Wednesday, June 26, 2013

History

DOMA and Prop 8 are gone. Good. Let us celebrate today.  Let us celebrate that love can win over hate at every wedding where two people come together and say, "I wish to be with this person," from now on.

But let us not forget that there is so much more still to do, legally and socially. The fight goes on. And it is a fight not just for gay rights, but for trans rights, black rights, Hispanic rights, for the rights of any oppressed or discriminated minority group. Yet it isn't even a fight just for minorities, but a fight for the rights of all humanity. Today just reminds us that we can win. It reminds us that we can make the world better for all people, so that everyone, from the straightest, whitest, malest, richest person to the most destitute, most powerless minority, all around the world, can stand together in equality and peace and safety. 


That's the thing so many don't understand: these are victories for everyone! Gay rights isn't an attack on straight people! It doesn't diminish anyone's love or relationship. It only GROWS love! Combating racism isn't trying to take from white people, it's giving everyone the same chances, to let everyone be who they are and not just who they've been assigned to be by some quirk of pigmentation.  When everyone can be themselves, instead of a series of masks with prescribed parts to play, everyone can be truly free.  That, though, is a very scary thing to contemplate, to stand naked before the world, judged only by your own self.  That is why so many hide behind bigotry and prejudice: fear.  Fear of themselves, fear of judgment, fear of others.  The only way to fight fear is love, understanding, and the resolution that that kind of fear shall someday have no dominion over anyone.  

Update

My favorite part of President Obama's statement on overturning DOMA: 
The laws of our land are catching up to the fundamental truth that millions of Americans hold in our hearts:  when all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free.
I change "Americans" to just "people," but that's just a nitpick.

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