I won’t mince words… you’re dead wrong. Being gay is a lot more analogous to being black than it is to being Jewish. You’re either born black or you’re not; you’re either born gay or you’re not. These are traits or characteristics from birth. Being gay is not a “preference” or a choice. Discrimination against blacks is every bit as wrong as discrimination against gay people.

One’s religious beliefs and/or practices, on the other hand, are a matter of choice. People can and do change them all the time. But that’s really beside the point of the above. The important principle is that none of us ought to discriminate against someone else for an immutable characteristic of that person.

I also have another preference: not having every simple argument concerning cavalier discrimination against homosexuals side-tracked by pointing at other discriminations. It’s selfish, intellectually weak and totally obliterates any solidarity in the Unity of Oppression.

While I support your disdain for Jay Leno’s comments the other night, I have a problem with your follow up comment. As an African American (not gay), I am sick and tired of some in the Gay community who often compare their sexual preference (being Gay) with that of being “black” (African American) and or “Jewish” in this particular case. Being gay as I understand it is a sexual preference…not a race as being African American, Jewish or White. I do believe that you can be black and gay and jewish and gay. So there is an obvious distinction between being black or jewish and being gay. I once heard a Gay individual compare a group of individuals with HIV with the African American community. I was insensed. Black Americans are always compared with everything negative or on the fringe in this Country. That is exactly why Blacks remain so sensitive to racism in this Country. Embedded in the subconscious of White America, African Americans will always remain low on the totem pole. Even immigrants who come to this Country think that they are better than African Americans. I understand your plight as a gay person, but yours is not the same as ours. I have nothing against gay individuals…I have relatives and friends that are gay and I used to own a gay bar. However, your analogy is wrong and I resent it…everytime I hear it. I understand that your comparison was not intended to be negative or racist. Just as I hope that Jay Leno will never make similar comments in the future, I would hope that you would not make similar comparisons in the future.

I thank you for your understanding and consideration.

DGW