Just to warn you this is a rant about the absurdity that is America...
The 14th amendment to the constitution guarantees Equal protection under the law for all citizens, but still gays and lesbians are denied the simplest of rights. The state I reside in (Michigan) has no provision to protect the GLBT community for discrimination and hate crimes. According to the state constitution crimes towards the homosexual community doesn't meet the standards of a hate crime, but yet verbal attacks on evangelical christians does! Right now there are 6 U.S. states that allow same-sex marriage. The Maine and Iowa Marriage Equality laws are under attack saying that we will indoctrinate children in the schools. Prop. 8 passed in California using the same tactics. I may sound bitter, but I am sick and tired of being treated like a second class citizen on the land of the free and the home of the brave or should I say the land of the privileged and the home of the bigoted. On Sunday, Oct. 11 there was a large gay rights march and rally in Washington D.C. 250,000 GLBT people and allies turned out, but the event was largely ignored by the mainstream media. The Republican candidate for Governor in the State of Virgina vows to overturn an Anti-Discrimination act geared towards the LGBT community. The the Minority leader in the House of Representatives Rep. John Boehner is trying to kill a Hate Crimes bill and wants to submit a bill to protect christians instead he says "You are christian by birth, Homosexual by choice."
I am so sick and tired of this, even with a pro-gay rights president we still have Don't Ask Don't Tell and the Defense of Marriage Act. At the rate it's going I think Mexico will have full equality before we will.
Thanks all for listening, just needed to vent my anger
I feel you..
But, (and I'm not talking down to you), you're only 19..
When I was 19, almost 30 years ago, it was a lot, lot worse here.. We've gained rights so quickly, and with so little loss that I'm a little astounded by how fast it's happening. I lived through Anita Bryant, and Ronald Reagan, through the AIDS pandemic (which isn't over, so play safe), and through Don't ask, Don't tell..
When I was 19 I never thought that I'd see equality in my lifetime, yet the District of Columbia (that's Washington DC for you Brits) is about to pass a resolution that will effectively make the Defense of Marriage bill moot. And while I'm certain that the supreme court will end up involved, 10 year ago, I'd be certain that it would not end up in our favor, where now we've got a shot.
For every three steps forward, we've got one step back. Unfortunately that's life, and 3 to 1 is better than most get.
Buck up, we'll get there, probably faster than you think.
I really hope the Marriage Equality resolution passes in D.C., I am currently working with Michigan Equality to overturn our gay marriage ban which passed in 2004. Kalamazoo a city in southwest michigan is voting on an anti-discrimination ordinance for LGBT people, so yeah change is happening. I guess I'm just impatient, especially when I see Canada with full equality right across the river from my town.
I don't mean this to sound condescending or trite but I would advise you to count your blessings there are many places in the world far worse to be gay or lesbian than any one of the fifty states.
libertylove4 Wrote:The 14th amendment to the constitution guarantees Equal protection under the law for all citizens, but still gays and lesbians are denied the simplest of rights.
With respect, you enjoy the many of the rights that straight Americans enjoy. You have the right to liberty, this includes gay sex, in some countries the being convicted of gay sex may mean the death penalty, you have the right to property, you have the right to seek legal redress, for example to enforce your rights under the 14th Amendment and you have the right to free speech, where your rights are infringed or you are discriminated against you have the right to say so and that it is wrong. A bill currently going through the Ugandan parliament would make such statements punishable by a prison term of several years.
libertylove4 Wrote:The state I reside in (Michigan) has no provision to protect the GLBT community for discrimination and hate crimes. According to the state constitution crimes towards the homosexual community doesn't meet the standards of a hate crime, but yet verbal attacks on evangelical christians does!
What actual extra protection do you get from making a homophobic assault a hate crime rather than an actual crime? It lengthens the prison sentence, but there is precious little evidence that the length of a prison term if caught and convicted enters the head of such thugs just before they beat you up. Yes, the distinction between which groups are protected by 'hate crime status' and which are not is discrimination written into law, but as far as I can see 'hate crime status' is something that politicians give to a group whose support they want but don't want to do what that group really wants, that includes ourselves.
Yes you lack protection from discrimination in employment, housing, etc. and all the benefits and protections of state sanctioned marriage, but don't forget the rights that you do have.
libertylove4 Wrote:I may sound bitter, but I am sick and tired of being treated like a second class citizen on the land of the free and the home of the brave or should I say the land of the privileged and the home of the bigoted.
Its good that you are angry about how you are treated, no one can make you accept second class status but you, but even as a second class American you enjoy far more rights and freedoms than much of the rest of the world so enjoy them and be thankful for them. But carry on campaigning.
Fred
Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.
Fredv3b I agree and I am thankful for the rights that I do have, such as having the right to write the above rant without fear of sanction by the state. I was just outlining the hypocrisy evident in American society. We call ourselves the freest country in the world, but yet we do not give our citizens rights and protections that they have in South Africa. My only goal with this thread was to point out areas where America needs work. The change will come though, American's aren't keen on living with second class status.
Why don't you move here to Massachusetts? I like living here because we were the 1st state to allow for gay marriage, although it wasn't an easy battle. Here is a small timeline of things I remember!
(It's not 100% accurate)
2001-3: 8 gay/lesbian couples sue Mass. SJC
2003: The 8 couples won their lawsuit against the SJC,
2004: A lot of bigots and creeps from MA and other states (Some crazy southerners flew up here too) to try to stop gay marriage.
May 17, 2004: Gay marriage is allowed in MA, gay couples start getting married.
2007: Our ex gov. (Bigot Romney) sues the SJC because lawmakers were ignoring the topic that would put a question on a ballot for 2008 to be voted: To allow gay marriage or not.
The legislator was forced to vote (which would have put a human rights question on the ballot). Out of 200 law makers, only 50 would have to win to allow the question to go on the ballot.
It wasn't looking good because I think 57 lawmakers voted, so it was 7 over.
Our new Gov. Deval Patrick came to office, convincing lawmakers that it was unconstitutional to put a question about human rights on the ballot.
So they voted and only 45 voted to put the question on the ballot. Which wasn't enough (they needed 5 more)
Which meant that gay marriage is safe in MA.
I really think that God helped on this one and punished the bad people who came up to our state from Georgia and tricked people into signing fake petitions pretending to be papers to stop animal cruelty. Even gay people, who were married, got tricked into signing away their rights.
There were a lot of hateful people who came to this state to try to stop it. A lot of physical assaults on gay rights activists. And a lot more, but gay
marriage still won and nothing's changed. People thought the world was going to come to an end but now it's fine. I want to get married :tongue:
Nothing will get better if we accept we don't have things so badly, because others have it worse. Fairness is a worthy aspiration for all. We happen to be fortunate to live in places where we are further along that road than many. That doesn't mean the journey is over.
Believe me gaygay33 if I wasn't stuck in Michigan for college I would be in Massachusetts in a heartbeat, full equality must be nice.
I like to think of myself being a member of the new young gay upsurge in America that is sick of being patient and ready for change now rather than later. To quote Lady GaGa, "Obama, I know you're listening. Are you listening!!!!!"
Marriage equality will pass in Washington DC. There is only one dissenting vote, and that's from Marion Barry. He's worried about "eroding family values". Yes, the same man who was arrested for smoking crack in a hotel room with a prostitute while he was married, and the mayor, is now worried about family values.
He's a joke, and everyone knows it. The only reason he keeps getting voted onto the city council is so we can keep track of his whereabouts.
The problem is that whenever the District makes a law, it's got to be approved by congress, and we'll be in for a fight there. The opportunity is that if congress does nothing, then marriage equality becomes the de facto law of the land, and DOMA is dead.
I suspect that congress will do the usual grandstanding, and not much more, and the act will pass with little or no notice outside of the beltway.
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I want to get married 
