Under the operation of that policy, that agitation has not only not ceased, but has constantly augmented. In my opinion, it will not cease until a crises shall have been reached and passed. "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

I have seen a few people bemoan that, in the near future, we will see another civil war in our country.

They have said it in reference to the fact that on Tuesday we elected Barack Obama as the first non-white president in the history of the United States.

But ladies and gentleman, our next civil war will not be about race.  Our next civil war WILL be about a difference in ideology, an argument over the legislation of morality versus legality.

It will once again be about whether or not all men are created equal, whether the United States of America is still a country based not on the denial of basic human rights, but on the granting and celebration of the rights of all men and women.

Our next civil war is being fought in the streets of California as we speak.  This is not the first instance, nor will it be the last.  Our next civil war will hopefully be prevented by the new administration set to take power in January of 2009, an administration that I hope down to the deepest part of my heart with honor the words that make MY and OUR country great, the same words delivered to an unjust government in 1776.

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....

And yet our goverment continues to deny a right to many of it's citizens, the right to celebrate love and life with another person because the couple in question is of the same sex.

Earlier this evening, two administrators from the social networking site, Buzznet.com, were jailed during a protest against Proposition 8.   These arrests are as ridiculous as the idea that there should be any reason to ban marriage between same sex couples.  Especially since video released shows that apparently both men were walking away from the confrontation when they were arrested, supposedly for "failure to disperse."  Watch for about the 2:20 mark:

No person in this country should be a second class citizen.  Regardless of race or gender, whether they are natural born citizens or immigrants, whether they be straight, gay, transexual or what have you.  We are Americans.  And we deserve the same power that our forefathers had: to grant rights to our people rather than deny them out of fear.

THIS IS NOT THAT AMERICA.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

All my love tonight to Mark, Rich and the others out there.  Keep them in your thoughts and/or prayers and watch this blog for constant updates on the situation.  And remember, change is slow to come, but the fight for it is, no matter what, a worthy one.

(crossposted in a slightly modified version from my Buznet.com blog)