High school gays get a harsh lesson

I just don't understand how Americans in the 21st century can condone this type of behavior. If this is the good, wholesome, values that conservatives always talk about, then call me a flaming liberal. You hear a lot of rhetoric from "conservative" Republicans who say they "don't hate gays, they hate the lifestyle", or they "aren't trying to take away gay rights, just trying to protect the institution of marriage". Unfortunately, this is all just bullshit rhetoric. Guess what happens when you portray gays as evil sinners...and take away their rights...and relegate them to second-class status? You create an environment where this type of harassment is accepted. What scares me is not necessarily that this kind of bigoted behavior occurs, but that it is condoned and probably applauded by what I can only guess to be 51% of this country.

The hypocrisy becomes almost indignant when you consider the flag waving and boasting of freedom and democracy that you here from the right. How can you talk about fighting oppression when your party, your agenda, your tainted religion, your way of life is as oppressive as anything found in Saudi Arabia or Iran?

I view this current battle over gay rights as something similar to what our country went through during the civil rights movement. God willing, 20 years from now we'll have millions of Republicans who swear that they have gay friends, that they are not homophobic, that they believe gays should have the same rights as everyone else. In my lifetime, I hope to see a Republican party that wants to embrace gay America as it is trying to do today with minorities.