Rep. Sally Kern Rants in a One Woman Show

(OKLAHOMA CITY) Did you miss your own Easter church service this year?  Well, by clicking on this link (http://www.kfor.com/Global/category.asp?C=22780) you can make up for that loss by listening to Oklahoma's Rep. Sally Kern, district 84, give her own Sunday sermon.

This March 23 local program on Oklahoma City's channel 4, KFOR, was billed as a debate between Rep. Sally Kern and Dr. Rev. Scott Jones of Cathedral of Hope in Oklahoma City.  But thanks to the connivance of moderator-in-name-only Kevin Ogle, Kern was allowed to control the conversation by talking over and louder than anyone else at the table.

Her "discussion" in the form of a monologue centered on, what else, her bible's version of what is or is not sinful and the usual steam-tray of cafeteria-style pick-and-choose bible verses. 

Until the issue of LGBT equality moves beyond dueling bible verses and slinging death-ray one liners about who has the superior scholarship, there will be little progress made in obtaining under civil law the rights and benefits for which LGBT citizens are paying taxes.

I'm not interested in blocking anyone's free speech opportunities, whether that be in the public square or the private sanctuary.  But I am VERY interested in getting what is due to me and my LGBT friends which is full recognition of the birthright of living in this country--free and open access to all federal, state, and local benefits, rights, and privileges, without questioning our sexual orientation or gender presentation, bar none. 

To go back into the closet is unthinkable and would return the playing field to those who are alarmed that we LGBT people are running for public office, participating in the democratic process, and winning elections both local and statewide all across the country.

The 2003 Lawrence v. Texas decision was our Declaration of Independence--our private lives can no longer be used to intimidate us with threats of public exposure, arrest, and monetary fines.

With Lawrence we regained our humanity and self-esteem but there are many people who would deny the validity of the Supreme Court.

We must understand that those who oppose our full participation in the country's social network do not care for our equality; they've never learned to share, they don't play by the same rules.  I think we're not absorbing this fact into our strategies.

We must act persistently, always legally, and at the same time, forcefully in the public courts, the public square, and our social circles to demand that our citizenship is recognized as an integral part of our country's past, present, and future.