. We want to make the world better.
You don't have to do anything. We're not going to make you stand on a stage and talk. We just want you to come and breathe and feel what a community trying to make the world a better place, should be.
So if you are, let me know. You will always have an invitiation with us. I hope you say yes. Pauley Perrette hopes you say "yes." Ben Patrick Johnson hopes you say "yes." The Rev. Kathy Cooper-Ledesma hopes you say "yes." We feel a special bond to you after all your tweeting over the years.
And know that we all, everyone at our church, forgive you. And we wish you support and kindness and love.
Love,
Chad (and everyone at Hollywood United Methodist Church)
