Basic Needs of Life is a Civil Right

I thought the comment made by an anonymous participant on our posting, "We know the way. We need only the will", was important enough to post here:

"Rich, I agree with you. There should not be discrimination in the basic needs of life for anyone including people who are homosexual. But we need to remember that homosexuality is a behavior. The other forms of discrimination, which are and were reprehensible as well, were based on physical characteristics that could not be changed. It is sad when the only thing as person has to identify themselves by, is their sexual behavior." 9:30 AM, September 10, 2007

Here was my response:

C. Richard Cobb, Sr. said...
"Thanks for your participation, anonymous. I want you to consider this: a person's sexual orientation is no ones business but theirs. Homosexuals and Lesbians have many things to identify themselves. The unfairness comes when others identify them only by their sexual orientation, or their perceived sexual orientation.

In our city, we are fortunate to have talented artists, educators, musicians, doctors, researchers, lawyers, merchants, bankers, highly-skilled factory workers, professional administrators who are gifted in their professions. Some of them just happen to have a "sexual orientation" that is different.

As a group, Homosexuals and Lesbians do not "identify" themselves only as "homosexuals". In almost every case, a persons "sexual orientation" is not obvious - or known. These folks live their lives like the rest of us - enjoying the freedoms, and assuming the responsibilities, of living in a democratic country that has civil and human rights guaranteed in the United States Constitution and memorialized in the United States Declaration of Independence, that declared that we all have the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness".

We know the way to protecting those for whom living with bias and discrimination is a factor in their daily lives. We just need the will to change that fact. 10:35 AM, September 10, 2007