President Obama and Representative John Lewis led thousands in a commemorative march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Credit Doug Mills/The New York Times

There are few points in one’s life where you can pause and say to yourself, “I am living through history”.  This is one of those moments.  50 years ago, many peaceful protestors were brutally assaulted and beaten because they simply had enough.  Enough hate and unjust discrimination.

Here is a quick history lesson for those that may need one.  Two years after Dr. Martin Luther King’s iconic and historic “I have a dream” speech in Washington, members of the black community linked arms to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge.  They did this knowing what awaiting them on the other side.  They literally were walking into the pits of hell.  I can’t imagine the amount of sheer courage required to do this.  This march is now known as Bloody Sunday due to the violent reaction of the police at the time.  This March was also the first of three aiming to reach Montgomery, Alabama, to demand an end to discrimination against black voters and all such victims of segregation.  The brutal and disgusting actions of the police troopers at the time disgusted many in Washington at the time which helped leaders pass Voting Rights Act five months later.

I have several reasons for highlighting this.  First and foremost, to honor all that walked across that bridge that day.  And acknowledge what happened.  Also, this was a CIVIL RIGHTS issue.  The black community STILL faces many different injustices in the United States.  While things have gotten exponentially better on the surface, there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done. That said, WHAT AN AMAZING SCENE to watch the President of the United States hold hands with people that 50 years ago marched across this very bridge only to be greeted by brutality and hate.  What a difference 50 years can make.  IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE!!! 



I am a gay man who does not have equal rights in 2015 in the United States and many other countries.  While my struggle is extremely different than the black community’s struggle, there is one thing in common.  We all should have the same human rights and the same civil rights.  There are many that disagree with that statement.  There are many (ignorant people) that get offended when you compare gay rights to black rights.  It’s not about comparing and contrasting.  It’s about highlighting the one commonality.  Civil rights.

I am so proud of my President today.  The picture above literally moved me to tears.  I hope we can all take a moment and reflect.  We all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.  We are all HUMAN.  Ok… I’ll stop now.  Byyyyyeeeeeeeeeee