Von Essen succinctly says what I think and hope the letter below makes YOU think...
Today, I wrote this letter to an old friend who expressed his support for Romney on my Facebook page. I felt the need to share.
Hey ( ),
Listen, I know you didn't mean any harm commenting on this post and I like you, we had some great times growing up. But Romney and Ryan believe that I am less than you. They believe I am a second class citizen and don't deserve the same rights that you had the privilege of being born into simply by being straight. They want to add a constitutional amendment that will ban gay marriage forever. It will set us back decades and ensure that I never legally have the opportunity to have a family or a partner in my lifetime.
They also believe that being at your partner's side when he/she is dying is a benefit, not a civil right. They could keep me from my partner dying in a hospital. Could you even imagine something like that in your own life? Being separated from your wife on her death bed? Could you imagine your marriage never being recognized and being told that your family is not a family and you do not deserve any federal rights that comes with marriage. Over 1100 rights. Did you know that? 1100.
Ryan doesn't believe in the hate crimes act fought unwaveringly for by Judy Shepard, mother of Matthew Shepard, murdered for being gay in Wyoming. Murdered for being gay. Could you imagine if I was murdered for being gay? Could you really look my mom in the eye and say 'oh well, we can not prosecute this crime as a hate crime'?
I know there are important issues involved in this campaign. I know people are suffering and the economy has not improved at a rate we all wish it would. Yes, people are suffering but the gay and lesbian community has been suffering for hundreds of years and I am so tired of it. So tired of feeling that I am less than. So tired of knowing I have friends on here who will vote for someone who will keep me a second class citizen for my entire lifetime. I have already spent half a lifetime hiding, half a lifetime conforming. It is exhausting, demeaning and I am worn out. I want to love myself full out. I want a president who can look me in the eye and say 'You are equal!' 'You are equal to everyone else in this country and I will fight for your rights. The time is now and it is long overdue.' Romney and Ryan could not look me in the eye and say that and I feel sorry for every gay and questioning child who might have to listen to a president who believes that he/she is not equal. Children will take their lives. It is the WORST form of trickle down bullying and it absolutely splits my heart in half. When the president says you are less than, it gives permission to every authority figure, every politician, every teacher, every bully on the playground to push you around and bully you and treat you less than. It is dangerous and lives will be lost.
If this is not important to you, please remove me from your friends list. I need people in my life who love me and consider me 100% equal.
Max
This gives me chills and makes me sad and worried for my American friends, and it almost feels like betrayal to say this, but it also makes me glad I am Canadian. We aren't perfect up here, and we have our own issues, but thankfully, this is not one of them. I am just really hoping Americans make the right vote. I'd vote if I could, for the sake of all my friends who deserve better than this.
ReplyDeleteJaime, my son lives in Canada (Montreal) with his husband. And while I hate that they are so far away from me, I am glad they live in a civilized country that recognizes love and commitment as good things and do not work tirelessly to take rights away from its citizens. Thanks for the support! Fingers crossed that logic, compassion, and equality will prevail on November 6.
ReplyDeleteWOW, that was powerful. Thanks for sharing that. Like you I tend to keep the politics out of my social media presence. But this needs to be shared. Max needs to be thanked as well.
ReplyDeleteVery powerful words that I think everyone voting for Romney simply because they disagree with Obama's economic policies should read. Elections are never one issue only.
ReplyDeleteI'm so embarrassed to be an American right now, given the number of Yahoos supporting the Republican ticket. Not only are Romney and Ryan against gay rights, they are also against women's rights. If they are elected, we'll find ourselves slipping backward to a time when only straight, upper-class white men had any rights at all--and that's not the America I know and love.
ReplyDeleteI have never been so nervous in my life about an election, the thought of Romney possibly winning tears me apart on the inside. I wish people could see how wrong it would be for him to win.
ReplyDeleteRight there with you, Sam.
DeleteThanks for posting this, Rick.
THIS! This is how I feel today. I posted a gay rights video on my author news string in the m/m romance group on goodreads. And got complaints that I was off topic and 'trying to shove my politics down their throat'. I cried. How can someone read m/m romance and not care about gay rights? How can someone ask me questions about anal sex, cum, and prostates but not care about me or my opinions?
ReplyDeleteSorry, ranting. Thank you, Rick.
~smooches~
Thanks for sharing this, Rick. We all owe Max a big thanks as well. I don't usually get into politics either, but this year is different. This year I've lost some friends over it and have agreed to disagree with some others. I'm afraid this election, afraid that we will slide so far backward that we will never get going forward again. All we can do is pray and VOTE!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rick, for posting this. You're right, it is too important not to share. Like Jaime, I am worried about the impact on my American friends if Romney/Ryan come into power. It scares me.
ReplyDeleteBut as an Australian fighting for gay rights in Australia, I am also worried about the impact it will have on the rest of the world. Whether we like it or not, internal US policies influence many other countries' internal policies, my country being one of them. I rejoiced when Obama stated that he wanted equal rights for gays, as I hoped it would influence our leadership to head in the right direction. The repercussions of Romney being President is horrifying, as I have no doubt it will set back gay rights world wide. And all we can do is stand by and wait, hoping that the people of America will see the light.
So again, thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for posting this Rick. I have a 15 year old son who is immersed in the homophobic petri dish that is the public school system. He and my husband support R&R and refuse to understand the damage they will do to the LGBT community. My brother is gay and they can't even get it when I use him as an example. I was molested as a teenager. I have explained to them that if I had gotten pregnant by my molester, under R&R I would be forced to have that child and feel that evil squirming inside me for nine months. I don't understand how people can believe that a baby conceived in violence has more rights than a gay or lesbian adult human!?!?!?!?
ReplyDeleteIt makes me feel good and hopeful to read all these supportive comments. It gives me hope that common sense, compassion, and love will triumph over hate. I think your comments, Jase, disturb me the most, though.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post...Thank you! Hopefully everyone who is planning to vote reads it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rick. I agree with you completely!
ReplyDeleteAt first I was worried about the election. Now I'm terrified! I can not imagine how bad it will get if Romney and Ryan get in office. I agree that there are many issues that need to be shouted from the rooftops. All of the innocents rights will be trompled upon. Thanks for sharing yourelf with me Rick!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this. As a non-American I can not participate, but I so would vote Obama if I could. To be honest for more than one reason.
ReplyDeleteAnd to Jason, I love your threads, you are doing great work there. You can shove as much gay rights propaganda into my face as you want, I'll eat it up gladly. ;) I couldn't believe there are people reading it and complaining.
While I always was rather outspoken and openminded, my need to speak up for equal rights was definitly raised through reading gay romance.
Thank you for the post and the many wonderful comments people have shared. I'm not very well versed in politics but I do know that I will not be voting for Romney, particularly for this very reason.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this letter Rick. All of the other issues aside, for me it comes down to civil rights, which is the most important. If you believe in civil rights, I don't know how you can even consider the Romney/Ryan ticket. The blindness of people scare me.
ReplyDelete