I haven't been able to get on all day!

[GateandGarden]

Adam, don't you have gay and lesbian friends? It doesn't hurt you to see that they're being treated as second-class citizens? Back when I was a repressed homosexual and I was so sure I was straight (the not-too-distant past), I had utmost sympathy for the gay community because it was so plain to see how they were/are treated unfairly. Granted, some of this was because some part of me knew that I was one of them and was loath to admit it, but I know that I would have had sympathy regardless.

As for your optimistic attitude about the next four years, and the concept of keeping that attitude because it is much more beneficial...I just can't bring myself to do that. Not only am I going to be miserable as a gay person, I think many, many more are going to be affected in awful ways, not just the GLBT community. We weren't the only ones to begin with; we were just so easy to point out. Some professors of political science at my university are convinced that we'll be blowing people away in Iran next, that Roe vs. Wade and Miranda vs. Arizona we'll be overturned, and that our civil liberties we'll be diminished even more quickly than they were already being diminished. I trust their opinions because 1) they're over thirty years older than me and have seen much more than I have, 2) they work in the field of politics, so are automatically more informed than I am, and 3) they don't come off nearly as radical and angry as I do, so I think they're being more rational and logical. And this scares me. If these things happen, it'll be devastating to many, many people.

I agree with Johnny on the gay marriage issue. The rights, privileges, and benefits in general are more important than the religious aspect, though I know some gays who will never be completely satisified until they can be married in a church.

Hillary