Gay Rights

Gay Rights

As Americans we expect to be able to love who ever we want. As Americans we are said to be equal. But this is not the case at all. Beneath all the sugar coated thoughts that we have is the truth. Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual people (GLB) have been subtly denied these assumptions. In most states they aren't allowed to be married. There are hate crimes committed against them. So we are said to be equal as Americans but they aren't allowed to be as 'equal' as the rest of us. The laws that say only a man a women can marry, are basically saying that they can't have the same rights as the rest of the country therefore they aren't Americans? They live in this country, they follow these laws yet they are still denied their equality.

Hate crimes affect more than just the individual attacked. All violent crimes are reprehensible. But the damage done by hate crimes cannot be measured solely in terms of physical injury or dollars and cents. Hate crimes are committed to cause fear to a whole community. A violent hate crime is intended to "send a message" that an individual and "their kind" will not be tolerated, many times leaving the victim and others in their group feeling isolated, vulnerable and unprotected. Crimes against gays are not always taken seriously, because law-enforcement officers, like some members of society, are often unsympathetic (if not downright hostile) to gays due to their own homophobia. According to 2001 FBI statistics, hate crimes based on sexual orientation constituted the third highest category reported and made up 13.9 percent of all reported hate crimes. Only race-based and religion-based prejudice crimes were more prevalent.

If we as Americans truly believe that we are all created equal as it says in our constitution. Why do some commit hate crimes? Just because a person is different doesn't give