By Joseph Furner

There is something about this quote from outgoing U.S. Rep. Allen West that doesn’t sit well with me: “In the United States, we are blessed with the freedom to pursue our dreams and to disagree on what they should be—loudly and passionately if we wish—but we must never, ever relinquish this freedom, whether it is in the name of political correctness or economic justice.” (Washington Times, November 22, 2012)

West and many other politicians love to use the word “freedom” as if “all” people in this country have all the same freedoms. This is very narrow-minded of him, and disrespectful of people in this country who do not enjoy all the same freedoms and rights. He is clueless and insensitive.

West needs to stop lumping all Americans into one category. Gays do not have all the same rights and freedoms as heterosexuals, not by a long shot. Gays cannot marry in most states. Gays do not have rights to bring bi-national partners to the US like heterosexuals can now. Gays cannot jointly file taxes. Gays just do not have the same rights and freedoms—always persecuted, always treated like freaks by some, and just not completely accepted here.

Allen West forgets about all of this. Maybe is happy that he cannot be discriminated against or treated differently. But gays are not free to marry who we want, when we want, from wherever we want. We have to suffer and pay a high cost to be “out,” and be together with the person we love. Although West touts the freedom to pursue dreams completely, he forgets about this group of people: Shame on him. This offends me.

Gays need to fight even harder now with President Obama for full gay rights, to be able to do and receive every [federal] benefit that heterosexuals and heterosexual couples now receive, and not [via the individual] states.

Mr. West, stop touting that all Americans have freedom, because gays are still not completely free. Some people use the word “freedom” too lightly, almost taking it for granted. Politicians from both parties can continue to appease gays, but until 100 percent gay rights are actuated in this country, they should stop talking about the freedoms that “all” Americans enjoy.

If politicians really care about freedom for “all” Americans, they should make sure that gays also enjoy the same freedoms. Gays deserve full and equal equality in this country, with no exceptions. “All” people in the US must continue to work for equal freedom for “all” people in the US, gays included.

Joseph Furner lives in Lake Worth.