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Before It's Too Late
by Terry Zimmerman
Is it possible that we have grown complacent to the
way things are, and are just willing to accept our second
class citizenship status? In talking with people about the
rights of gays in the American scheme of things, I hear
people telling me that the issues of five or six years ago are
no longer of any interest to them. What has changed? The
very same situations exist today. Why do we think they are
no longer important to us? Gay people are still losing their
jobs and being discriminated against, simply for being who
they are. Beating up on gay people is still not considered to
be a hate crime. Many states (including Ohio) are pursuing
anti-gay measures in their legislatures.
Don Brown, writing in an earlier issue, was criticized
by some for writing about the documentary that was being
shown at the recent Sundance Film Festival, concerning
Cracker Barrel restaurant's policies towards gays. Have their
policies changed? If so, I have not heard that news. If not, are
we just supposed to forget it?
My partner James, in our last issue, wrote a short
article about our friends who are living with HIV / AIDS, and
the wonderful progress that is being made in the treatments
that they are receiving and the positive effects that it is
having on their lives. The progress in fighting this horrible
disease is mainly due to the pressures that were placed upon
our political leaders by many courageous people, some of
whom, themselves were stricken, and they carried the fight to
our state and national legislatures. Many of these people did
not receive the benefits of their efforts and are no longer with
us. Should we forget about them? Should we forget about
way our government handled this crisis? I for one, say NO!
What has changed? Are we better off politically today
than we were 10 or 15 years ago? I don't think so. What is
your opinion? Has the situation for gays in the military
improved? Have we been given any additional protections
under the law on the national level? DOMA (a law to give
states the right to refuse to recognize "legal" gay marriages
that might occur in another state) easily passed through both
houses and was endorsed and signed into law by President
Bill Clinton, even though gay marriage (with the possible
exception of Hawaii, sometime in the future) is not legal in
any state. If this was not gay bashing at the federal level, what
do you think it was? Congress probably violated the
Constitution by passing this unneeded law. Of course, they
have immunity from violating the law. Where is ENDA? Why
can't a congress that could act so quickly on DOMA do
something to end discrimination in employment for gays just
as quickly? Many large corporations recognize the values of
providing the very same rights and privileges to gay
employees that our state and federal governments are trying
to pass laws against. And they (businesses) are granting
domestic partnership rights to their employees. They don't
call it marriage, but they do extend the same employee
benefits to gay employees as they do their married
employees. Why do you suppose corporations are doing
this?
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