All men are created equal....

Do you know this name:  Jessica Ahlquist ?  If you do not, look her up.  I just read about her on Sammy's blog.  Thank you, Sammy.

  So, a quick run down on Ms. Jessica:  A 16 yr. old girl who had the temerity of arguing that the state public school should not be the place for banners focused on religion.  How evil of her, huh?

  What made me stop and think, though, was that there are people who are threatened by this and there in threatening her.  And, why?  Why is this such an issue?  Are not these things clearly specified in the constitutional law so very plain that we shouldn't even be having this debate?  What else is in there?  How about the line "All men are created equal..."

 So, I researched this a bit and found that our founding fathers, many of whom had slaves, did not mean ALL men... more like all free property owning men.  Well, speaking as a White, Free, Property Owning Man - did I cover all the bases? - let me say the following to those who need to be right all the time:

1.   I am a Christian.  It defines me to a great degree, helping me to see the world in the light of a Loving Creator.  It helps me to know that there is more to this world than what I see.

•  I believe my faith is a right of my birth.  I was born in a country where I am free to believe in a religion of my choice.  I can go to a church, etc., without the state dictating my beliefs. 
• I believe my neighbor's faith is a right of his birth.   Just because I am Christian does not mean that she/he has to be.  I am not threatened by my neighbor's religion because his religion doesn't violate my right to believe what I believe, nor does it invalidate my beliefs.  It is our right as Americans to believe or NOT believe what we will.
• I believe my faith is my own.  While by no means am I alone in my beliefs, my experiences and thoughts are going to color the way I see God, the way I read His Word, and the way I translate that into meaning in my world.  And, as I believe in my heart and mind, it is there that I find God, not in the club of acceptance for meeting a certain criteria of attributes as a person.  Christianity is not a club, it is not a badge of rank.  It is a personal belief.

2.   I am Gay.  A homosexual.  I really don't care if you like me for that or not.  Ok, I do... I'm still working on my personal image and self worth. 

• Being Gay does not mean that I want anything more from life than someone who is not gay.  I want to live my life freely and happily.  I want to have the same rights as those who are not gay, and in turn I pay my taxes and meet my obligations.
• Being Gay does not mean that I should receive things that others should not.  I don't ask heterosexuals to have my permission to marry another loving adult.  I don't ask hetero's to refrain from holding hands in public, to dress a certain way, to talk a certain way, or to go to certain places.  I expect the same.  The exact same.

  So, having said all of this from the perspective of one who actually meets the definition cited here:  "For Americans, equality is a word that has been expanded in its definition since the founding of the country. For Jefferson and many of our Founding Fathers, the phrase "...that all men are created equal..." really meant that "all free, property-owning males are created equal".  "Jefferson's restrictive definition, that "people are of equal moral worth, and as such deserve equal treatment under the law" http://mattbrundage.com/publications/jefferson-equality/  I would like to ask all republican, tea party believing and constitutionalists to please shut the hell up.  You do not have a right to foist your beliefs on others simply because you are loud and obnoxious.  You do not have the right to demand public prayer, etc.  You do not have the right to deny others of the same rights you enjoy.  Thomas Jefferson said so.