Happy Pride Month!

As I'm sitting here in my hotel room in Massachusetts, I find it quite fitting to write this post. June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Pride Month. And here I am this June, in the wonderfully ahead of its time progressive state of Massachusetts. Nearly 10 years ago, almost 4 years before any other state, Massachusetts legalized equal marriage.

I just wanted to take a moment to recognize some of the strides we have made as a nation since last Pride month.

It has been a wonderful year full of progress! Boy scouts of America officially overturned their policy banning gay scouts by a large majority. The issue of DOMA is now in the supreme court. Outcome is unknown, but it is amazing it made it there. Regardless of the decision, marriage equality is making its way through the states like wildfire! These states, some through ballot issues and some through the courts, granted equal marriage rights to all citizens. This makes 12 states plus DC, which means nearly 1 in 5 US Americans now live in a state that grants equal marriage rights! The most recent, Delaware, Rhode Island and Minnesota, will be going into effect this summer.

Washington (state) - December 6, 2012
Maine - December 29, 2012  
Maryland - January 1, 2013  
Delaware - July 1, 2013  
Rhode Island - August 1, 2013  
Minnesota - August 1, 2013

Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon and Nevada are poised to soon follow suit.
And, its looking like repealing the (un)constitutional marriage amendment in Ohio will be on the ballot this November, so that is wonderful news! Hopefully the citizens of Ohio will vote to be on the right side of history! Recent polls show the majority of Ohioans do now support equal marriage, so hopefully the ballots will reflect that.

President Barack Obama is the first US President to publically give his support for equal marriage, and has declared June LGBT Pride Month. He did so for the first time last year, and has once again this year. While I may not support him on many issues, is right on this one. Every citizen of the USA deserves the freedom to persue their happiness.

The tides are finally changing, and hopefully soon we will all have the right to marry the one we love. We are not at the end of the tunnel, but glimmers of light are finally beginning to pierce the darkness.

Remember, being gay is not a choice.
But being hateful is.

Choose love.

I don't get it.

I don't know why people have to be such homophobes.

What are you so afraid of anyways?

Just let other people live their lives and go right on living yours.

We all have the right to the pursuit of happiness. What right do you have to hinder that persuit of a person you may not even know?

America is based on freedom of religion, which also constitutes freedom FROM religion if one so chooses.

Separation of church and state was something the founding fathers valued deeply.

Religion was to have no place in government.

I think that is made pretty clear, as Thomas Jefferson himself said actually said "In every country and every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own" and "Christianity neither is, nor ever was, part of the common law."

There are no laws against all-you-can-eat buffets, against eating pork, men having long hair, or wearing clothing made from two kinds of fabrics.

You have every right to hold your own beliefs.

But enacting a law forcing people to live according to those beliefs is just wrong.

Just because gay marriage is allowed doesn't mean you have to get one.

You can be against gay marriage on a personal standpoint, but vote for it because you believe in freedom and personal choice.

It doesn't matter what you say, if you choose to enforce a law that takes away such a central right, you do not stand for freedom.

You stand for repression. You stand for discrimination. You stand for hate.

It is discriminatory legislation.

Maybe you are for civil unions for same sex couples, just not marriage. Keep them separate, but they can be equal.

After all, history is proof of how well these sorts of things work. I mean there was nothing at all wrong with the "separate but equal" schooling and facilities for African Americans, right? Worked just as well, and totally fair.

There is nothing wrong with believing homosexuality is wrong, as long as you don't hatefully shove it in other people's faces with a federal/state law. That is a terrible infringement on freedom.

Being against something, fine. Its respectable to have your own beliefs and stick by them. But when you are hateful, I have to wonder what it is you are so afraid of. Trying to repress the feelings you have within your own self? Maybe its time you come out of the closet....