Sometimes American anger boils over. As a child of the 1960s I witnessed the brutality of the Civil Rights movement live on the evening news followed by a good dose of the gore of Vietnam every night. My parents, Democrats committed to public service to this day discussed these horrific events and sights after the news with us on a daily basis. I had no idea that I was being raised color-blind with a great hatred for violence of any kind especially when the victim was an unwilling participant or innocent civilian.
T.V. in the 60s brought home the message that not all Americans were equal. Even at that age I knew it was wrong. This despite the fact that I was raised in the Deep South. I had the blessing of the scientific aerospace community surrounding me to help me think and grow forward. A strong education at an early age about out government taught me that the purpose of the laws of our nation and the core documents of our very foundation were based on equality for ALL American citizens. Someday it will happen our society is moving forward. That is what my American parents taught their American child.
As an openly Gay teen in the 70s I began to experience what it was like to be discriminated against. My parents had taught me to love myself and that as long as treated others equally someday it would get better. All Americans have equal rights. Someday it will happen our society is moving forward. That is what my American parents promised their American child.
The 80s came to pass and I was living in California. Then all suddenly friends around me began dropping dead from something no one knew anything about. Many of us, I dare say most, thought for sure we would die soon. No one can imagine the pain of a 24 year-old living his dream of being a good parent having to plan for his children’s life without him. 24. 1986. When testing finally became available we learned otherwise..Yet the religious amongst us used it as an excuse to condemn us not only as Americans but as human beings as well. Good American kids, many died alone just like Vietnam. Someday it will happen. It was still my parents promise to me.
The 90s came and a great leader gave us hope. And then the religious right snatched it away and deemed us unworthy. Forcing this great man to betray his conscious and a core group of his supporters. Fortunately prosperity ruled and medicine made great progress. But hatred and discrimination abounded. Someday it will happen. It became my promise to my children who were treated as second class citizens and denied the protections and rights that children of married couples enjoyed.
For the last eight years we have been the doormat of the leader of our nation and his party and his good friends the religious right. We have lived back home in Texas where hatred has abounded, division is the soup de jour. Our nation’s young people are dying ALONE overseas based upon lies and the religious amongst us now actively work to take rights AWAY from fellow American citizens and even INSPIRE violence against them. I know I was almost beaten to death for being Gay, standing in line inside a Kentucky Fried Chicken. Someday it will happen. It is a promise I make to myself and my children.
For the last year and a half I have seen this promise of equal rights for all Americans grow closer than ever. Yet I think the man who has become the President of the United does not fully understand the plight of an entire segment of Americans. Gay Americans who are regularly discriminated against in employment, housing, parenthood and most everywhere in general….oh yeah and by our own government. Taxation without representation. As a Gay couple we have not forgotten the cry of that great moment in history for we live it. Taxed as two single individuals.
When will these equal rights that my governments foundation and my parents promised me come to exist? Will it be in my lifetime or will my children speak of this moment in history and tell their children the tale of the Christian-only ingauguration and how a great man helped our nation move towards theocracy?
Someday it will happen. With or without you. Mr President it has been your promise to ALL Americans. Equality. When? Anger WILL boil over eventually and I don’t want my children or grandchildren to watch Gay people being beaten in the streets on the evening news. Do you?
First before you gung-ho supporters start tossing out the "troll" lable trying to intimidate me check out our profile...we've been around supporting Barack Obama since early on....but no more.
This young, affluent, LIBERAL Gay couple will NOT be voting for him.
Barack may think my children deserve to be second-class citizens lacking the protections and rights children of married couples enjoy, but he's dead wrong.
We along with many, many Gay Americans will NOT be voting for him. His pathetic statement that we should get to visit our partners in the hospital as his stance on Gay marriage last Saturday made me want to puke.
He's no different than McCain, whom at least has experience. We as Democrats made a horrific error in judgement when we nominated Barack instead of Hillary. We will now pay with the White House.
I'm sick I have NO candidate to vote for, to trust or to believe in. Barack is obviously in the pocket of the christians and will bow graciously to their bigotry at every chance.
We've supported Barack since very early on, sorry, but we can't stomach him anymore. He got our money and thats all he wanted anyway....just like Chicago in 2004.
EDITED 08/30/08
After his acceptance speech at the convention we have seen a different Barack and it has helped restore our faith in him. We of course will be voting for him, as we have no choice. But now, finally we can feel good about actively supporting him.
Even those in states like Texas. Despite its diverse urban populations Texas remains a state guided and directed by bigotry. Will Barack be able to better the our lives and protect our families? Will he be be able to protect us from the religious community he belongs to and embraces?
What do you think?
