Way to go America!

I was watching the news last night with my mom. Betwixt reports of a baby killed by a cult and something else just as gruesome, a story was presented about a gay marriage bill in Pennsylvania. I support gay marriage, or at least the rite to a civil union, so the story intrigued me. I was rather disgusted to find out it was yet another hateful bigot making a big stink and someone's words blown out of proportion.

Gilbert Coleman Jr., a black pastor from Freedom Christian Bible Fellowship in Philadelphia, recently attended an Appropriations Committee hearing on a bill that would outlaw and snuff out gay marriage in the state of Pennsylvania. Senator Vincent J. Fumo opposes this bill. During the heated debate in which Coleman said that gay marriage is wrong and should not be allowed, Fumo said , "What you are advocating here is that we take away the rights of a minority. And I don't think that's right. If we introduced a bill on slavery, it might pass. That doesn't make it right." ""I doubt that, sir," responded Coleman.

"Oh, don't bet on it in this General Assembly," Fumo fired back, "I know some people up here, especially on a secret ballot, it would be almost unanimous."

Coleman said Wednesday, the day after the debate that the comments "certainly came out of leftfield" and were misguided. However he was not angry "because of the source where it was coming from. They came from an angry man, angry over his own personal situation."

Also on Wednesday Fumo said that he was "obviously exaggerating to make a point. If a majority would vote to approve slavery -- as was done once in this country -- that wouldn't make it right," he continued. "I wanted people at the hearing to face the fact that denying human rights to any group, including homosexuals, at any point in our history, including in 2008, is wrong."

There was of course a backlash to these comments. People stating that Fumo went too far stating that renouncing gay marriage equates to legalizing slavery. Mr. Coleman certainly thinks so. I hate to say it, but it's exactly the same thing and I agree whole-heartedly with what Senator Fumo said. If this bill were to pass it would be denying a group of American people a basic human right. Gay people are no different from everybody else, save their sexual preference.

Granted, their choice of lifestyle is very different from the norm in this country. But we can't all be bible thumping football loving republicans now can we? It shouldn't matter who they love or have sex with. They were born in this country and therefore as American citizens should have the same opportunities and privileges as everyone else. The situation concerning black slaves and gay people is essentially the same - a minority is being oppressed and is viewed as less than human.

Situations like this really make me ill. Leave the gays alone. They are just trying to live their lives like everyone else. I dream of a world in which prejudice is dead. A world where fundamental christians shut the hell up and leave people alone. Jesus never said "hate everyone who isn't like you," he said "love thy neighbor." How difficult is that to accomplish? Loving each other is easier than hating each other. It takes more energy to hate. I hope that Pennsylvania really pulls through on this vote. While it failed me in the primary election, allowing Hilary Clinton and not Barrak Obama to win ( don't even get me started on that), it voted for John Kerry for president four years ago. So I'm holding on to that little glimmer of hope that PA will make the right decision, as it did that day four years ago.

all quotes found here