I saw the thread on "what laws would you scrap" and I was going to answer there, but I thought I would start a new discussion/thread/fistfight/screaming match here instead.

When I think of the founding of my home nation, the United States, and the freedom movements that have risen over the centuries throughout the world, I continually come back to two words that reverberate with my spirit every time I hear or read them in the context of law or public policy:

WITHOUT REGARD.

Liberty, freedom and opportunity ithout regard to race, color, creed, country of birth, sexual or relational affection or proclivity... such wonderful words when used to express a liberty that every single person here should enjoy.

Sadly, however, there is plenty of talk about equality and tolerance in this nation (and others, of course), yet there is a HUGE disparity between the force of idealistic language and the present reality under which we live.

In short, while there are many hatreds, oppositions and so on in the world, I believe there is ONE GREAT PREJUDICE left that tops them all... I believe the prejudice of law against same-sex relationships, unions, entitlements under insurance and pension laws, etc is the leviathan that the so-called "liberals" still aren't fighting against hard enough. I believe the ages-old dominionist "theology" (so-called) of CERTAIN narrow-minded proponents of religion is still like an old, rusty chain that holds us back and keeps us limited in our potential to forward the human race.

Yes, there are religious wars, race wars, social and economic class wars and ALL of those things have the threads of both freedom and bondage running through them. This last GREAT prejudice in my country, however, is the ONE that I believe is really in the way of our ability to finally realize the Founding Fathers' ambitions of a land where every man and woman would be at liberty to pursue their happiness on their own and in their own way.

It's ironic that there are comedians of one race that will mock another, there are "pundits" representing one view that will skewer others on the air or in print, but the "gender identity" or "sexual orientation" issues seem to get ignored, treated as a disease or mocked and trivialized, at least by the so-called "straight" majority. Those are the same things that once typified the racially-prejudiced climate of our nation in centuries past.

On this anniversary of the struggle and victory of many brave men and woman to win independence from dictatorship, perhaps I have shed some light on what I think remains the "elephant in the room". Perhaps I will amuse, offend or confuse some or many.

All in all, I hope this opening post sparks at least some beneficial dialogue.

Free Means Everyone, Or It Means No-one.

Regards,
BBS