How the US really feels about gays

Signing a UN declaration is roughly as binding as your New Years resolution. Still, they are symbolic representations, somewhat like a lofty resolution, indicating an important issue which needs attention. It’s why I’m appalled the US failed to sign a UN declaration aiming at decriminalizing homosexuality. Of course, I’m not entirely surprised, since the government seems to have no regard for civil liberties when pertaining to sexual orientation. There are still states that allow employers to discriminate against gays, and on a federal level, homosexuals aren’t allowed in the military.

I’ve been repeatedly asked why I talk and write extensively on the issue of homosexuality, since it does not directly pertain to atheism. I started this site and podcast as a way of expressing my concern about many issues I felt were, and are, important to a moral society. During the civil rights movement, there were a number of whites who fought for equal rights of African Americans. Their conviction that the attitudes of their fellow citizens did not reflect the principles they believed in drove them to do this. They also correctly viewed that segregationists were on the wrong side of history. I believe the only real difference is the discrimination of homosexuals seems only acceptable to others because it is a matter of sexuality, not race.

In many places around the world, homosexuals are beaten, tortured, and killed over their difference. They are hated and despised. We use the term ‘gay’ to mean stupid, undesirable, wrong, or lame. Imagine if we were all using other racial slurs in our language? Would we consider ourselves a progressive society?

Homosexuals are hoping with the departure of Bush, President-elect Barack Obama may have a more favorable disposition towards them, but his choice of minister for his inauguration does not provide much hope of any general improvement. Homosexuals are still second class citizens, and the majority of the population doesn’t seem to care. So long as that’s true, I’ll continue to fight the good fight.

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