He was a symbol of hope to me. I saw him as a man I could trust if I had a choice to put someone in the White House.
I saw him as a man who was a leader. I also saw him as a man who would and could defy the odds.
He was a man who had the blood of white and black people flowing through his veins. He was a Christian and yet had Muslim ties.
He was his own mixing pot. This was something this country was born and made of.
There were so many who said that he could never be elected because of the color of his skin and his religious background.
There were so many that hated him because they saw him as different.
There were so many that feared him because they couldn't or wouldn't allow themselves to relate to who he.
I had hopes that he could overcome this.... and he did.
On November 4, 2008, the people of The United States Of America elected Barack Obama the first African-American President.
I found it so ironic that on the night that the people of this country overlooked their fears and prejudices toward a race that they for so long suppressed, that they would come together and take away the rights of a group of people because of their sexual orientation.
On November 4, 2008, the people of the state of California took away the right for same sex couples to marry.
In the shining moment that showed this country has stepped beyond the bigotry and hate it was known for towards it's black citizens it decided to turn it's ignorant eye on it's gay citizens.
Love is love, straight or gay, someone once said. The love of two same sex people is as strong and equal as any other love in the world.
Love is from within ones own self. With this being said, I ask, how could someone from outside of this bond of love be able to decide if these two people could be married or not?
"It's against God's word" is one argument but what if MY God doesn't see it that way? Is this not the United States Of America? Is this not the "Land Of The Free"? Do I not have the right to believe in what I choose?
This marriage between two people has nothing to do with any other party, no matter how hard they try to justify it.
What needs to be ask is for the people who look upon gay marriage as wrong to take an honest and deep look within themselves. They need to ask themselves and answer truthfully why they think they have the right to decide if two people of any sex could marry or not. When do they have the right to be the "third" person in a marriage?
I ask why should one's beliefs be forced upon others when they have their own beliefs.
What I see is fear, hate and ignorance hidden behind the purity and innocence of religion. This fact allow is far more fearful then the fact of two same sex couples being united in marriage because of love.
You could be a devote Christian. You could come from the perfect family. You could work in the corporate world. You could love your husband or your wife, brother or sister. You could cherish the most adorable children and smother them with all your love but the fact remains that with in all these "perfect" scenarios, we are among you.
We worship at your church. We are in your perfect families. We work beside you. We are your brothers and sisters and sometimes your husbands and wives. We are all someone children.
When you open your eyes and see us among you I only hope then you see and feel true love and understanding and hopefully someday you'll realize, when someone you care about and love happens to be gay, why being equal is so important.
I saw him as a man who was a leader. I also saw him as a man who would and could defy the odds.
He was a man who had the blood of white and black people flowing through his veins. He was a Christian and yet had Muslim ties.
He was his own mixing pot. This was something this country was born and made of.
There were so many who said that he could never be elected because of the color of his skin and his religious background.
There were so many that hated him because they saw him as different.
There were so many that feared him because they couldn't or wouldn't allow themselves to relate to who he.
I had hopes that he could overcome this.... and he did.
On November 4, 2008, the people of The United States Of America elected Barack Obama the first African-American President.
I found it so ironic that on the night that the people of this country overlooked their fears and prejudices toward a race that they for so long suppressed, that they would come together and take away the rights of a group of people because of their sexual orientation.
On November 4, 2008, the people of the state of California took away the right for same sex couples to marry.
In the shining moment that showed this country has stepped beyond the bigotry and hate it was known for towards it's black citizens it decided to turn it's ignorant eye on it's gay citizens.
Love is love, straight or gay, someone once said. The love of two same sex people is as strong and equal as any other love in the world.
Love is from within ones own self. With this being said, I ask, how could someone from outside of this bond of love be able to decide if these two people could be married or not?
"It's against God's word" is one argument but what if MY God doesn't see it that way? Is this not the United States Of America? Is this not the "Land Of The Free"? Do I not have the right to believe in what I choose?
This marriage between two people has nothing to do with any other party, no matter how hard they try to justify it.
What needs to be ask is for the people who look upon gay marriage as wrong to take an honest and deep look within themselves. They need to ask themselves and answer truthfully why they think they have the right to decide if two people of any sex could marry or not. When do they have the right to be the "third" person in a marriage?
I ask why should one's beliefs be forced upon others when they have their own beliefs.
What I see is fear, hate and ignorance hidden behind the purity and innocence of religion. This fact allow is far more fearful then the fact of two same sex couples being united in marriage because of love.
You could be a devote Christian. You could come from the perfect family. You could work in the corporate world. You could love your husband or your wife, brother or sister. You could cherish the most adorable children and smother them with all your love but the fact remains that with in all these "perfect" scenarios, we are among you.
We worship at your church. We are in your perfect families. We work beside you. We are your brothers and sisters and sometimes your husbands and wives. We are all someone children.
When you open your eyes and see us among you I only hope then you see and feel true love and understanding and hopefully someday you'll realize, when someone you care about and love happens to be gay, why being equal is so important.
3 comments:
Rick, thanks for your post. I agree one hundred percent. In addition though, I can't help but feeling tremendous anger. The gay and lesbian community was in the forefront of the civil rights movement in America. We marched in mass to help our African American brothers and sisters fight for their inherent rights and freedoms. On Tuesday where were they in California? Where were they in Arizona? Where they in Arkansas? They were not there for us, they did not return the favor. We struggle alone. To our Jewish friends out there. We also died by the thousands in the Holocaust. Our suffering like yours has lasted thousands of years. Where were they in California? Only when all those cast out by society have their basic rights, and only then will there be the chance for justice. Thanks Rick for your forum, as always I admire your intelligence and personal courage.
Land of the free, as long as you do as I say.
I was totally shocked, not that America would vote in Barack Obama, that was ordained, but that Americans had back peddled on the gay issue. I couldn't believe that in California, of all places, would turn its back on history.
The gay and lesbian communities have my sympathy in their darkest hour.
AV
http://netherregionoftheearthii.blogspot.com/
http://tomusarcanum.blogspot.com/
Rick, after reading this several times, I have stolen a quote (yellow paragraph) and used it as a link on my blog. As the proud stepfather of an equally proud, but gay stepson, I am fully supportive of all in this respect. (Sometimes Julio is to loud and proud - LOL)
AV
http://netherregionoftheearthii.blogspot.com/
http://tomusarcanum.blogspot.com/
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