If I could have a super-power for 24 hours, I would choose to be a straight white man in America

Now wait — before you get upset and think this is going to be a post bashing straight white men, please hear me out, because it's not. I mean, I love straight white men: my father; my brothers; and many, many friends. But sometimes I think they must either live a different universe than those of us who are women, gay, or people of color, or — more likely — they have an entirely different life experience than the rest of us. So I'd just like to see what it's like for 24 hours.

I recently posted a story about Elizabeth Edwards reiterating her support for LGBT equality, and decrying President Bush's misguided opposition to the hate crimes bill. I got quite a long comment on this post by a reader who thinks I'm wrong. I'm glad to have differing viewpoints in this blog, and I don't mind a good debate. Read his comments here. The main gist of his comments are these two paragraphs:

When it comes to protection against murder, the law already treats people equally, inasmuch as it punishes perpetrators without regard for what might or might not have motivated those perpetrators to commit such crimes.

This issue is about the attempts of the GLBT community to steamroll opponents of their views into submission by slanderously implying that anyone who is not in favor of special (and therefore unequal) rights for minorities is guilty of advocating hate crimes against such people.

Sigh. Where do I begin? First off, I know this commenter is a straight white male because he makes that clear on his blog. (Complete with photo and profile as a “conservative Christian.”)

Secondly, let's look at his argument that “the law already treats people equally ....” Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! That's a good one! Can you say “Scooter Libby?”

Seriously, I am reminded of that beautiful song by Louis Armstrong “What a Wonderful World,” because wouldn't it be a wonderful world if, in fact, we were all treated equally under the law? The sad reality is that we are not, and we cannot rely on human nature to make us behave civilly to each other and respect each other. We need to have the hate crimes bill enacted just like we have to have a statement on McDonald's coffee that says “Caution: this beverage is very hot.” We shouldn't have to put that on there! But we do, because the reality is, people will burn themselves on hot coffee and sue McDonald's if the restaurant doesn't warn them.

And the reality for minorities, commenter, is that we are targeted for violence, whereas you are not. And I don't think that many, if any, straight white men can know what it feels like to be a target because of who they are, genetically. As a gay woman, I would love to experience the safety of a straight white man for 24 hours. I would love to hold my spouse's hand and walk down a city street without worrying that we will be attacked. What does that feel like?

Next up, the commenter says this is an attempt by the “GLBT community to steamroll opponents into submission.” Oh yeah, that's right, I forgot about the “homosexual agenda” we have orders to promote. In our secret underground meetings. Where we carry pink pistols. Where we plan to indoctrinate your children into our “lifestyle.”

I'm sorry commenter, you're starting to sound like Bill O'Reilly just a little too much. There are many minorities other than just the LGBT community who support the hate crimes bill. I know we're any easy target, because saying “teh gays” gets the folks in the front pews all worked up. But hey, the police support the hate crimes bill:

Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association
Hispanic National Law Enforcement Association
International Association of Chiefs of Police
International Brotherhood of Police Officers
Major Cities Chiefs Association
National Asian Peace Officers Association
National Black Police Association
National Center for Women & Policing
National Coalition of Public Safety Officers
National District Attorneys Association
National Latino Police Officers Association
National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives

The list of supporters is too long to post, but you can see it at a wonderful site called Clergy Against Hate. These are the true Christians to me, living life as Jesus modeled for us.

And finally, readers, I want to share with you a statement from the commenter's own blog on the subject of the pending hate crimes bill:

I also think it likely that such a law will be used in order to suppress the free speech rights of those whose opinions on matters such as gay marriage and abortion are deemed politically incorrect by political liberals who have a tendency to abuse the court systems in order to impose their views on the general population.

This is a myth that is floating around the Internet thanks to a conservative Christian group, the American Family Association (AFA). I'm not going to link to their site because I feel they are a vile, deceitful group and I don't want to give them any publicity. Go there at your own peril. Suffice it to say that this idea is so false that even Snopes, the authority on debunking urban myths (which this is) felt compelled to take it on:

In fact, the version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives on May 3, 2007 includes a clause that specifically precludes applying it to conduct protected by the free speech and free exercise of religion provisions of the Constitution:

Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, shall be construed to prohibit any expressive conduct protected from legal prohibition by, or any activities protected by the free speech or free exercise clauses of, the First Amendment of the Constitution.

So, commenter, fear not. You'll still be free to continue to say anything you want when the hate crimes bill passes. And you're always welcome to visit this site and make comments. Free speech is a wonderful thing and I endorse it heartily. All I'm asking for with the hate crimes bill is equal protection from violence. And in order to ensure it is equal to what you, as a straight white man, have, it has to be law.