ARE WE EQUAL?

We would all like to think our constitution recognizes God has created all of us as equals. Somewhere between the belief and our actions, we often develop attitudes and actions that can best be defined as "double standards".  Our own constitution as originally adopted has a great double standard.  A slave was counted as 3/5 of a person.  Our laws gave the right to vote to men until the 1900's when the constitution was amended gave women the right to vote.

Times have not changed.  We continue to practice double standards when it comes to who is hot, who is not.  We vilify some for what they may have said or done in the past while we totally accept behavior that is more abhorrent without saying a word.  Paula Deen has been crucified as a racist even though she honestly admitted and apologized for using the "N" word.  Yet, we have entertainment people like Jamie Foxx who state that he gets to kill all the white people in a recent movie and he states "how great is that."  I don't find that remark as funny.  It is racist.  But why should I care?  I care because I am an American and I believe we are created equal.  Equal means we treat each other the way we want to be treated.  Here is a quote I like from the Hebrew Scriptures,

"Don't seek revenge or carry a grudge against any or your people 'Love your neighbor as yourself.  I am God.'"  Leviticus 19:18 MSG

Yes, I am quoting from the Bible for not only am I an American, I am also Christian. As a Christian, I am called to treat others with respect and civility. I am to give a cup of cold water instead of a knife to those who are my enemies.

Today, the Supreme Court of the United States declared that the Federal Government does not have the right to define marriage in the constitution so each state has the right to define marriage.  Therefore, the Supreme Court declared the Defense of Marriage Act as unconstitutional.  The court further ruled that federal rights and benefits should be extended to same sex marriages that are performed in states where same sex marriage is legal.  This does not mean the end of marriage nor does it mean our country is going to collapse.  What means to me as a gay man is that I am may now have equal treatment under the law.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the litmus test passed in the 1964 Voting Rights Act as unconstitutional.  In 1964, it was necessary to do something that would eliminate the discrimination in voting in many southern states.  Yet, the 1964 law usurped the rights of states to make laws concerning voting.  The proper way to resolve this issue in my opinion is to develop a litmus test that will guarantee the 15th amendment will be lawfully applied to all states including redistricting of congressional and legislative seats. This is equality!

We are so divided between "right" and "left"  in this country.  We still are battling issues that date back to the founding of our country and for which we fought a bloody Civil War.  Maybe the chaos and the division we are seeing is important for chaos can produce change.  We need all voices to be heard and we all need to listen for when we do we might find that we have common goals to which there can be solutions reached if we lay down our prejudices, our drive to win by putting others down who see things differently, and we stop calling each names that destroy and reveal a lack of ethics and character.

May God open our ears to hear each other, open our mouths to speak with respect, open our hearts to receive, open our minds to see things differently and find solutions not bullets and knives verbal or physical that will lead to our country's demise.  No, I am not talking about gun control here.  I am talking about using our brains, our ears, out mouths, our feet, our hands, and our hearts to find the ways to truly be equal not only in God's eyes but also equal in reality.

Think about it.