One of my all-time favorite Onion headlines was “Gay Rights Parade Sets Back Gay Rights.” Most Americans simply don’t care whether Bob finds Joe attractive or Julia wants to date Cindy. Whether its genetic or a choice is of almost no interest to me. I worry more about whether or not Pluto is a planet than whatever adults do in their bedroom. But, your lifestyle, straight or gay, is no excuse to be rude.
The internet is abuzz today about a recent trip of gay rights activists to the White House. A few activists took photos of themselves “flipping the bird” to a portrait of Ronald Reagan. One of them even wrote “f&%k Reagan” on their Facebook page. Apparently they don’t realize that Reagan did more for gay rights than any other President. Moreover, Reagan campaigned on behalf of gay rights before he was President at great personal risk to his future political career.
Presumably the trip was to meet with the Administration about Obama’s bold endorsement of the status quo on gay marriage. Obama made headlines by saying that, while he personally supports gay marriage, he thinks some states should have the right to ban it. Gay activists, of course, are leftists first, so they have applauded this having-it-both-ways stance. These activists would do well to read up on some history and see what real leadership looks like.