Some once asked me if I meant everything I write on here. I replied that I meant every word. If I didn't mean it, I would never, ever put it up here. If there is one thing I believe in with a fervent passion, it is the freedom of speech & expression. Everyone should have the right to say (or in my case, write) whatever they believe. No one should have the power to silence anyone just because what is being said might be troublesome for the silencer. However, with freedom of speech & expression comes a responsibility that must never be ignored. If you are going to put something out there, you had better attach your goddamn name to it and stand behind every single word. I have said this before, "Anonymity is cowardice. If you won't attach your name to your words, you aren't worthy to write them." I believe that with sincere dedication. Being a writer should involve an occasional act of bravery and defiance. As writers, we need to be brave enough to take a stand and use our talents to point out injustice we see in this world. We need to show society what they may be unwilling to see for themselves. It is the obligation of writers to write the truth as they see it and in these times of corruption & injustice, writers cannot be fence-sitters.
All this being said, I need to write about an injustice I see in our country right now. I mean to cut out all of the bullshit and publicly declare which side I firmly put myself. Those who know me know I very often joke about serious matters. I take a candid approach to nearly everything because I have such an aversion to to seriousness & formality. Today is different, my friends. Believe me when I tell you I am being completely serious and I mean every goddamn word.
A dear friend of mine was recently kicked out of her mother's home because her mother discovered she was dating a girl. My friend, we'll call her "Sarah," had nowhere to go except out of state to live with her girlfriend. Her world, her sense of family & love was destroyed. Her mother, who is suppose to love, nurture, and care for Sarah betrayed her and turned her back on her own daughter. This, to me, is one of the biggest injustices in our society today. I know Sarah's mother very well and have had a good relationship with her throughout the years. Upon hearing of her treachery, I was infuriated. Punishing, shunning, or mistreating someone because of their sexual orientation is wrong, wrong, wrong.
Those of the LGBT community are not second class citizens and should not be treated as such. These people are citizens of our country and should be allowed all of the basic rights and freedoms that their citizenship calls for. When the Founding Fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence, they penned these inspired words,
"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 & the pursuit of Happiness."
Unfortunately, when these words were written, they did not apply to "all men". African-Americans, women, immigrants, etc. have had to fight to make these words true. They have had to fight for these so-called "unalienable" rights. They fought and have gained victory for the most part. Now people of a different sexual orientation find themselves fighting the same fight for equality. Why haven't we learned lessons from our past? Why do we still harbor so much hate towards those who are different than us?
The basis of my political/social/cultural belief system is essentially, "Don't tell me what to do and I won't tell you what to do." There is no one set way to live a life. Just as there are six billion unique people on this planet, there are 6 billion different ways to live. What works for one person doesn't always work for another. We are all just trying to find a way to live that brings us the most happiness. What right does anyone have to tell someone that their way of life is incorrect? As long as no one is infringing on your life or your rights, why should you care how anyone else lives?
Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the hatred in this world. So much hatred is generated by the belief that differences between people are bad. In the grand scheme of things, our differences are so minute in comparison to our similarities that hating each other because of them is pointless.
When I say I am on the side of gay rights, I mean to say I am on the side of human rights. I will never condone hatred towards someone because they are different. I will never consider anyone to be lower than me because they are different. And I will never support any type of political/social/cultural agenda that perpetuates injustice and hatred towards my fellow human beings.
Now you know where I stand. Now, my friends, which side are you on?
Love you.
Mean it.
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