“All politics are local” is never more true than when the topic is Gay Rights it appears. It’s never more personal than when it touches you personally. One of my beautiful, smart, courageous daughters is a Lesbian and I believe she was born as such and is perfect. She is not a freak. She can’t be cured, nor does she have a disease. She is who she is, no better, no worse than anyone else of any sexual orientation.
Let’s end this nonsense about it being a choice or lifestyle. It’s not environment, none of my other children are Gay. It’s not choice, who would choose to subject themselves to such hate? It’s no more of a choice than heterosexuality is a choice. It can’t be cured. It’s not a mental defect. Looking back I thought she was just a tom boy. She stil gives me a hard time because I didn’t let her play hockey. It wasn’t because she was a girl, it was only because I thought she was too little compared to the other kids. Its not unnatural, homosexuality has been observed in more than 1,500 species. Christians tell me God doesn’t make mistakes.
You likely know someone who is Gay, even if you don’t know it. Yes, there are still plenty of people in the closet because they still fear the repercussions of coming out. As early as grade school, they learn the danger of being different than other students or even their teachers. Some live in fear of their parents because of the hateful things they say about homosexuals. I was guilty of that, before I learned my own child is Gay. If you think there is no need for this ordinance then you are just oblivious to the facts that there is still ignorance and hate directed at Gays in Anchorage.
Homosexuality is not a lifestyle. Homosexuals live in very diverse ways, just the same as heterosexuals. Just because heterosexuals are in the majority doesn’t mean they get to trounce on the rights of the minority.
The days of discrimination are clearly not over since we are having this discussion. This isn’t about feelings or perception. It’s about ensuring that people ofis any sexual orientation are treated without prejudice simply because of their sexual orientation. Our opinion of homosexuality is irrelevant. You don’t get to make the rules simply because you don’t like something. I don’t like broccoli, can I make it illegal to sell it or grow it?
The inequality of the law is that unlike others who are protected by law, homosexuals as a group are not.
Coming from a small business background myself, the arguments against the ordinance on behalf of small businesses are baseless. We know that we have to be careful and document everything when it comes to managing employees. This isn’t going to cause any new problems as long as businesses aren’t discriminating against people based on who they are.
I believe in freedom of religion. However, I also believe in freedom from religion. Most of the arguments that I have heard against the ordinance has been religious in nature. There is no legitimate legal argument for refusing people of all sexual orientations equal protection under the law. The fact that there is so much resistance to this ordinance is evidence of how much it is needed.
If your religious beliefs include that people of color are the spawn of the devil himself, then you should have the right to discriminate against them?
You know who else has that mindset? Islamic Jihadist. Is that really the kind of “freedom of religion” you want to be associated with?
You don’t have to like it. You don’t have to approve of it. You don’t have to endorse it. You don’t have to hold hands and sing Kumbaya with anyone.
Don’t let ignorance, hate and fear rot your soul, fog your mind or chill your heart. It’s time to let our Gay neighbors, friends, family and children know that they will be respected and protected from those that hate and worse than that hide behind religion to rationalize and justify their hate.
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