Human Rights Issues

Human Rights Issues

        "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." The U.S. Declaration of Independence. July 4, 1776.

     People are being "stepped on" everyday, whether it be through blatant civil right violations or the more hidden crimes of slave wage labor and sweat shops. Fear of change is causing people of all diversities to become less tolerant of others. Our differences are our strength, and whenever anyone's rights are trampled upon, we are all diminished.
     Discrimination based on race, sex, orientation, age and religion is running rampant - one wonders if "liberty and justice for all" and "equal protection of the laws" has any meaning anymore. I have much more to say on this topic, but the US Congress has determined which minority group I would focus on first.
     Before I continue, I need to say that I feel uniquely qualified to speak for the homophilial community and the poor; however, I have never experienced discrimination based on sex, race, age or religion. Though I feel I can comfortably cover these topics via research, I would rather a female write the section on sex discrimination, an African-American or Hispanic write the section on race/ethnic group discrimination, etc. If you would be interested in co-authoring these "essays" please let me know.

• U.S. POLICY ON CIVIL PROTECTIONS FOR GAY AND LESBIAN CITIZENS

        This is the paper that won the best TAMU Political Science Paper of the Year in 1995. I hope you feel as informed after reading it as I did after researching it.


• WHY *YOU* SHOULD SUPPORT GAY CIVIL RIGHTS


        Since writing the above paper, many things have occurred. The Supreme Court showed it still understood the spirit of the law when it declared state-initiatives against homophilial people to be unconstitutional. But during the week of September 8, 1996, Congress showed its true hateful nature by declining gays the right to be judged at work based on their performance (by failing to pass the Job Discrimination Bill), while at the same time declaring homophilial couples inferior to heterophilial couples (by passing the "Defense of Marriage Act"). If you believe either of these actions were correct, you won't after reading this section.
     You'll forgive me if the blatant oppression of my people, and being declared a second-class citizen upsets me. I didn't "hold back any punches" in this section, so you better put on your protective gear before entering.


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•	U.S. POLICY ON CIVIL PROTECTIONS FOR GAY AND LESBIAN CITIZENS
	This is the paper that won the best TAMU Political Science Paper of the Year in 1995. I hope you feel as informed after reading it as I did after researching it.
•	*WHY YOU* SHOULD SUPPORT GAY CIVIL RIGHTS**
	Since writing the above paper, many things have occurred. The Supreme Court showed it still understood the spirit of the law when it declared state-initiatives against homophilial people to be unconstitutional. But during the week of September 8, 1996, Congress showed its true hateful nature by declining gays the right to be judged at work based on their performance (by failing to pass the Job Discrimination Bill), while at the same time declaring homophilial couples inferior to heterophilial couples (by passing the "Defense of Marriage Act"). If you believe either of these actions were correct, you won't after reading this section. You'll forgive me if the blatant oppression of my people, and being declared a second-class citizen upsets me. I didn't "hold back any punches" in this section, so you better put on your protective gear before entering.