|
|||||
 Our community’s greatest hope for ultimate equality is that we have a strong Constitution — one that applies to everyone equally. We need a Constitution where “equal protection” means equal protection for all and not equal protection except for certain people. To stand by silently and allow public discourse twist the First Amendment of the Constitution in such a manner that most people agree what the words say and mean, but in the same breath then side against a despised group saying those people should not use/should not be able to use that First Amendment right to build near Ground Zero is not in our best interests. Note: one location has quickly become 5 locations across the US — that’s how slippery this slope is. I’m not Muslim, none of my best friends are Muslim, and I don’t think I even have any Muslim friends (I don’t go around asking). But here’s what I know. They are a despised group. We are a despised group. I think we are less despised now than they are; but 30 years ago, we were probably just as despised as they are now. Neither group is homogeneous. To associate all Muslims with the terrorists is like associating all gays with NAMBLA — and at one time that was the reality of our situation and we didn’t like it one bit. “But they attacked us on 9/11,” you say. Yeah and a lot of gays attacked (preyed upon,abused) young children and caused irreparable harm. However, is that a good enough reason to oppose equal rights for all gays — based on the few really despicable ones that did irreparable harm? It is amazing to me how the Republicans keep coming up with emotional and fear based issues that divide us — which bring them electoral victory time after time. It’s even more amazing to me how the American people keep falling for the same trick time after time— only the villains (scapegoats) change. So is it good that we are now no longer the bottom group on the ladder — having been replaced by Muslims and immigrants? Probably. It shows that all our hard work and education has paid off and made it harder to target us. However, I firmly believe that if the bigots successfully knock off (are victorious over) the Muslims and the immigrants, they can and will come back after us with more strength and venom than before. And if they weaken the Constitution, that will definitely come back to haunt us. It’s always easy to find the differences (or special situations) between two struggles for civil rights and use those differences as reasons not to support the grand principles in our Constitution. Many African American preachers have managed to emphasize the differences in the struggles between black Americans and gay Americans and use these differences as a reason to oppose gay rights. But if you stick to the broad principles of the Constitutions with respect to the power of the majority over a disliked/not understood/despised minority — all our struggles are more the same than different. Today’s NYTimes has a good article on the fact that Muslims are not one homogeneous group….and how America’s ignorance of that only harms our country in the long run. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/17/opinion/17dalrymple.html?ref=todayspaper
The lesbian and gay community is closely watching Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to see if he includes LGBT families in his Senate version of Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) legislation. Senator Schumer is scheduled to introduce his bill within a couple of weeks. Will his bill be an inclusive bill? The Democratic Party has a history of telling the LGBT community that we are part of their America, part of their vision for America. In fact, Senator Schumer himself as chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) made similar statements when fundraising in the gay community. Now that Senator Schumer is responsible for the Senate version of CIR, we will find out whether all these words were hollow or if he meant them. Will Senator Schumer’s immigration bill demonstrate that gays are part of his America? Will it be inclusive of gays? There are innumerable reasons why any Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill must include gay and lesbian couples. Here are just a few: 1. It’s really not comprehensive if it doesn’t include our families. 2. The Democratic/Obama/Progressive coalition includes women, blacks, Latinos AND gays and this coalition should not be divided by our own side. The Republicans always try to divide us. The Democrats shouldn’t be helping them do this. The coalition is strongest when it’s together. 3. In a bill that is going to cover 12 to 15 million immigrants, gay partners add only 18,000 more people (there are 36,000 binational gay couples — and one half of each couple is already a US citizen). Adding 18,000 to a bill that will include 12 to 15 million total people is miniscule. 4. After repeatedly telling us that we are part of their America, to exclude LGBT foreign born partners when the immigration laws are being revised to welcome new immigrants, would be a slap in the face by Senator Schumer in particular and the Democratic Party in general. 5. It’s simply the right thing to do. Another reason gays must be part of immigration reform is to simply catch up with the rest of the civilized world. Of the world’s leading 20 democracies, 19 allow their gay citizens to sponsor their foreign born partner so that both can live in that country together. The 20th country, the United States, does not. Most of these countries, like the US, don’t recognize gay marriage, so it’s not a marriage issue. In fact, all the other English speaking countries (our cultural cousins) have provisions in their immigrations laws to allow gay partners to stay together in that country. Unfortunately, a US citizen who falls in love with a foreign born citizen usually ends up having to move to another country. The citizen must live in exile if the couple wishes to stay together. If you wish to weigh in with Senator Schumer to tell him CIR must be inclusive of gay families, his office number is: (202) 224-6542. Ask to speak with or leave a message for a Judiciary Aide.
|
 
 | ||||
