Equality Over Bigotry – Looking at Iowa

Zach Wahls

Zach Wahls stood up before the Iowa Legislature,before they passed the measure to allow voters to decide to ban all sames sex marriage in the state, to deliver what is considered one of the most clearly definitive speeches for LGBT equality. Again we see how right wing religious bigotry and extreme conservative political interests have meddle in justice despite the State Supreme Court‘s decision allowing marriage equality in 2009.

This pattern of extremism mixing religious beliefs with political interests has resulted in some of the worse episodes of human history. It has helped to segregate and subjugate people in terms of race or class. It has even done the same for gender and even the status of children.

We have seen blood spilt in gas chambers across the Atlantic and people enslaved in plantations in our own country. We have seen women treated as property and even murdered legally without any real cause under a male dominated society in some nations under the wide interpretation of religious belief that had been codified.

We have seen towers fall to the ground with suicide bombers doing it the name of their God. Many justify their violence, their hatred , their bigotry and even their exclusion, coated with civility, of certain groups because of their Allah or their Jesus.

Yes, even those who purport to be Christians ( I include the Protestants, the Catholics, the Mormons, etc.) on one hand speak of the loving doctrines of Christ and in practice exude a whole different kind of gospel. History has many examples to show this disconnect. Many times it happens when religion and politics mix. When Christians execute their religious jihad through government.

It reminds me of what Mahatma Gandhi said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

So America, LGBT equality, especially in terms of marriage equality, as young Zach Wahls spoke of his two mothers, is really an issue for all Americans. It is simply about equal rights for all under our constitution not hampered by any one religious belief.

Let us not be dragged through another right wing religious whiplash arguing the age old rhetoric and move ahead as a country that is built on the principles of progress and great ideas. Equality must move forward. Our country was built on the ability to extend the idea of freedom to all our citizens and not be a society of classes. We must continually work towards that dream and we have the opportunity to light that torch to make it brighter.

Make a difference in your state. Marriage Equality is for all of us.