Equal Treatment is the Constitutional RIGHT of every American– Gay or straight, black or white, man or woman–and this right should NEVER be determined by the popular vote.

The Constitution is meant to protect the minority from the prejudicial will of the majority, not give the many (by means of the vote) a way to take away the rights of a disenfranchised few!

Using the popular vote as a means to deny the equal rights of a minority is not Democracy! It is voter approved bigotry.

Even the LGBT community, by spending huge amounts of money fighting for our rights at the polls, unwittingly legitimizes the idea that our rights should be determined by the majority vote! It is time to change the strategy!

It is time to challenge our President, our Law Makers and Our Representatives to uphold the Constitution.

On February 28, 2008, as a Presidential candidate, Senator Obama stated: “Equality is a moral imperative…As your President, I will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality…I will never compromise on my commitment to equal rights for all LGBT Americans…”

Now– as our President, he tells us that we must be patient because, in his words, “there are those who still need to be convinced”.

With all due respect, Mr. President, if the African American community’s civil rights had been determined on a state by state basis by the popular vote, there are areas in our country to this day, where segregation would be the “will of the people” because “there are those who STILL need to be convinced.”

I am not equating the African American struggle, or the women’s rights struggle, or the struggle for Religious freedom, with the LGBT struggle. Each group has historically faced it’s own unique challenges and discrimination. They are, however, comparable in one way. None should be determined by the “popular vote” and none of them were– EXCEPT the civil rights of LGBT Americans. This is unacceptable!

There is NO legal or socially moral reason to deny FULL EQUALITY to all. This denial is based on a particular religious belief–and no one’s religious interpretations should be allowed to justify denying a group their Civil and Social Rights. To do so is a blatant violation of the separation of church and state.

Left out of story:
Laura Phillips never stands for the Pledge of Allegiance, dad does and continues to stand and dad is a Christian.

Will Phillips, a 10 yr. old, chose to parrot the actions of mom and not dad. He did not come up with not standing to the Pledge of Allegiance, Laura never does, for her own reasons, and she planted the idea upon Will.

Second note; Laura is registered here, not Will nor the dad.

For all the religious Christians out there, take note: “…and a child shall lead them”.

http://thethinkingcat.blogspot.com/2009/11/10-year-old-hero-making-stand-for-gay.html

I should have changed the word earlier this weekend. Thanks to you and others for catching that.

Sincerely,

James

James, what did you mean to say here? The word choices offered by others really change the meaning of your sentence. I was reading a different meaning then any of those. I read it as which ever word means he was not forced to do this by others.

————

http://dictionary.reverso.net/english-cobuild

“compulsive
1 adj You use compulsive to describe people or their behavior(*) when they cannot stop doing something wrong, harmful, or unnecessary.
ADJ n
…a compulsive liar…, He was a compulsive gambler and often heavily in debt.
♦ compulsively adv ADV with v, ADV adj

compulsory
If something is compulsory, you must do it or accept it, because it is the law or because someone in a position of authority says you must. adj (=mandatory)
In East Germany learning Russian was compulsory…, Many young men are trying to get away from compulsory military conscription.
♦ compulsorily adv ADV with v, ADV adj

impulsive
If you describe someone as impulsive, you mean that they do things suddenly without thinking about them carefully first. adj
He is too impulsive to be a responsible prime minister…
♦ impulsively adv ADV with v
”

(*)Had to correct the spelling, the dictionary had “behaviour”.

Although most realize when change is needed, especially in the face of injustice, it is a sad fact that many people do not have the courage, determination and strength of will to stand up (or in this case stay seated) and demand change. What’s more, if the injustice does not affect them directly, all too often the prevailing attitude is that, “this is someone else’s problem” or worse still that, “someone else can stick their neck out for this cause.”

Throughout our country’s long history, many brave souls have fought and given their lives to protect the rights and freedoms of everyone in this country, not just a few. It is truly a sad testament to them and their sacrifices that these same rights and freedoms are being denied to some individuals and even some active duty personnel.

In a country that loves to throw around the words “family values,” what greater value can a parent instill in their child than the ability to value another human being? What greater confirmation can a parent receive of their child’s courage and compassion than when he is willing to accept censure from his teachers and ridicule from his peers to stand up for his beliefs. What greater sign of his intelligence than when he understands that the words, “indivisible, with liberty and justice for all” are just words unless they apply equally to everyone.

With much respect and admiration to Will and Laura

James