It would appear we’ve entered into a very critical time in our social history and development as a culture, if not a civilization. To put it into the proper perspective: we’ve achieved a cultural milestone with the election of the first African-American President. That should reflect on us that we’ve moved pass a lot of our stunted social bias and negativity. Surprisingly there appears to be a rise of prejudice in America, more than ever before, except the focus has shifted toward another one of our nation’s groups of minorities. And the gay and lesbian community has if anything, always been the most encompassing of groups in this country able to look past the destructive strife that pulls apart our country and find a way to challenge adversity.
If you don’t believe me, just take a closer look. The gay community is made up of all kinds of individuals from all walks of life that prove we all have something in common. We’re hispanic. We’re black. We’re asian and indian. We’re also white. We’re rich and we’re poor, and some of us are even middle class, or blue collar. We’re sons, daughters, sisters and brothers; we’re cousins, aunts and uncles, and nieces or nephews. We’re even fathers and mothers. Some of us rescue dogs and others shelter cats, and we care for our pets.
We’re metropolitan and cosmopolitan; from the midwest and from the snowy tundra. We’re immigrants with vision, and nationalized citizens who have sought freedom from prosecution, and we’re Americans with the power to make things happen. We’re teachers, we’re doctors, we’re construction workers and scientists. We’re not always hair dressers, designers, floral arrangers or party planners, and some of us aren’t the most fashionable...we wear glasses to read and not because of the label.
Anyone who has seen our flag waving proudly and wondered why it’s made up of the colors of the rainbow...we chose those colors because it reflects all walks of life -- every color of the spectrum; like Americans.
When Harvey Milk proclaimed on his soap box “I am here to recruit you!” it wasn’t to induct someone into a life wrought of decadence or indecency -- it was to stand and be counted, to be visible and especially to know that someone was watching your back. He wasn’t just talking about gays...he was referring to everyone and anyone who felt disenfranchised and needed a way out of the shadows into the safety of the better, brighter world that we’re all a part of. If we take any lesson from Harvey Milk it is that when he meant community he was speaking to everyone, because he understood we are all connected.
In the history of the world there has always existed a group that was forced to relegate itself and to sit in a corner for no other obvious reason than because that’s what another faction expected them to do. Otherwise how can they feel better about themselves, if there isn’t a group that they can look down upon from their own fragile pedestals. And when they stumble off of that pedestal -- and you can bet they will because everyone has to be humbled -- and find themselves looking up and into the glare, who will be waiting to help them up?
Fortunately there will be a person somewhere who will have compassion enough to lend a hand and grant support. Chances are that person will be a homosexual, because a gay person knows what it feels like to be looked down upon and made to feel “less than”.
If gays don’t discriminate, then why do you?
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