Constructive Impatience

3) Send a message
that this administration understands that equality for
LGBT Americans is a CIVIL RIGHTS issue. Appoint the first
openly gay member of the U.S. Commission on Civil
Rights.

Don't look at us
as gay Americans who have issues. Look at us as
Americans who have been denied basic civil rights. This is
how our second-class citizenship SHOULD be viewed, and
it fits perfectly with Barack Obama's vision for a
UNITED States.

A quick look at
today's commissioners? A woman, several
African-Americans, an Asian American, a Native American.
Even a white man from the Heritage Foundation (don't
even get me started about the Heritage Foundation).

So, to my fellow
LGBT friends and our straight allies, to those who
raised money and gave money, to those of us who have
dedicated time and energy to the visibility of the
second-class citizenship of gay and lesbian Americans:
Let's use the Rick Warren choice as an opportunity to
be impatient. I for one plan to be impatient constructively
(as demonstrated above).

Join me. My list
is a place to start. And hardly exhaustive. Perhaps you
have some ideas? 

- This article
was first featured on The Huffington Post.