What gives you the right!?

It is the person, or persons, who want you to have it the least.

Women were given the right to vote in federal elections when men were convinced to surrender ultimate authority over them and GIVE them that right. The right for gays and lesbians to marry in California was “granted” by members of the heterosexual majority who already posessed the right. It was then yanked away by a “popular” vote. How is this possible?

The cause of human rights is a delicate dance of gentle persuasion and public pressure. Sometimes the best argument is made by appealing to the basic needs of all of humanity. The NAACP was founded by a group of white men and women who felt that everyone deserved dignity. The British Empire gave India independence because it was embarrassed at its own inhumanity by Ghandi and his compatriots.

It is not simply a majority vote that advances the cause of human rights. It is an urgent plea based on mercy, respect, and decency. Move a heart, change a mind.