Equal Rights

Securing equal rights has never been easy for any group. Blacks, women, Irish, Chinese every immigrant, minority, or other sort of disenfranchised group has had to struggle for human rights. Because our American rights are pretty strong compared to much of the rest of the world, we often forget that the government is not always willing to grant freedoms without a fight. Antiwar protesters have been spied upon, unjustly beaten and imprisoned, and systematically victimized by our government at many points throughout history. Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms have been rolled back, and the leaders of progressive movements have been intentionally marginalized by those interested in power at any cost.

The bottom line is that, no matter where you live, you have to be willing to fight for your civil rights. No government is ever going to permanently guarantee equal rights no matter how much the citizens may wish it. Sooner or later, a leader is going to come along who has less respect for human dignity and human rights, or a political movement is going to replace the humanist doctrine of equality with the more conservative doctrine where the strong are allowed to persecute the weak. Even in America, we do not have equal rights for all groups. Gays are still persecuted, certain religious and ethnic groups are discriminated against every day, and even women are not treated completely equally.

One of the biggest questions that activists like myself have to face is whether to work for equal rights abroad or at home. On the one hand, many of the worst abuses take place in other countries. There are many nations nowadays where women can't safely leave their homes without being covered head to toe and accompanied by a male relative. There are countries where ethnic cleansing is a daily reality and people are not even guaranteed the right to live. Compared to these places, our country seems idyllic, yet it still is hypocritical to address injustice abroad without working against injustice at home.

Right now, the most important equal rights struggle is probably the one for gay rights. Gay people have only recently made inroads into mainstream American society. Already, there is a vicious backlash against gay marriage and gay rights in general. In the long run, of course, equality will win, but the question is how long we are willing to wait. By working for freedom and justice, we can bring the day of true equality closer.