Engaging the American People

The Human Rights Campaign started running this ad in the DC metro area this week to coincide with President Bush's Inauguration today.

I’m guessing they want to demonstrate that they can be tough on Bush after all those post-election news stories that indicated they were willing to kiss his ass on demand.

HRC has been in damage control since then. This is the largest gay-lobbying group in the country. They shouldn’t be helping Bush destroy Social Security and they shouldn’t be attacking him just to prove they can.

It’s time to engage the American people. They should be telling America our stories by demonstrating how current laws hurt gay couples and their children. Attacking Bush will not win anyone over. Telling our stories will. (source)

...and I’ve been engaging the American People for most of my life and trying to get them to understand. I’ve tried to tell people what is happening in the America we all live in today. Where has it gotten me?

I have tried to appeal to the kindness and understanding of people in hopes that they will understand, despite our differences, the basic concept of equality. They do not, because 90% of the American People are still not willing to put aside homophobia and give equality a chance.

Even Governor Jody Rell, from my own somewhat liberal state of Connecticut said that she doesn’t see the need for marriage equality for gays. She doesn’t even see the need for civil unions, citing that she’s “old fashioned”.

Well, in the old fashioned days of America, people were discriminated against widely, blacks were lynched and enslaved, segregation was the law of the land, and gays were murdered with no consequences.

I guess I can keep trying for the twenty or so years I have left of my life, but up to this point, asking for equality hasn’t worked.