[pnggrad79]

After Texas voted to ban gay marriage with both an amendment to the Constititution and a law back in 2003, I am refusing to pledge allegiance to a flag that pays lip service only to the phrase, "liberty and justice for all' when it really means "liberty and justice for all-except African Americans, Hispanics, gays and lesbians, women, Muslims, etc" It is my personal silent protest. I will not ever wear red, white and blue, or pledge allegiance to a country that discriminates against those who are different from those in power. This country was founded by people who sought and fought for the right to worship and live how they saw fit. I do not support the war in Iraq. Those brave soldiers are not fighting for my rights as a tax-paying, responsible citizen of this country who happens to be a lesbian- I have none. They are fighting for the image of George Bush as the defender of the free world. Yeah, it's free if you are not gay or black, Hispanic, a woman or God forbid,Jewish or Arabic. It is a waste of their time, their efforts, and their lives to put themselves on the line for his conservative agenda that discriminates against everyone who isn't White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant and conservative. If they are going to bend to the political agenda set forth by fear-based, judgmental and narrow minded right wing fundamentalists, then they need to amend the Constititution of the United States to exclude everyone except themselves, because in effect that is what they want to do. Also, rewrite the pledge.