I Am Now An Independent

This morning I got up early and headed down to the local Board of Elections and changed my party affiliation from Republican to Independent. I have been thinking about this for a long time and one issue has finally prodded me to action.

I will always be a conservative in most of my politically thinking but the Republican Party no longer serves my needs and quite frankly they have lost their way by breaking down into smaller groups of single issue thinkers much like the Democratic Party. Liberalism gives me hives. So I will stand as an Independent from now on.

I often wonder what happened to the 'party of Lincoln' that stood for equality among human beings. Where did that party go that was willing to press a 'civil war' to free slaves from bondage? How did that party move from those beliefs to one that believes not all humans are equal?

The 'religious right' has usurped the party and bastardized the belief that we are all equal. They are forcing the conservative movement away from beliefs that are basic to 'our American values'. Freedom to be who we are, whether that means how we worship, who we love or what political thought we will have, is what makes us Americans.

More and more these bigots use there pulpits to spread hate against people. The stories of what is being said in Gods name have become more out of left field than I ever imagined could be possible in this country.

These self proclaimed 'conduits of God's thought' are beginning to act like God actually speaks to them and them alone. They issue edicts from their pulpits as to how Christians should act toward other humans. And many of their 'conservative talk show hosts' echo their garbage over the airways.

What are some of these right wing pundits saying?

Tamara Scott~~Gay marriage leads to Eiffel Tower Marriages-ones that encourage relationships outside a marriages. I wonder if she has ever hear of heterosexual extramarital affairs.

Bryan Fisher~~Gays are responsible for the Nazi Party. As I remember gays were on Hitler's extermination list.

Pastor Wooden~~Gay sex causes men to need diapers. Must be a lot of gay men in nursing homes.

Linda Harvey~~Do not let gay doctors attend your children. I wonder if she thinks it rubs off.

Pat Robertson~~ Compares Polygamy, Bestiality And Pedophilia To Gay Marriage

Scott Lively~~Gay-Straight Alliances Are Designed To Recruit Kids

Tony Perkins~~'If You Want A Military That Just Does Parades,' Allow Gays To Openly Serve.

James Robison~~'The Enemy' Is Using 'Glee' To Destroy America, Gays are the enemy?

Newt Gingrich~~Gay Marriage A 'Perfect Example Of What I Mean By The Rise Of Paganism'. Do we even have to discuss this man's morality!!!

Daniel Lapin~~Gays Should've Been Quarantined To fight AIDS. This man is a Rabi. Does he not remember the Jewish struggles.

In my opinion these people and their ilk have lost their collective minds. The really sad thing is that there are people sitting in their churches, synagogues and listening to their talk shows that are being systematically brain washed into believing this hog wash.

Homosexuals will get their full compliment of civil rights in time. I have no doubt. It will be a struggle as many things worthwhile have been but Americans, even though many come to the table slowly, always seem to do what is right and just in the end.

I am a heterosexual man who stands arm on arm with the homosexual community and will do so until we are one community absent of bigotry.

Randy