among other things

April 4, 1968 Martin Luther King was assassinated. The next day most of the neighbors in my very white neighborhood began to consider what we might do when the Negro’s who lived in a very black neighborhood about 5 miles away would form a mob and without any conscience rape, murder and pillage the place we call home. We were warned by the local newscasters that the Negro community was pissed and blamed any whites, all whites on the murder of MLK. We were cautioned that marauding bands of Negro hooligans would show no mercy and kill, kill, kill. Suddenly all the Negro’s were bad, disciples of the Devil and a population to fear. So for the next few days some neighbors and I stood atop the small hill in front of our houses and looked for gangs of Negro’s to come to our neighborhood.

It never happened, sadly the only burning of buildings or looting of stores, took place in the two predominately black neighborhoods. We were warned, cautioned, and manipulated into thinking no Negro was a good a Negro. And we were told by some that they deserved to burn down their own homes as they were heathens.

Thank goodness smarter people, less bigoted, compassionate and caring Americans spoke up and spoke loud and countered the anti Negro propaganda. Thank goodness people who had a better understanding of community, coexistence, and consensus took to the airwaves, the schools, the churches, the government and said something terrible happened here and we must understand why it happened and we must understand what we ALL must do to avoid it ever happening again.

Even though calmer heads tried to prevail in this nation, there were still many among the entire population who still needed a scapegoat, a victim, a purpose for their own misfortunes, missteps, and malfeasance. Assisted by religious leaders who prayed to a biased God, parents who would rather misinform their kids then educate them, individuals who confine their hearts to sinister, the Negro suddenly had a new name. Eventually the N word became so derogatory, disgusting, degrading many Americans took broad steps in their life and refused to use the N word ever.

Republican presidential candidate and Texas governor Rick Perry spent Sunday on damage control after a stinging report tying Perry to a racial slur used at a Texas hunting camp his family once leased. The Perry family, dad and son either saw the sign that reads “Niggerhead” at the entrance of their property and either ignored it until 2008 when they painted over the rock or not. Nonetheless, they were active participants on a property that included a name with the N word. And suddenly candidate Rick Perry’s campaign has had a set back and people within his own party, potential donors, and many Americans are asking what kind of judgement could this man have, and how insensitive he must be. And how bigoted is Rick Perry.

Suddenly we are appalled! Suddenly we think this man hates a certain population of Americans. Suddenly our senses are attacked.

I am a Gay man, I am considered by those who are insecure, uneducated idiots that I am less then. I have been chastised, bullied, denied, and treated as separate from equal as humanly possible. My marriage rights, my adoption rights, my job security rights, my housing rights in some to many states are non-existent or voided by laws which do one thing only, discriminate. I only recently can serve in the armed serves and yet there are some who want to take that right away from me.

Governor Rick Perry, the Republican/Tea Bag candidate for president of this great nation has, throughout his campaign announced his distaste, distrust, disgust for people like me, people who happen among so many other things to be Gay. He wants to deny me of anything written in the Constitution because I am among many other thing Gay. He doesn’t want me to receive health care after I return as a Veteran, who among other things happen to be Gay. He wants a national amendment denying me the right to marry in this country, because among other things I happen to be Gay.

And yet, when Governor Rick Perry, candidate of the Republican/Tea Bag party who wants to be president said these things about me, no one was asking him to apologize, to cancel his campaign, to even consider his negativity and name calling.

There is no room in this nation for the N word, and anyone should be taken to task when they use that slur or not run for any political office. But why the fuck can these same people call me any name they wish, deny me any rights they so wish, insult me as often as they wish because I among many other things happen to be Gay.

Where was, is the outrage when Rick Perry and any other candidate for any office can pick and choose who to hate. Justice should be inclusive not just for a few.