It’s About Being an Equal…American

Last week several of you were taken aback at my comments following the stunning and disappointing setback for equality in New York.

I don’t generally display that much emotion.  Reason being, when I do get angry, I want people to know that I’m serious.  I’m sorry if anyone was offended by my comments, but I’m equally sorry to say that that is just too damn bad.  The issue of equality in this Country (or lack there of) is one that I take seriously, and the fact that in 2009 there are still people who think they can hide behind the Bible or one of the many other excuses they give to prevent everyone from being able to enjoy the ‘riches’ of being an American makes me angry.

Today, the fight for equality moves to New Jersey.  A short time ago, the New Jersey State Senate Judiciary Committee began hearing testimony regarding a bill to ‘legalize’ same-sex marriage in the Garden State.  The committee will hear testimony from both sides and is expected to vote on the bill later today.  It is widely expected that the Committee will pass the bill and send it to a vote of the full Senate later this week (most likely Thursday).

Let me just say that I don’t hate Republican’s because they are against same-sex marriage, just as I don’t hate Catholics and anyone else who has their reason to be against this issue.  You are all entitled to your opinion.  But at the end of the day, your opinion doesn’t mean you have the right to deny people of their right to be just like you.

As I’ve said many times and history has proven — time and time again this country, which boasts about being the fairest in the world, is also the most hypocritical — for time and time again it discriminates against an entire group of its citizens, branding them not worthy and essentially casting them aside.  It’s only after years of fighting for what’s rightfully theirs to begin with that are they finally ‘granted’ rights and recognized as equals.

First it was women, then African-American’s and now its gay people.  We never learn…we never move forward.  And even when we do we do so by taking baby steps.  

Those of you who still think being gay is about choice and that this issue has nothing to do with civil rights, please note that Dr. Julian Bond, a man who walked along side Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for justice and equality during the civil rights movement and the current President of the NAACP, is in Trenton this morning on behalf of the fight for equality for same-sex marriage.

In the end it’s about doing the right thing, and if you can’t see that…if you can’t understand that denying the rights of others is the most un-American you can be, then I have nothing to say to you because you don’t get it and probably never will.  And this goes for some of my African-Amercian friends who seem to have forgotten what it's like to be on the wrong side of a discriminating mob.  As Dr. Bond has said time and time again, "Black people, of all people, should not oppose equality."

May God grant the courage and wisdom to the members of the NJ State legislator to DO THE RIGHT THING!