Thursday, March 09, 2006

Individual Rights

Even with the positive media exposure our community has received lately, and the increased acceptance we like to believe exists, things still happen to let us know there is a long way to go.

A couple weeks ago, two friends went to a fast food restaurant and were refused service by two employees. As they patiently waited at the counter to place their order, the two male cashiers went to the rear of the restaurant, turned their back and intentionally ignored them. Eventually, a female worker came to the front and took their order. Big whoop de do!

It normally takes a lot to get my dander up, but this one did. I mean, come on now, Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence that "we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness".

Um, excuse me! Having a sandwich and coffee in our chosen gender role is one of the ways a number of us pursue happiness.

I personally went back to this place a few days ago. Apparantly, these two young men were not working that day. I am normally a very retiring person. I have to say when I walked in there, I felt like Clint Eastwood. I wanted to say "go ahead punk, make my day". I am anything but confrontational, but I had a right to sit in a booth and enjoy my iced tea, which I did.

In this day and age in America, discrimination in any form is simply unacceptable. I don't believe this one is over yet.


Back again to the Oscars this past Sunday, I find it to be a commentary on the state of Hollywood, and the world, when a 'song' about a pimp and his hookers won 'Best Song'. But hey, that's just me.

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