Jefferson is the Reason for the Season

When in the the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

And then they blather on about all the reasons for being pissed at the King of Great Britain. Of course, many people have read these words before, and some people have written about them, and more have talked about them, and still more think they know what they mean. Now, I'm not up for a real academicky dissection and analysis, per se, but I have a couple thoughts. So, let's take a crackpot's swing at a coupla these ideas.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

These are the beliefs we hold as our foundation. Now, granted, we as a country have been pretty bad about this "all men are created equal" business. The Founding Fathers struggled with this and all of us have ever since, too. I think the Rights of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness (not happiness - just the pursuit of it...) apply to all citizens. We are all entitled to the same rights, responsibilities and privileges of citizenship as endowed upon us by "their Creator", who or whatever that Creator may be. And it's obvious that your idea of your creator cannot possibly be exactly the same idea I have of my creator: we each have our own separate identities, thoughts, personalities and inner beings/souls, so we can't possibly think the same way. Just like we don't have the same ideas of what the color maroon actually is, our Creators are all different.

Now, opponents of my politically progressive stance on gay marriage will spout Biblical and Natural Law stuff at me, but it is my idea about my Creator that isn't open for debate. And my Creator made me gay.

And, as such, I have been granted these inalienable rights, as mentioned here. The complete and total ideals of Jefferson, et al are on paper for us to read, and it is our duty to execute their wishes to uphold the rule of our land. Sure - Jefferson didn't necessarily practice those ideals himself, as none of us are perfect, but I'm willing to cut the guy some slack. He couldn't fight that battle himself and has left it our personal responsibility to do so. Washington freed his slaves upon his death. Lincoln, for his own reasons emancipated the slaves. King fought for his rights - all our rights - and even Gov. George Wallace had a conversion and saw the light. We all have been correcting their embarrassing loopholes of social injustice since our country's inception, and it's time to carry on that particurly freeing tradition with regards to how we legally discriminate against homosexuals. The pursuit of Happiness, under the government, does not guarantee Happiness, just the equality of the pursuit under law.

--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,
And this is where Democracy comes in. Majority rule forces me to play within the confines of our system, and permits me to work toward influencing others to see my side of the story and support it. We will work harder than you can imagine to garner the consent of the governed, and endowing our leadership with the mandate to act.

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Again - the ideals of Democracy and the rules as outlined by our Constitution give me the power to effect my safety and Happiness by altering and abolishing particular governments through the electoral process. And history has shown that we are an evolving nation of thinkers and that people in opposition to fundamental equality issues have been consistently wrong, overthrown and embarrassed by their immoral, unrighteous beliefs. Morals, rational thought, social evolution and justice are on the side of this equality issue, and all we need is a little patience to withstand the current intemperate political climate that is characterized by hatred, fear and ignorance to vanquish the disgusting inequality towards homosexuals so we, as a productive force, can get onto the next piece of social business. There is much work yet to be done.

We are more disposed to suffer than to right ourselves, as Jefferson claims, but this long train of abuses and usurpations cannot withstand. And, as it is our right to alter or abolish this particular destructive form of government, I prefer alter. Abolishing connotes thoughts of Civil War, and that's not preferable. I'd fuck up my manicure. And you shouldn't want it, either. Have you ever been in a cat-fight with bitchy queens? Have you ever had a lesbian kick your ass? Ugly. Worse than any foxhole in 'Nam, I'll bet. And just as unproductive.