Duplicity...

"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." - The Declaration of Independence.

When I was in college, I took an American Colonial History course. It was taught by a new professor at the school (he's now a Dean) and I was actually interested in the course because the focus was on colonial times, and we would be looking at the Salem witch trials. Anyway, one of the books on the reading list was, American Slavery, American Freedom by Edmund S. Morgan. I don't remember when during the semester we read the book, I just remember that we read it.

The central premise of the book was that while America was fighting for its own freedom from the tyrannical rule of England, we were, in fact enslaving thousands and thousands of Africans. We were fighting for liberty, justice, happiness (or at least the right to pursue it) and freedom. So, how could we not recognize the injustice and lack of humanity we were putting fellow humans through? Every second, minute, hour and day that we fought for freedom we were simultaneously denying other humans liberty and dignity every second, minute, hour and day. American Freedom became based on race. What happened to all men are created equal? I see nothing about race in that statement above.

American Freedom today is based on sexual orientation, and again, we are having debate over separate yet equal. If you are not straight, you are not a real citizen. You are not entitled to all the rights and privileges that come with citizenship. You can pay taxes, but not be granted the same rights (gee that sounds vaguely familiar...oh wait, that is why our country was founded, that's right). You can be fired from your job if you're gay or lesbian. You cannot get married everywhere (civil or otherwise). In fact, our federal government actually says, through DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act) that marriage is between a man and a woman. You cannot adopt or foster children in some parts of the country. Hell, in some places you can't even walk down the street without fear of being attacked if you're openly gay. Again, I ask, what happened to all men are created equal? I see nothing about only heterosexual men in the statement from the Declaration of Independence above.

How can a nation that fought so hard for its independence from tyranny, that wants so desperately to be the standard bearer for democracy and equality still be treating segments of its citizenry so poorly? How can the rest of the world take us seriously when we talk about equality if we can't even treat our own citizens equally? How can we have learned some lessons, but not others when the standard is equality? How can our Bill of Rights guarantee a separation of church and state, but when it comes to marriage equality, we have to look to religion before we enact law?

Is it our innocence or ignorance as a nation that makes us so duplicitous?