Equality Weekend begins today and lasts through Sunday. You can still register for the event. The seminars and workshops on Saturday are free. Such noted speakers as blogger Pam Spaulding and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Mandy Carter and others will offer their insight for free. For some events, including the Gala, there is a fee.
Congressman Lewis, an Alabama native, is a hero to the GLBT community as he is to the Black community and for that matter, all of America. He was a participant in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march and has fought for equality all of his life.
Here is part of an interview of Rep. Lewis.“It is unfortunate that a segment of our society fails to see that we all should be treated like human beings, that we all are citizens of the United States of America. I’ve taken the position and I’ve long held this position that I fought too long and too hard against discrimination base on race and color not to stand up and speak out against discrimination based on sexual orientation.
It doesn’t matter if someone is gay or straight or whether someone believes in a different philosophy or different religion. We’re one people, we’re one family, and we’re one house. There is not any room in American society for discrimination based on sexual orientation. It doesn’t matter whether someone is gay or happens to be lesbian or transsexual. We’re one people; we’re one family, the American family. You call it what you want, discrimination is discrimination and we have to speak up and speak out against discrimination.
You have too many people in this society saying they’re against same-sex marriage. If people fall in love and want to get married, it is their business. Martin Luther King Jr. use to say races don’t fall in love in love and get married; individuals fall in love and get married. So if two men or two women want to fall in love and get married it’s their business. Some people say it is a threat to the institution of marriage, and some of these people who go around saying that same sex marriage is a threat to the institution of marriage, which marriage or what marriage are they talking about? Some of these same individuals have had several marriages and I don’t think individuals that happen to be gay are a threat to anybody’s marriage.
Love is love. It is better to love than to hate, it is better to be together than to be divided.”
Congressman Lewis is a graduate of American Baptist Theological Seminary, and he gets it. Make plans now to hear this great man tomorrow.
PS. As a side note, Congressman Lewis has agreed to accept my pre-publication manuscript of my book, Those Others , which includes a great deal about the Selma to Montgomery march. It will be interesting to learn what he thinks of it. I plan to publish late this year or early 2010.
12 comments:
could someone explain to me how same sex marriage could affect the "institution of marriage"...just how would anyone elses life be changed? dont rant just a simple answer will suffice'
Oh you are asking for it. Did you read the 30 or so comments on the blog the other day about the racists?
It's very simple lipscomb. Marriage was instituted by God as a union between a man and a woman. I can already predict what Joe is going to say, and that's fine. But you cannot deny God's word.
What is even more scary about the quote you posted, Joe, is where Lewis said "..or whether someone believes in a different philosophy or different religion." It does matter. It matters greatly!!! It was Abe Lincoln who said "The philosophy in the classroom of one generation will be the philosophy of governmnet in the next." We allow all kinds of distorted religious philosophies to be taught in our schools but don't you dare MENTION Christianity.
I realize that I am wasting precious computer space here because those of you in the gay community are the masters of taking the scripture and twisting it and spinning it to 'fit' your lifestyle. You can't choose your skin color, but who you marry is a 'choice'.
Thanks for the great post rev. Bill. I whole heartedly agree. Our country and most of our institutions of higher learning were founded on Christian principles. Yet it is almost dangerous to even mention Jesus Christ in a public school these days. Our country has come a long way in equality based on race, as it should have. But equality based on sexual preference is another story. It is sick and disgusting and wrong. That simple.
Now Bill, come back and answer the question. "just how would anyone elses life be changed?"
Are you married Bill? Beverly? How would your lives be affected? Lipscomb is not asking what your version of God thinks about it.
And read the quote again Bill. So you don't believe we are all one people, all one race, the human race? Which of us are other species? This is gonna be good.
im not actually a part of the gay community although lots of my friends are and my son is. im happily married to a woman for over 30 years with 3 children..one of them gay. . no one elses marriage gay or not affects mine at all nor does it affect my life in any other way. so i ask you once more...how will this affect your life...and exactly what will it do to "the institution of marriage"? for purposes of this question im not asking about religious beliefs or consequences.
It probably will be awhile before they can answer Lipscomb. They have to think of something. I wonder if they would banish thier children if they found out one of them were gay or lesbian???? Then again they probably would.
They won't answer because there is no answer. Oh, they would probably one of the hundreds of thousands of loving heterosexuals each year who throw their gay teens out on the streets. See my examiner site for that story.
Joe, In your poll to the left you did'nt male one of he choices "none of the above"....
And the reason is..."none of the above" will not be on the ballot.
Will there be a space to write in a Republican?
Municipal elections are non-partisan so pary affiliations are not noted on the ballot. But there should be a place to write in.
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