Bigotry in 2010

I was born in 1971, and grew up in a fairly bigoted household, where the only people who were superior were straight white people. Imagine my parents disappointment when I didn't share their views and headed down a path of my own.

The year is now 2010 and as an adult living in today's day and age, I feel at times I am still that little girl being tormented by the idea that no man is created equal no matter how much our constitution proclaims us to be. It seems to me, that we haven't come out our outlandish caveman ways, nor have we learned from our mistakes in the past.

Although, I am a straight married female, I feel rather disappointed in the issues revolving around same sex marriage. I not only blame our government for not standing in line with our constitution, I also put some of the blame on fundamentalist Christians, who judge and condemn it.

What exactly is the sanctity of marriage? I suppose on could look at it from a church point of view. To love and honor, for richer and poorer, for better and worse until death do us part. Words that are spoken, and often times not adhered to.

Let's face it. America still has a long way to go. We haven't truly moved on from racism or bigotry for that matter. We have stayed inside our cocoon and have hid behind the "church" for way to long.

"God knew us before we were formed in our mothers womb, down to every hair on our head" If God knew, should this even be an issue? Should we be denying "God's children" the right to happiness, as we would anyone else? Should one go as far as to say "homosexuals are not God's greatest work" just as Joel Olsteen suggested. And whether Joel wants to admit it or not, he opened mouth and inserted foot, as soon as he said "God's work" therefore implying what I have felt and have said on many occasions. "God" knew, and at last I heard God does not make mistakes. There you have it.

Whether you agree or disagree that isn't up for debate. What is up for debate however is classifying Homosexuals as second class citizens as we did with African Americans not so long ago, which is exactly the way they are being treated if not worse.

I wasn't born when it was illegal for interracial couples to marry, but I can only imagine the hurt and frustration those couples felt then, not to mention the backlash our law makers received. Times have changed, but the mentality hasn't. We can't afford to be a nation who treats others less than they deserve to be treated. We can't afford to be a nation of hypocrisy, skating by on a wing and a prayer. We can however afford to be a nation who it tolerant, and treat others with the same respect and courtesy as we ourselves would like to be treated. It is really quite that simple.