by David Gwinn

Created on: May 11, 2008

When first faced with this question, one initially would search for the parallels. When finished with that, one would seek out the differences. In both cases they would be real and/or supposed. That is human nature. However, by doing so, only the symptoms of the issue are examined but not the causes. The root of the problem here, in both cases, is more WHY than it is who. WHY are these people seeking their civil rights as opposed to who are these people seeking their civil rights.

The race-related civil rights movement began, and remains today, as a more "visible" cause than anything else. Visible meaning that in most cases an individual of other than that we know as white/non-Hispanic are easily seen or noticed. In a predominantly white crowd of people, two or three black people will stand out quite plainly.

In that same crowd of people, can you spot the ones that are gay?

Another factor to take into consideration is history. The African American has been overcoming obstacles for decades, starting with being forcibly removed from their homes and forced into brutal labor in unknown lands by strangers from other places. Once freed from the bonds of slavery they were treated like second-class citizens by the public in general because of their obvious difference. Things like education, employment and housing were denied these people due to the color of their skin. Trying to hide their blackness and blending in with the rest simply wasn't an option.

Gay people can be found in all ethnic groups and walks of life. Because of this they cannot be readily noticed and treated any differently from those who are not gay. Unless they advertise it in some way, manner, fashion or form; a lesbian or homosexual will have no trouble enrolling in a school or getting a job or finding a place to live. They can hide the fact that they're gay whereas an African American has trouble hiding their skin color.

Other aspects included in this issue are things like "fear or moral outrage", "choice or genetics", personal acquaintance and religion.

People fear what they do not know. Things and people strange to us are most often treated with disdain, anger, hatred and distrust based on fear. Since black people are different from white people not only in color but in their beliefs as well, they were treated badly because they were feared. The majority of whites didn't understand them and so feared them. Because of that fear, certain civil rights were denied them; rights that needed fighting

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