Opposition to Gay Marriage Not License to Gay Bash

A disturbing post-election trend has been the propensity on the part of
some individuals, politicians, organizations, and religious leaders to
engage in what can only be described as anti-gay bigotry and heterosexist
zealotry. Those engaged in such behavior need to stop it and those who
have already been involved in making hateful, homophobic remarks need to
apologize.

The re-election of Mr. Bush and Senator Kerry's defeat did in fact
underscore the need for further clarification and discussion of issues
surrounding gay marriage, on the one hand, and domestic partner rights, on
the other. The institution of legal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgendered persons needs to proceed purposefully and with due
deliberation. And the search for equality on the part of sexual minorities
is indeed admirable and desirable.

Yet opposition to gay marriage---however defined or mis-defined as the
case may be---is no excuse for the kind of anti-gay slurs and acts of
intolerance that have been exhibited since November 2, 2004.

Yet examples of heterosexism and homophobia have been multiplying
exponentially since the presidential election. That is a trend that both
horrifies and calls us as a society to learn more about Americans of
different sexual orientations.


Here are just a few of the incidents referred to above. Since American
voters went to the polls on election day 2004 a lesbian Methodist minister
has been defrocked, the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association has rejected
establishing a gay chapter, the Governor of Michigan has ordered reversal
of a state policy offering limited domestic partner benefits to homosexual
employees, a high school has sent home students wearing tee shirts
supporting gay rights, a study has found that the rate of HIV infection
among American gay men rose over the past four years, and the U.S.
citizenship application of a male immigrant who married a transsexual
female has been blocked. In addition, ABC News ran a report that could be
construed as implicating Mathew Sheppard in his own killing, and CBS as
well as NBC refused to run paid advertisements supporting inclusiveness.

When will this madness end?

It is time for someone---including the President of the United States---to
stand up in front of the American people and clearly state that there is
no room for such hatred and intolerance in the United States.

Bigotry, bullying, discrimination, hatred, inequality, intolerance,
name-calling, profanity, and violence are not American values.

Americans do not support inequality, but they do believe in truth. As a
people, Americans demonstrate strong faith, eternal hope, and kind
charity. Surely, however, the greatest of all American values is our
respect and love of our fellow human beings. And no matter how they are
oriented.