We have always had to fight these kind of people in this country, because they will not give in without a fight. They had to be forced to give women the right to vote (and still refuse to give them equal pay or control over their own bodies). They had to be forced to outlaw segregation and other Jim Crow laws (and this fight continues, especially since an African-American was elected to be president). It took a constitutional amendment to demand the right of citizens to worship (or not) as they pleased (and this fight too is still being waged, as the anti-islamic bigotry has become the calling card for too many people).
The latest fight is over the rights of lesbians and gays, and whether they should enjoy the same rights as other Americans (like the right to marry). Like the other examples of bigotry listed in the paragraph above, this one is also cloaked in the mantle of religion. That does not make it right, it just gives it a lame excuse (since religion can be perverted to justify anything). This bigotry must be fought against -- not just by lesbians and gays, but by decent people everywhere in this country.
Unless equal rights are guaranteed and given to all citizens, then they are not assured to any citizen. If someone can take your neighbors rights away, then they can also take yours. I believe that. I also believe that refusing to take a stand against evil (bigotry) means you approve of the existence of that evil. Take a stand! Fight against bigotry in all of its nasty forms.
Maybe bigotry can never be fully conquered. Maybe there will always be some bigots -- people on the wrong side of history. That doesn't matter. They must be fought anyway, because it is the right thing to do. Whether we can achieve total victory or not, we can make things better for everyone in America -- and our duty as a citizen is to do just that.
This is why I sometimes believe in the "tyranny's of the good". If government did not outlaw state sponsored and sanctioned slavery, African Americans would still be picking cotton, Asian Americans would still be building structures for Robber Barons. Mexican Americans have yet to win their place in our distorted history, but it will happen and I intend to be on the correct side of history...again!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with the post, but I've never understood the phrase "the right/wrong side of history" that has become so common.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing it means something like, "I'm right and history will prove it, so if you're not on my side then history will prove that you're on the wrong side now." So the user of the phrase is, what?, trying to frighten opponents with the future? If I disagree then I'm supposed to be afraid of how my name will appear in history books?
I'm not poking at you, Ted, and again I'm not disagreeing with the post. I agree with it entirely. It's just this phrase which is now popping up everywhere, and seems wierd to me. Two groups are, for instance, killing each other and we're telling one of them that they will be "on the wrong side of history" They will be dead a lot sooner than that, because they are using bombs, guns and artillery. They don't really care about what some future history book is going to say about them.
Besides which, they think they're right and that it is you who will be on "the wrong side of history." So us telling them which side is wrong is sort of futile. Anyway, keep up the good work.