LGBT

LGBT position paper, Mel Packer, 5/26/10

For far too long now, many of our fellow citizens have become convinced that those who have a life-style that does not conform to the traditional concept of marriage between a man and a woman is a great threat and must be opposed.

The notion that our gay or lesbian neighbors living down the street are a greater threat to our futures than the corporations that have given us tens of millions unemployed, other millions declaring bankruptcy due to medical bills, home repossessions/foreclosures at a record rate, and wars without end does, frankly, defy logic and reason.

The individual who chooses to dress "differently" or chooses as a partner a member of the same gender, or one who decides that the gender one is born into is not his/her natural or preferred gender, is a threat to no one.

The world is full of people who do not "conform" to the heterosexual standard and this has become more obvious in the last few years as the Lesbian,Gay,Bisexual,Transgendered (LGBT) community has strengthened, organized and demanded it's equal rights.

As a citizen of the United States, I have, by law and practice, certain rights that are due all who are similarly citizens. No arm or branch of government should have the right to deny these rights to anyone.

It's that simple, no nuances, no exceptions, and no excuses.

No one is threatened by the lifestyle of another as long as we all respect each other's rights.
We are only threatened by a state that denies rights to some of us. For if rights can be denied to some of the people all of the time, or even some of the people some of the time, then the rights of all of the people may eventually be denied as well.

This must not happen.

From Mel Packer, US Senate candidate, PA, Green Party