Homosexuals Seeking Equal Rights Not Special Rights
On October 6, 1998 two men brought Matthew Shepard, a gay college student, about a mile outside of Laramie Wyoming. These men took him out to a split-rail fence, tortured him, then tied him onto the fence, and left him for death. He was found late the next day by two bikers, 18 hours after the attack. When the bikers first saw Matthew tied to the fence, they thought that Matthew was a scarecrow, but realized that it was a person. Matthew remained in a coma until October 12, and then died at 12:53 a.m. Matthew always was a peacemaker he wanted gays to be treated like everyone else not as a minority. Matthew once said, "If I could get two people--one straight, one gay--who hate each other to be respectful of each other, I would have done something good" (Miller, 1999). He wanted homosexuals and heterosexuals to see eye to eye, which almost seems impossible.
Homosexuality has been common in many cultures throughout history. When it came about in society many religions thought it as sinful. As a result, being gay or lesbian was a crime, punishable by death. In the twentieth century homosexuality took a turn around. As a result gay bashing became common in America. In November 13, 1986 on The Oprah Winfrey Show, a boy admitted that he and his friends hunted gay men down and beat them with baseball bats. It seems that this issue of discrimination of gays is too extreme. Society needs to know that homosexuals are fighting for civil rights, not special rights. They want to be treated equal in the workplace, in housing and in public accommodations.
In November of 1992 Colorado tried to pass an amendment against homosexuals gaining special rights. The purpose of the amendment was to deny homosexuals special rights, through any of Colorado 's state branches or departments or any of its agencies. After this amendment was passed, civil liberties groups and gay rights groups around the nation called for a boycott of Colorado. Consequently, the state lost about $40 million in
Homosexuality has been common in many cultures throughout history. When it came about in society many religions thought it as sinful. As a result, being gay or lesbian was a crime, punishable by death. In the twentieth century homosexuality took a turn around. As a result gay bashing became common in America. In November 13, 1986 on The Oprah Winfrey Show, a boy admitted that he and his friends hunted gay men down and beat them with baseball bats. It seems that this issue of discrimination of gays is too extreme. Society needs to know that homosexuals are fighting for civil rights, not special rights. They want to be treated equal in the workplace, in housing and in public accommodations.
In November of 1992 Colorado tried to pass an amendment against homosexuals gaining special rights. The purpose of the amendment was to deny homosexuals special rights, through any of Colorado 's state branches or departments or any of its agencies. After this amendment was passed, civil liberties groups and gay rights groups around the nation called for a boycott of Colorado. Consequently, the state lost about $40 million in
References: Alan Keyes: On Homosexual Rights. (2007). Retrieved August 4, 2010, from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nationalblacksgllgbt/message/3593 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights. (2001). Retrieved August 3, 2010, from http://www.easybib.com/reference/guide/apa/website Miller, Mark. (1999). The Final Days and Nights of a Gay Martyr. Retrieved August 4, 2010, from http://Newsweek.com/nw-srv/issue/25_98b/printed/us/na/na0725_1.htm Minority. (2010). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved August 3, 2010, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minority