Richard Cohen, a Washington Post columnist, argues that the initial decision not to appoint an acknowledged homosexual to the U.S. government’s AIDS commission (a decision later reversed) is “akin to denying Jews a place on the Holocaust commission. “Howard Phillips replies that it is “blasphemous” to suggest that the practice of homosexuality is analogous to adherence to Judaism.
I found this excerpt to be sad however not surprising. Although we live in a day and age where marriage equality has made great strides and the elimination of homophobia is progressing, there are still many people who are blinded by whatever barrier present, whether that be religion, family values or the location that one has grown up in. This excerpt is discussing the fact that a homosexual man would not be able to join the government’s AIDS commission because he is gay. However, Richard Cohen suggests that this decision is “akin to denying Jews a place on the Holocaust commission”(Cohen,4). I strongly agree with Cohen’s point when he creates a commonality between denying a homosexual man a spot on the AIDS commission and denying Jews a place on the Holocaust commission. No matter what the injustice is, both examples still serve the same purpose when describing discrimination towards and a way of being. No matter what values you have, or where you have come from it is absolutely wrong to deny somebody’s right to advocate for a cause that they themselves have dealt with themselves. It disturbs me when Howard Phillips replies that it is “blasphemous to suggest that the practice of homosexuality is analogous to adherence to Judaism”(Phillips,4). Fortunately I strongly disagree with the value that because you are gay you do not attain the same rights as others. Sadly many people believe that being homosexual is “ungodly,” while I find this assertion to be ignorant and close-minded. No matter what the prejudice is, morally it is unethical to decide someone’s fate because of how they choose to lead their life. As extreme as it may be I compare this situation to racism or sexism. As different as these issues may be they all share the same unethical basis.