Guest-Entry: The US Elections (follow up)

Last week I had my first guest-entry on my blog. Kevin wrote his thoughts about voting for McCain. Read his entry here. Because of the comments he got on that post he decided to write a follow up. So here you go.

I posted my reasons for who I voted for president on Zephyr Files and was rather hurt by the comments that were left.

I believe that it is every American's right to vote the way they want without rancour. President elect Barack Obama success is a historical moment for this country. I am proud I got to participate in this moment. I also am hopeful. Hopeful that our new President will preside in an honorable and fair way for all Americans. I am also hopeful that American has turned a page in discrimination.

The fact that an African American man was elected president would seem impossible even in the short span of my life. From the late 1950's even into the 1970's the emergence of Civil rights in American was a huge issue. You can read about this history here (Sometime during that time a beautiful baby gay boy was born). So it brings tears of joy to my eyes to see that this ugliness is ending. Young people are color blind. I don't believe this kind of change could happen in any country in the world but this one.

The presidential election was not the only thing I voted on. There was a proposition here in California; Proposition 8, that in effect made the State of California Constitution illegal for gays to be married. I voted No or against this Proposition. It appears that my vote forthat also did not go my way. This vote, unlike the presidential vote, does not give me hope. The last vestige's of discrimination are still against gay Americans. I have been the victim of discrimination, hatecrime and violence all because I am gay.

In 1969 a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. This was the first instance in American history when gays and lesbians fought back against a government-sponsored system that persecuted homosexuals, and they have become the defining event that marked the start of the modern gay rights movement in the United States and around the world.

Here in America the fight is not over. The success of Proposition 8, which in my opinion legalizes discrimination seems incomprehensible. Can you imagine a Proposition to make it illegal for different races to be married? There is also the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" military policy that still exists in this country. So the beautiful baby gay born long ago has seen great changes in the country. I just pray I get to see the day when no other beautiful baby gay boys, or girls are discriminated against.