On the one hand there was no "Gay Slavery" that compared to the African Slave trade, PERIOD! There were no laws saying that Gays were and ARE STILL 2/3's of a Human Being when it comes to voting. Your Great, Great, Grandmothers weren't raped, beaten, and killed. Gays were never prevented from learning to read, getting an education, or owning property. Gays were never threatened, beaten, and/or killed trying to vote. The list of things that African Americans endured in this country goes on and on and is well known.

Latinos in certain parts of the country, and in certain industries, namely farming, are suffering the same kinds of indignities that African Americans suffered during slavery. Backbreaking work for low or in some instances, no pay. Living is shacks on those farms that are nothing more than smoke and mirrors. Facing the same Police Brutality that African Americans face is not uncommon in the Latino Community either. With the added burden of having to watch out for Immigration even when you, your parents, and GRANDPARENTS were born and raised here smacks of the "Slave Patrols" that African Americans faced in the south during slavery.

Having said all that, the same strategies that were used against allowing African Americans and Latinos to have the same legal, social, and financial rights as everyone else are being used against the Gay community. In that vein, YES, the struggles are the same.

In portion to our voting numbers, Blacks and Latinos voted OVERWHELMINGLY to pass Prop 8. What strikes me as UNFATHOMABLE is the fact that two groups who have experienced, and continue to experience, Racism and Bigotry, would then turn around and do the EXACT SAME THING to another "minority!" And to hide behind religion to do so is even more galling. Because lest we forget, being a slave was supposed to be our "destiny" and "god's will and plan" but not only did we manage to ignore it but we openly fought against it. So why in the world would you go against the "plan" when it benefited you but hide behind it for something that doesn't affect your life one bit? And before you lie and say that you "live your life as the bible teaches," I smell the pork on your breath from here! Isn't eating PORK a sin? Most of these so called Christians AMEN on Sunday and SIN the rest of the week!

Who you marry or have sex with is not my business as long you are both consenting adults. So why do you care who I marry and have sex with???? And before you answer, do so WITHOUT mentioning the bible! Yeah, that's what I thought. Picking and choosing when to hide behind the bible and when not to hide behind the bible is tricky isn't it!

To use religion to justify your Bigotry is unconscionable and in the end, does more damage to YOU than it does to ME. Because it wasn't the church that changed slavery and changed Bigotry and Racism, it was the court system. And just like Brown vs. the Board of Education said "Separate and Unequal" was wrong and ILLEGAL, it will be the LEGAL SYSTEM that does the same thing for the Gay Community.

And when you meet your maker, in whatever form of religion you worship HER in, and you are reminded about HER plan of INCLUSION, and about NOT JUDGING OTHER PEOPLE, you are not going to be able to hide behind religion then.

SO STOP DOING IT NOW!