oh, no, alec...thank YOU...you have had a life time of patience waiting for some of us to understand. What is that quote
??" the journey of a thousand (maybe a million) miles begins with the first step..."Lets raise a glass to the first step, and all of those steps that will follow, on this journey to peace on earth, real goodwill to all humanity, and equality for mankind...the women fought for it and got it, the African americans fought for it and got it, we can win it too....however our hurdle may be a bit wider, beause this is viewed by some in the mainstream as a moral issue. until we get people to look beyond the deepley ingrained religious overtones that surround these issues and look at them in the bold light of day, it will be a struggle, never doubt it, but you just can't lay down....you have to step up, put out your hand, say loud for all to hear "this isn't right, it isn't decent, it isn't moral....it is judgement of another human being from people with no right to judge, and it must stop.....and I for one will help, with everything i have in me, my brothers and sisters fight this travesty."
i hate to always have to bring up the religious aspect, but that is the basis for all of the discrimination, is it not?? i just wonder with what misguided sense of selfrighteousness do people set themselves up as judges and jury for a whole segment of society...
? remember the stories of when black americans had to ride in the back of the bus?? go to separate bathrooms, would not be served in many eating establishments..couldn't use the water fountains...wouldn't be hired...couldn't go to school where they lived...couldn't live in the "white" areas of the city, and on and on?? i was in high school when the Martin Luther King marches were going on..i remember how hard and long that fight was, and i also remember where it was won....it began in the streets, but it was won in the statehouses all across america, and in washington, by politicians who saw how wrong it was and were determined to effect change. I'm not saying there is still not prejudiced people here, there are, but the LAWS have changed, and they have no real power anymore, and guess what,
it is ILLEGAL to discriminate on the basis of color, race, religion, national origin.....ooops did they leave out your weight, and sexual orientation?? i THINK SO!! oh, yes, the ignorance is there, it can't be irradicated by written word, but it is impotent and again, i say, ILLEGAL!!
AND i believe We can see this happen again, we CAN see that, as you say, Alec, it could all be so simple....just let people live their lives...no heriocs, no fireworks, no change in anything we hold dear, just letting everyday citizens have peace, love, respect and in the future, not even have to think about it one way or the other...just people, all different, but all the same, living in a world where there really IS liberty and justice FOR ALL....with NO exceptions..no "buts" attached....
there will be a day, and i can see it, when little gay kids from Buffalo, or in any city in this country will never know what you have all gone through every day of your life...will be accepted from the beginning...never know the prejudice, the hatred and unreasoning judgement meted out by self appointed judges that exists now...they will live in a world where the only thing wrong and unlawful will be inhumanity to man...murder, rape, abuse, thievery..speeding?? but not merley living the life one was born to live. That is the future we must always keep before our eyes..it is for them that we fight....and i am not just giving this lip service...i want all the straight people who are on this board because of your love for BBM and your newly opened eyes for your G/L brothers and sisters, to consider a real change in your own life....talk it up....don't be afraid to verbalize your disagreement, don't be afraid to stand up and defend them in public to a crowd of 1 or 1,000!! when there is this kind of wrong, we need to stop it, not sit by and let it happen...its now or never, people, right here, on the front lines, fully dressed for battle, arm and arm...lets begin this good fight....
and i have to apologize, for repeating myself, for not being able to answer a post with less than 500 words, and for not seeing all of this 30 years ago....
smooches...
gay lee
