I’ve just finished debating a length with a friend of mine who prefers W in this year’s election. His main reason is fear that Kerry will not be harsh enough in dealing with the likes of Iran and North Korea, thus allowing them to develop and use nuclear weapons against us. We debated the merits of this claim for a while, then made our way to a multitude of other topics. At some point, Reagan and AIDS came up. While my friend wanted to tout Reagan’s accomplishments, I wanted to point out that he took an awfuly long time to address the AIDS crisis and help develop policies to combat it. I also quoted Reagan’s communications director, Pat Buchanan, who stated that AIDS was, “nature’s revenge on gay men.”

This of course led to a exchange on how being a gay person influences one’s priorities when voting. When I mentioned that I could not support Bush because of his policies regarding GLBT individuals, in addition to Cheney’s doublespeak on the issue, I was accused of rejecting an entire large entity because of one small aspect of it. It was also insinuated that I was less a patriot for putting the interests of this special interest group above those I should hold as a patriot and American.

I realize that there are many issues at stake in this election. Considering the position I am in, some issues are more important than others. I see nothing wrong with this. Don’t older voters and young voters have different worries? Don’t rich voters and poor voters have different worries? Urban/Suburban – White/Minority …./…. ??? I don’t mean to imply by this that these groupings represent exact opposites or polar pairings. But I do think it is fair to imply that one’s situation does determine how one prioritizes issues.

I reject George Bush because I beleive that he is sincere about the FMA. I reject Dick Cheney for publicly disagreeing with Bush but agreeing to support him nontheless. And I reject Mary Cheney for supporting someone who seeks to disenfranchise her, even if that person is indeed her father.

I also reject George Bush because I beleive that he is not a worldly man, and is not the right person to be appointing those who represent our country to the rest of the world. I reject George Bush because I beleive that it is difficult to be a war hawk when you and your 2nd in command did all you could to avoid serving. I reject George Bush because I beleive that the war on terror is far too important to go alone, and that 4 more years will result in a weaker front against those who harbor and espouse such tactics.

I reject George Bush as a patriot, an American, and a homosexual. Parcel is part as part is parcel.

To acknowlege both our own special interests and that which serves the greater good of our country – and be able to weigh and reconsile the two – is the most honest form of patriotism.