The Right Side of History - The Count Down to Equality of Human Rights

This is the beginning of an ongoing article about equal rights for everyone (equally).

There cannot be "equal rights" until everyone is included in those basic "rights" which is obviously NOT how many see our constitutional interpretation of "basic human rights".

This is countdown of the states that are on the correct side of history and those who are not.

It will start with the first and most aware state to the final and last state of ignorance in our great "united" states of America.

This is a sad, depressing and regrettable reminder of how backwards this country (USA) is on the equal rights issues.

The United States has always boasted about promoting "equal rights' .

This country denounces other countries for trampling on basic rights of their citizens as if we are a shining example to the world of what we preach as right and just, is in fact what we do.

There is much work left to be done on our own shores before we can begin to NOT look like hypocrites who talk from both sides of our mouths. Or as a bad parent who tells their children:

"Do as i say, not what i do"

There has been an ongoing internal war in America to have equality for every one of its citizens, and it is still lingering on today, with tragic and dire consequences and loss of lives, of many of the US citizenry.

It started with these internal struggles, and moved forward at a snails pace, with much resistance from the right wing conservative (and) religious factors that were fighting for total control over the people.

These are the repressive things our forefathers left their respective countries to escape from and make sure they were eliminated from our new society:

• equal rights for women
• the abolishment of slavery
• equal rights for the black community
• rights to vote for both women and blacks
• rights to intermarry
• rights to imbibe in alcoholic libations (after prohibition proved a failure)
• equal rights in the work place
• equal housing
• equal rights for everyone to share buses, restaurants, public places, etc...

And here we are today still fighting 'against' equality for everyone.

Will this be the final frontier, and the final battle to remove the barrier that prevents equality for everyone in this country?

Only time will tell.

The first part of this article will be an ongoing and changing chronicle of the final movement for equal rights, until it reach the number 26.

The second part will begin the count down ↓ {to the bottom ↓} to discover what state is the final holdout.

Which one will be that final state to comply with the elusive concept of "equality for everyone"?

It will bear the greatest of the shame for promoting this tragedy and will never be forgotten.

Its legacy will forever be etched in our history books and hold the distinct title of being the state that has promoted inequality, bigotry, hatred, intolerance, ignorance, and social unrest, for the longest period of time.

Will this be YOUR state to hold that title of pride and distinction, or mine?

That final state will forever be remembered, and hold that distinction of 'honor', for the deliberate inflicting of tragedy on their citizens for the longest period of time.

(Perhaps 'honor' is the wrong choice of words. I will have to find a word that is the opposite of honor, but stronger than mere "shame" for their distinction). [I will take any and all suggestions - so please feel free to help me out with this final distinctive reward title]

Here is the List of the first half of the United States to legally 'allow' equality for everyone:
Facts: Same-sex marriage is legal in 13 U.S states and the District of Columbia: *

1. May 17, 2004 - Massachusetts becomes the first state in the U.S to legalize same-sex marriage.

2. November 12, 2008 - Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Connecticut .

3. September 1, 2009 - Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Vermont.

4. April 27, 2009 - Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Iowa.

5. May 6, 2009 - Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Maine.

6.. January 1, 2010 - Same-sex marriage becomes legal in New Hampshire.

7. March 9, 2010 - Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Washington, D.C.

8. June 24, 2011 - Same-sex marriage becomes legal in New York state.

9. February 23, 2012 - Same-sex marriages become legal in Maryland , as of January 2013

May 9, 2012 - Excerpts from an interview with ABC air in which President Barack Obama endorses same-sex marriage, the first such statement by a sitting president. He feels that the legal decision should be up to the states to determine.

10. December 6, 2012 - Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Washington State.

11. May 2, 2013 - Same-sex marriages will become legal in Rhode Island in August 2013.

12. May 7, 2013 - Same-sex marriages become legal in Delaware. It went into effect in July.

13. May 14, 2013 - Same-sex marriages legal in Minnesota, as of August 2013.

14. June 26, 2013 - the "Supreme Court" rules that private parties do not have "standing" to defend California's voter-approved ballot measure barring gay and lesbians couples from state-sanctioned wedlock. The ruling clears the way for same sex marriages in California to resume.

15. November 2013 - Congratulations to the state of Illinois. Illinois made history today. Illinois legislature voted 61-54 to grant all couples - gay or straight - the right to marry and protect the ones they love. The Governor will sign the bill into law on 11/20/2013 and it will be effective 12/2/2013

16. November 14, 2013 - Congratulations to Hawaii.. Same sex marriages became legal 11/12/2013 and will become law on 12/2/2013.

17. May 10, 2014 - Arkansas supreme court strikes down the 2004 ban on same sex marriages today, as unconstitutional. http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/arkansas-judge-strikes-gay-marriage-ban-23663065

18. yet to be determined.......

This concludes the "plus" portion of the ongoing saga of ''Equality in America'' for now......... To be continued as new states who come to their senses are added to this section.

*data source: CNN and other reporting agencies

Holdouts that remain:

Same-sex marriage is still (unconstitutionally) banned by constitutional amendment or state law in:

• Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. (the ironic part of this is that Florida is one of the most highly populated with gay citizens - right up there with California and New York - a shining example of what happens when bigots are in control)

• New Jersey and New Mexico have no laws either banning or allowing same-sex marriage.

After the recording of the 26th state, the ''plus'' portion ends.

The second portion of this ongoing article will chronicle the states on the "wrong" side of History.

And it will continue until the last holdout so we will have a record of the worst, and the last, state in our union to fight for continuing discrimination, bigotry and hatred.

by d.william 08/05/2013