Translator: Sabrina Chen Reviewer: Denise RQ
Well, hi, my name is Matthew Lannon.
I was really excited to do the speech.
I woke up two days ago with 102 F fever and an incredibly sore throat,
and the next day, I was woken up at 3 a.m. by my dog.
Thanks Scout, I really appreciate it.
It was really a shame
because this speech is... excuse me;
this speech has two of my biggest milestones in public speaking.
The first is I believe
this is the most people I've ever spoken in front of.
And the second is this is the first time I have spoken with a Nirvana shirt on.
(Laughter)
Oh, yeah, and this is the first time I'm speaking without a paper,
but, you know, the Nirvana shirt is more important,
so that was the first thing I thought of.
(Applause)
You are probably wondering what did I do
for me to be standing up here right now talking to you?
And that's really it.
It's a little crazy that I'm talking here right now to all of you
because I'm not any different than any other 13-year old kid,
I mean, I go to school, I do all the normal things,
but in one second I decided to change, I decided to do something.
I decided to change something,
and that's split second decision has changed my life monumentally
and will continue to change my life for years to come.
Let me back up a little bit.
When I was five years old, I was at the State House with my mom,
and this was the first time I figured out that my two moms couldn't get married,
and I couldn't comprehend that my moms couldn't get married.
They are just a happy family, they loved each other,
I was just so confused, I didn't--
If you don't understand, I mean, I have two moms and two dads,
but, I mean, it always came to me that they were... they had to be married.
They loved each other, they always showed affection,
they always hung out.
To me it always seemed like they--
Anyway, I don't even understand now why they can't get married.
That's why I am still stumbling over my words,
I don't understand why they couldn't get married for so long.
And... really...
And that's the thing, I didn't--
When I was in the winter of sixth grade, I actually decided
that I wanted to step up and do something instead of just sitting back
and waiting for someone else to do something.
My mom came down to dinner and said,
"Hey, would you guys like to hear my speech for gay marriage?"
And I said, "Oh, you're doing a speech? I want to do a speech!"
She's like, "Well, come on, you have one night,
you have to prepare it, you shouldn't do that.
Come on. Don't put so much work on yourself."
I went, "Nope, I'm going to do it."
And that's when I decided that I was going to do it,
but I really didn't know why I was going to do it.
And now, looking back, I really think I do know why I did it.
I mean, it was my family that they were voting on
it wasn't some idea; it was my family, my parents,
and how they'll choose to live their lives.
So, I went up and I spoke,
and it was one of the most nerve-racking things I've ever done.
And then I spoke at the Senate Judiciary Committee,
and again, that was really crazy
because that was the vote that really counted;
I mean, our voices had to change the minds and hearts of the people voting.
I think looking back at this experience there are three things that I learned,
three things that I learned, especially throughout this,
the first of which is that my voice matters.
I mean, people who say their voice doesn't matter, I mean, maybe not;
maybe my voice doesn't matter,
but what if it does that to your voice and your voice?
I mean, it starts with one person talking,
and then it starts with changing something, starting a movement.
It's like the same people who say their vote doesn't matter;
it does when added to hundreds and thousands more,
except if you are probably in Rhode island, then, you know...
(Laughter)
do whatever you want, man.
(Laughter)
The second lesson I learned was to choose love.
That was the statement and the motto of the Marriage Equality Movement.
And I really think it really works for more things than just gay marriage.
I mean, when I went up there,
there were many people who were speaking against gay marriage,
and I'm sure there are many people in this audience
who are against gay marriage,
and I had never--
I went up to them, and I talked to them,
and they were some of the nicest people I'd ever met.
That didn't really work for me
because I was like, "These are the people that don't want my family getting married"
and that's when I decided that really,
it doesn't matter what side of politics you're on;
you can still be friends, you can still talk to each other.
Choose love is more than just about one thing.
Choose love can be a movement.
I mean,
I guess it's more than just gay marriage, what I'm trying to say.
In every opportunity, you can choose love instead of hate.
I think that's something really important that I'll take with me throughout life.
The third thing I wanted to say
was never to read the comments in the Providence Journal.
(Laughter) (Applause)
Seriously though, my third thing that I learned throughout my life
was to trust myself.
I mean, there were terrible comments.
I can't-- terrible comments in the Providence Journal,
one of which was, "Gay people should be put down like sick dogs."
That was one of the most extreme things
that I've ever heard on either side of the issue,
and at first, that really made me depressed, that really made me sad,
but then, as I grew up, I really realized
that it doesn't matter what other people think.
I have to trust myself and what I believe in.
And basically, that's what this is all about.
It doesn't matter what other people think, it matters what you think.
And you have to step up and speak,
it doesn't matter what you think you just need it to be expressed.
So, all in all, what I have to say,
why I came out here with a fever and a sore throat
is just remember,
trust yourself, speak if you have to speak,
if there's something you care about, then speak.
Thank you.
(Applause)