Kudos to Massachusetts and San Francisco for finally getting it right. Equality MEANS equality and anything less than equal is… that's right -- UNEQUAL!

America prides itself for being the harbinger of liberty, freedom and equality. Unfortunately, equal civil marriage rights is an issue that has been has been warped and twisted by our opposition into something vile and sinister.

Polls show a growing number of Americans do not support equal civil marriage rights for same-sex couples and when you listen to the talking heads discuss the issue, it is no wonder. Most people do not get it. They do not understand what is really at stake here.

Right-wing extremists have completely misrepresented the issue of equal civil marriage rights and they tirelessly hurl half-truths and lies about our lifestyle, our "agenda" and about the religious basis for denying us the rights and benefits of marriage.

They say we do not deserve equal civil marriage rights because we are sexually deviant. And they know this because the Bible says so. In fact the Bible does have many things to say about marriage and most of it was written to encourage procreation. Have you looked around lately? I think we've done a very good job fulfilling our procreation duties!

Further, if we are to follow ALL of the Bible's literal teachings on marriage, I suspect there would be a huge OUTCRY. For if we follow what the Bible says we must, then a man would be required to marry the widow of his brother -- whether he wanted to or not. Adulterers would be stoned to death and women without husbands would be required to have sex with their fathers.

The religious argument is just a smokescreen designed to instill fear and confusion. It is the same tired old argument that was used to deny equal rights to African Americans and to women. The truth is that no one is forcing religious organization to recognize same-sex marriage. Many churches, synagogues and temples will marry gay and lesbian partners but those marriages are only ceremonial and do not grant legal rights to the couple. It is the legal rights that we need to protect our families and not the sanction from religious organizations.

If not religion, what other arguments are the opposition using to deny us equal rights? For one thing, they say gay and lesbian relationships are short-lived and that we do not establish committed relationships. Raise your hand if you are in a committed relationship. For ten or more years? Five or more? More than two?

They say we want to recruit unwitting heterosexuals into our lifestyle. I won't even try to respond to that absurd accusation.

They say we can change if we want to… but what if we don't want to or we tried and it didn't work?

Some LGBT activists do not support equal civil marriage rights because they feel that we should not try to mimic a system that is clearly dysfunctional. What they do not get is that it is NOT just about marriage. It is about dignity, respect and equal treatment under the law. A person can choose NOT to marry but should be given the choice TO marry.

George W. Bush said he does not read the paper or watch the news. He prefers to get his information from members of his staff. What he doesn't realize is that even if he did pay attention to what the media reports, he wouldn't be any more informed about the facts. Especially when it comes to the issue of equal civil marriage rights for same-sex partners. Bush said recently that gay and lesbian couples could get many of the rights and benefits of marriage by entering into contracts like Living Together Agreements and by creating Last Wills and Living Trusts. I guess he doesn't know about the 1,049 state and federal rights and benefits that come with legal marriage that no contract will ever convey.

We have to assume if the president doesn't know, many other people do not know either.

That's why we, the LGBT community and our supporters, need to speak up and get active. Each of us should make a pledge to talk to the people in our lives who love and care about us and our family.

Tell them you are not an anomaly -- that just like most gay and lesbian families, you work, you play, you have children, own your own home, you pay taxes, you get sick, and that someday you will grow old and die.

Tell them that the homosexual agenda is not to recruit innocent youth into a deviant lifestyle but to obtain the same legal rights enjoyed by every other American citizen. Equality -- no more, no less.