Dear President Obama,
I am very glad to have you in office because I feel you will greatly deal with the issues today in the US and overseas. People assume that prejudices and racism in the US ended with desegregation. The media focuses on international conflicts, such as the Arab/ Israel conflict. Prejudices in the US has not ended, it has become more sly in is constantly present. Religious Christians argue that homosexual marriage goes against the Bible. When did religion govern the laws? In a Bible- steeped society, all though not all are willing to admit this, prejudices towards gays and lesbians is as present as ever. As president, I feel you should draw attention to this national issue, and not just to the international issues. Until the 20th century, a person of African descent could not marry a white person. When laws began to allow people with different skin colors to marry, it was seen as a gargantuan step in American history. Now the difference is between the genders of the couples, not the color of the skin. Why is it the US can determine who loves each other and whether or not they can legally show it?
In most professions, if benefits are available for employees, it is also available for spouses. For most jobs, ‘spouse’ means legally married partner, but in all states, gay and lesbian couples can not legally get married. This makes gay or lesbian partners of employees unable to receive the same treatment as the society deemed ‘normal’ spouse. Even though most universities and other companies are privately owned, if the government could pressure them, or at least raise awareness of the predjustices towards gay and lesbian couples, maybe organizations would change their policies. The government could also work to pass the Employment Non Discrimination Act (ENDA), which is currently not in place in any state. Currently, in every state, it is legal fire people for their sexual orientation. ENDA prohibits the firing of employees for their sexual orientation. The Don't Ask Don't Tell policy restricts the employment of gay and lesbian soldiers in the military. Seeing that the military is the largest employer in the United States, gay and lesbians should have equal opprotunity to be a part of defending the country we all live in.
African Americans and women have had a long, public history of suffrage, so much that there are entire seminar courses, novels- both fiction and not- and films about it. The only thing comparable in gay and lesbian history is a very Hollywood-ized film about Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician to be elected to public office, a very elite group. He was then assassinated for his sexuality. Part of why there can’t be more about gay and lesbian history is because throughout world history, gays have been suppressed. In fact, gays have been persecuted almost as frequently as Jews. Gays were sent to Hitler’s concentration camps in World War II by the thousands. As president, I feel it is crucial to make America an environment where gays can live with equal rights. People feel like they can deny gays rights because unlike being black or a woman, your sexuality is something that isn’t visible when looked at, making it- in some people’s minds- a quality, like hair color or clothes that can be changed easily. This has made life for gays in most communities feel very sheltered, distant and unhappy because they can’t be themselves. Republicans say that gay marriage is unconstitutional; marriage should be a heterosexual relationship. In reality, gay marriage goes against the Bible, not the constitution. In American society, sometimes the lines get blurred. America is built on the famous Jefferson quote from the Declaration of Independence “All men are created equal… life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” You briefly reflected on these ideas in your inauguration speech the ideals in which the United States was built on:
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
I am hoping that you will bring our nation past its childhood phase into a more mature phase, a more open minded phase in history. It’s time for change.
Sincerely, Sara Cohn
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Obama Letter- Gay Rights (WA 4 Draft 1)
Dear Mr. Obama,
People assume that predjustices and racism in the US ended with desegregation. The media focuses on international racism, i.e. the Arab/ Israel conflict. Racism in the US has not ended, it has become more sly in is constantly present. In a Bible- steeped society, predjustices towards gays and lesbians is as present as ever. Attention should be turned to this national issue, and not just to the international issues. Until the 20th century, a person of African descent could not marry a white person. When laws began to allow people with different skin colors to marry, it was seen as a gargantuan step in American history. Now the difference is between the genders of the couples, not the color of the skin. Why is it the US can determine who loves each other and whether or not they can legally show it?
In most professions, if benefits are available for employees, it is also available for spouses. For most jobs, ‘spouse’ means legally married partner, but in all states, gay and lesbian couples can not legally get married. This makes gay or lesbian partners of employees unable to receive the same treatment as the society deemed ‘normal’ spouse. This has been an issue my entire life, because as the daughter of a lesbian couple, I have one mom that works at the University of Virginia, but because she is not my biological mother, I, nor my brother or sister or our mom, are qualify for the health care that children in other families with one parent employed at the university receive. My biological mother is a self employed therapist, so benefits are not available in her line of work. My parents have been together for over 25 years, but in the eyes of UVa, they haven’t. Even though most universities and other companies are privately owned, if the government could pressure them, or at least raise awareness of the predjustices towards gay and lesbian couples, maybe organizations would change their policies.
African Americans and women have had a long, public history of suffrage, so much that there are entire seminar courses, novels- both fiction and not- and films about it. The only thing comparable in gay and lesbian history is a very Hollywood-ized film about Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician to be elected to public office, a very elite group. He was then assassinated for his sexuality. Part of why there can’t be more about gay and lesbian history is because throughout world history, gays have been suppressed. In fact, gays have been persecuted almost as frequently as Jews. Gays were sent to Hitler’s concentration camps in World War II by the thousands. As president, I feel it is crucial to make America an environment where gays can live with equal rights. People feel like they can deny gays rights because unlike being black or a woman, your sexuality is something that isn’t visible when looked at, making it- in some people’s minds- a quality, like hair color or clothes that can be changed easily. This has made life for gays in most communities feel very sheltered, distant and unhappy because they can’t be themselves. Republicans say that gay marriage is unconstitutional; marriage should be a heterosexual relationship. In reality, gay marriage goes against the Bible, not the constitution. In American society, sometimes the lines get blurred. America is built on the famous Jefferson quote from the Declaration of Independence “All men are created equal… life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The constricting society today already goes against all of Jefferson’s points in which this country is built on. If America, with the help of its president, can change its attitude and perception of gays, other countries will follow suit. It’s time for change.
Sincerly,
Sara Cohn
People assume that predjustices and racism in the US ended with desegregation. The media focuses on international racism, i.e. the Arab/ Israel conflict. Racism in the US has not ended, it has become more sly in is constantly present. In a Bible- steeped society, predjustices towards gays and lesbians is as present as ever. Attention should be turned to this national issue, and not just to the international issues. Until the 20th century, a person of African descent could not marry a white person. When laws began to allow people with different skin colors to marry, it was seen as a gargantuan step in American history. Now the difference is between the genders of the couples, not the color of the skin. Why is it the US can determine who loves each other and whether or not they can legally show it?
In most professions, if benefits are available for employees, it is also available for spouses. For most jobs, ‘spouse’ means legally married partner, but in all states, gay and lesbian couples can not legally get married. This makes gay or lesbian partners of employees unable to receive the same treatment as the society deemed ‘normal’ spouse. This has been an issue my entire life, because as the daughter of a lesbian couple, I have one mom that works at the University of Virginia, but because she is not my biological mother, I, nor my brother or sister or our mom, are qualify for the health care that children in other families with one parent employed at the university receive. My biological mother is a self employed therapist, so benefits are not available in her line of work. My parents have been together for over 25 years, but in the eyes of UVa, they haven’t. Even though most universities and other companies are privately owned, if the government could pressure them, or at least raise awareness of the predjustices towards gay and lesbian couples, maybe organizations would change their policies.
African Americans and women have had a long, public history of suffrage, so much that there are entire seminar courses, novels- both fiction and not- and films about it. The only thing comparable in gay and lesbian history is a very Hollywood-ized film about Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician to be elected to public office, a very elite group. He was then assassinated for his sexuality. Part of why there can’t be more about gay and lesbian history is because throughout world history, gays have been suppressed. In fact, gays have been persecuted almost as frequently as Jews. Gays were sent to Hitler’s concentration camps in World War II by the thousands. As president, I feel it is crucial to make America an environment where gays can live with equal rights. People feel like they can deny gays rights because unlike being black or a woman, your sexuality is something that isn’t visible when looked at, making it- in some people’s minds- a quality, like hair color or clothes that can be changed easily. This has made life for gays in most communities feel very sheltered, distant and unhappy because they can’t be themselves. Republicans say that gay marriage is unconstitutional; marriage should be a heterosexual relationship. In reality, gay marriage goes against the Bible, not the constitution. In American society, sometimes the lines get blurred. America is built on the famous Jefferson quote from the Declaration of Independence “All men are created equal… life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The constricting society today already goes against all of Jefferson’s points in which this country is built on. If America, with the help of its president, can change its attitude and perception of gays, other countries will follow suit. It’s time for change.
Sincerly,
Sara Cohn
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