Speak Out

I am a part of the majority — white, male and heterosexual — and I find it hypocritical that though America is touted as the beacon of freedom and equality to which the rest of the world looks for inspiration, we still have issues with discrimination against minorities. We continue to make laws that push certain citizens to second-class status.

June 28 brings about the 39th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, seen by some as the catalyst that sparked the movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender/transsexual) rights. Thirty-nine years later progress is surely being made, albeit baby steps.

In 2003, Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriages. Recently, the Supreme Court of the state of California ruled that state's ban on same-sex marriages to be unconstitutional. Even more recently, the brave New York Gov. David A. Paterson declared that his state will recognize and extend all rights and privileges it offers to married couples to same-sex couples married in another state or country. All of these actions are exciting and show true progress towards marriage equality for the United States. I can only hope this is a sign of things to come for our country.

It is time for America to become the America of the future. My hope is that in five or 10 years we will look back and realize the mistakes we made by allowing the oppression of minorities. I am asking the citizens of Anniston, Oxford, Calhoun County, Alabama and America to stand up and fight for America. Let's make the phrase "land of the free" a reality and not just a line in a song. Stand up and fight for your country to be the nation of freedom and equality that we know it should be.

Equality for all people — something I think every American can and should get behind.

Erek Smith
Oxford

Learning from history

Re "Consequences of lies" (Speak Out, May 11):

In my recent letter concerning lies in America, I did not mention any names. I could have been thinking while writing of another time and place where lies and propaganda were used by radio, movies, music, newspapers and zealots and political opportunists seeking power.

Such a time happened after World War I, when all of Europe suffered bad economic times, especially Germany and Austria. During that time, a group of people made an all-out assault on another group, naming them as the most responsible for the bad economy.

The end result led to the torture and killing of millions of people. For a complete history of this happening, one must read the history of the causes of World War I and World War II. A good reading plan on the use and history of propaganda would also help to understand that time.

Also, if one wishes to put some icing on the cake of knowledge, a reading on the history of espionage puts a light on how things of the past may affect current events.

Groups of men most always use the same modus-operandi when they desire to gain wealth and power over others and societies.

P.J. Miller
Munford