Is your life worth more than your neighbors?

On a recent weekend In Chicago, a gang member killed an innocent child.  If the prosecutor can show it was a hate crime, then the penalty could be more harsh than just a regular murder.

On a recent weekend In St. Louis, an innocent child was murdered, but the charges did not include a hate crime, so the penalty will likely be less.

If the victim is a police officer or now a police dog, then the penalty is stronger than ‘just a regular murder’

Just a regular murder?  Why have we codified into law that one life has more value than another? All of us have equal rights and equal value.

The bible’s view is similar; “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian nor Scythian, slave nor free; but Christ is all, and in all.” (Colossians 3:9-11)

We are all human. We are all sinners.  We are all God’s children.

June is a month when a group of folks want to demand our respect and attention based on their sexual partners and the costumes they choose to wear. 

Respect is earned. It is earned by one’s accomplishments and actions. Earned by the way you treat other people. In your face ‘accept my lifestyle’ campaigns only create anger and opposition. Most Americans do not care what clothes you wear. Most Americans do not want to know what you do in your bedroom. Most Americans do not want Groomers of any persuasion promoting sexuality to children.

There is a nationwide effort to paint legislation that stops gender altering surgeries and treatments for minors as promoting hate or homophobic. This is blatantly false.  Protecting children from predators is not promoting hate.

Sometimes love is painful.

Parents should not be able to sign for 13 year olds choosing bodily mutilation. Our youth cannot get tattooed or pierced or any other permanent body modification until 18 years without parent consent. Taking hormones should be the same. Why should permanently altering gender be any different? Leave the children alone.

Once an adult, we should respect an individual’s decision as to how they choose to live so long as it is not harming another person. We should respect everyone’s personal liberty - even when we disagree with their decisions.

“Rights mean you have a right to your life. You have a right to your liberty, and you should have a right to keep the fruits of your labor....I, in a way, don’t like to use those terms: gay rights, women’s rights, minority rights, religious rights. There’s only one type of right. It’s the right to your liberty.” ― Ron Paul

Sometimes ‘Love thy neighbor’ is hard, but all Americans have an equal right to their liberty.