EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW - where do YOU stand?

This past week, President Obama made history.  He became the first U.S. president to affirm EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW - for ALL Americans.  If you missed it, here it is:


President Obama


Let's be clear about one thing:  this isn't about "gay rights."  


This is about EQUALITY and EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW for every American.


These concepts appear in our founding documents, the very core of our existence, and we talk about them as if they really exist.  But they don't exist - not until those concepts become a reality, not until every single person in this country wakes up every morning knowing that she or he is a valued, equal person under the law.


The religious right is gnashing teeth and beating breasts.  They say they have "gay friends" but in the same breath, say these friends should not be treated with the same legal protections they enjoy.  They are very willing to label a certain group of people as second class citizens - and they're even proud of it!


Twenty percent of North Carolina voters went to the polls last week.  The "twenty percent" who bothered to vote decided to amend the state's constitution to include a ban on same-sex marriages.  To hell with the people that amendment will hurt or even destroy.  To hell with the idea of equality.  


They don't get it - and neither do most Republican lawmakers or the apparent Republican candidate for president. That's because they do NOT truly understand the concept of EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW.  They want that protection for themselves, but do not believe it should extend to all others.


It's time to take a stand.  You either support EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW for everyone ... or you don't.  You can't have it both ways and you can't sit on the fence.  You can't single out any group of Americans, and deny to them the same legal protection that you hold dear, without admitting that you feel superior, that you deserve those constitutional protections, but others don't.


President Obama took a stand.  In doing so, he took a huge political risk.


What are YOU going to do?