Newsgroups: alt.homosexual
Subject: Re: a question
From: sbrack@jupiter (Steven S. Brack)
Date: 11 Dec 92 12:44:00 EST
Reply-To: sbrack@jupiter.cse.utoledo.edu 
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4

In article <92344.141740MCS128@psuvm.psu.edu> MCS128@psuvm.psu.edu writes:
: I write this in hope that somebody can help my confusion. 
: I noticed the article(s)  
: concerning the issue of the colorado boycott. let's see...sexual preference
: hmmm....doesn't sound like a race to me; nor does it sound like a religion. 
: well if it isn't a race, creed, war vet, sex(male/female), etc. what the hell 
: could it be?

	Think about that for a minute.  Are civil rights protections needed
	for African-Americans because of the color of their skin?  No.
	It's how the majority of society has historically treated their 
	group.  "Ah-ha" you say!  "Homosexuality isn't like race; people
	aren't born gay."  FIrst of all, I'd argue your basis for that 
	conclusion.  Secondly, I'd point out that people aren't born
	Catholic or Jewish or Mormon, nor are thay born veterans.  Yet, 
	they are protected by civil rights legislation.  

: well it sure as hell ISN'T a reason to give a bunch of people
: who feel it's perfectly normal to have sex with members of the same sex  
: special rights. 

	Giving gay people civil rights protection is an extension of the
	same rationale that gives Jews or veterans their protection.
	No special rights were given to gay people by the legislation
	Coloradans invalidated with their vote on Amendment 2.  All the
	legislation did was to say that it was illegal to discriminate
	against gay people in any public acommodation (hotel, restaurant,
	apartment rental) or in employment.  Nothing special there.  

: what you do in your privacy is, unfortunately, your own  
: business. 

	I detect a note of disappointment there.  Would you like to control
	my private life?  Maybe a benevalent dictatorship under your 
	command?  I don't tell you what you can & can't do in private, so
	long as it doesn't affect me directly. 

: i don't see
: any reason why this should give you ANY special rights of ANY kind.   

	Amendment 2 *takes away* rights from us that other members of
	society are allowed to keep.  The right to be free from 
	discrimination is meant to be enjoyed by all people, not just
	the majority, or the "ruling class." 

: and anyone  
: who crys out for a boycott of colorado is doing nothing more than what 
: numerous  
: political figures are doing, infringing on freedom of speech, vote, etc. you
: people who support this boycott are essentially saying that people in that 
: state  
: can vote whatever they want; but,if the vote is unfavorable then the 
: boycott will stay in place.  

	Coloradans have the right to vote any way they choose to.  The do 
	not, however, have the right to be free from the consequences of
	their actions.  You wouldn't vote yes on a tax proposal and not 
	expect to pay for it, would you? 

: sounds to me like this would be infringement on the freedom  
: to speech. 

	Nope.  First of all, the vote is not speech.  Second of all, the
	fact that there are negative consequences to a vote *in no way*
	restricts a person's ability to cast that vote.  Boycotting
	Arizona in response to the Martin Luther King holiday, or lack
	thereof, *did not* infringe on Arizonans' right to vote on the 
	referendum in whatever way they chose. 

: why is there so much hatred of homosexuals? perhaps it is do to the  
: fact that these people never miss an opportunity to tell somebody that they
: are gay. 

	Heterosexuals are always beating us over the head with their 
	straightness.  They are continually being affectionate in public, 
	they show us pictures of their lovers, as couples, they insist on 
	us calling them "Mr." and "Mrs."  They never miss an opportunity
	to show us how heterosexual they are.  

: we don't care! try keeping your private life private and you may be 
: surprised at how much less animosity there is.

	All I want to be able to do is exactly what you are able to do.
	I'd like to have a picture of my boyfriend on my desk at work. 
	I'd like to have my spouse have the same benefits as yours.
	I'd like to file a joint income tax return with my spouse.
	I'd like to have my spouse at my bedside if I'm in hospital. 
	I'd like to hold hands with my lover in the park, or at the theater.
	I'd like to take a hotel room registered to "Mr. & Mr. Brack."
	I'd like to do the same things heterosexuals do every day. 

--
Steven S. Brack        |"But the greatest of|   sbrack@jupiter.cse.utoledo.edu
2021 Roanwood Drive    | these is love."    |  STU0061@uoft01.BITNET 
Toledo, OH  43613-1605 \____________________/    brack@uoftcse.cse.utoledo.edu 
+1 419 GR4 1010        |  MY OWN  OPINIONS  |   sbrack@maine.cse.utoledo.edu