We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. This is the first line of the Declaration of Independence
a fundamental cornerstone of our culture and society.
When I consider the words above, especially in the
context of the culture war being waged when it comes to equal rights for gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender people I can’t help but come to the
realization that many of my countrymen have never fully digested the words
above. If the majority truly believed
that all people are created equal, by their creator, then the majority would
gladly bestow equal rights on all the people of this great nation.
I must draw the conclusion that many people in our
society, by their actions, by their attitudes and by their behaviors view me as
less than equal and less than a full man because of what I am. There is still a long festering belief that I
somehow chose to be what I am, that I made some sort of conscious decision to
be what I am. It’s true I did make a
decision; that decision was not to be what I am, but rather not to live in
secret and in shame. My decision was to
be true to myself.
I have to wonder about friends and family members who
support politicians, pundits and businesses that openly and freely advocate
discrimination against me. I would hope
that if the shoe were on the other foot that I would not behave in such a
way. I would hope that at all costs,
that I would support, defend, nurture and advocate for any friend or family
member who I perceived to be under the heel of repression. Sadly, this isn’t the case.
