I would like to preface this diary with the words of Martin Luther King Jr. in his " Letter from Birmingham Jail."
I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.
To all the Dkos members who constantly complain that members of the LGBT community are "whiners"...
To all the Dkos members who repeatedly state that members of the LGBT community are being "selfish"...
To all the Dkos members who incessantly repeat the mantra that the LGBT community needs to "shut up and be patient, because President Obama has a lot on his plate right now that affect ALL Americans, not a mere "single issue" special interest group,"... MLK's words are for you.
And so are these...
This tax-paying American and my partner of 14 years will NOT benefit equally from the current Obama Administration priorities because my partner is not a citizen of this country and I cannot legally sponsor him to live or work here, and therefore share in the same rights and benefits that every other married American couple can enjoy, because we're gay.
This tax-paying American will NOT benefit equally from a possible job secured as a result of Obama Administration economic or employment initiatives, because there is nothing keeping an employer from firing me, or even hiring me, because I'm gay.
This tax-paying American will NOT benefit equally from the current Obama Administration housing and mortgage initiatives, because I can be legally discriminated against in regards to housing because I'm gay.
This tax-paying American will NOT benefit equally from the current Obama Administration healthcare initiatives, because my partner and I cannot share in many of the healthcare cost savings available to legally married couples, because we're gay. Hell, I wouldn't even have hospital visitation rights even if I could sponsor him into this country.
And I haven't even gotten to retirement, military defense, or so many other important issues on Obama's priority list that won't equally benefit gay Americans.
So stop telling me I'm selfish, and quit telling me to be patient. Just listen to Martin Luther King's words one more time. Words that were written during the civil rights struggle of the 1960's, but ring just as true today.