The Bilerico Project | Daily experiments in LGBTQ

Yes, Dartmouth is Ivy League, thus more open and liberal than, say, Rose Hulman (hey kiddo), but it has the reputation as the most conservative of the Ivys, the most macho ("where men are men and sheep are scared" we used to say about it when I was at Harvard). So the fact that its star All-American lacrosse goalie is gay and out is remarkable. This kid's courage is why we have to fight like hell to win in the Indianapolis City-County Council, the Indiana Legislature, the U.S. Congress, and anywhere and everywhere else bigots -- who collectively don't have the brains, brawn, and courage Andrew Goldstein has in his little finger --would seek to make him a 2nd class citizen. It's why we have to be willing in the battle we face to make sacrifices, to pledge, as the signers of the Declaration of Independence did, our "Lives, our Fortunes, our sacred Honor" to win this war that has been declared against us.

This is a day when we rightly honor those who have sacrificed their lives so we are able to fight for our full inclusion in the American promise of liberty and justice for all. Just as those aligned against us have every right to pursue their nefarious ends, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO FIGHT BACK. The question is, do we have the necessary courage and are we willing to sacrifice whatever may be required. We are fortunate that our lives will probably not be required. What will be asked of us is probably no more than the willingness to step out of our comfort zones among our families, friends, at work, and on the street. ...and money. Political battles in America today require money.

Eric Miller is planning on spending $8 million on the campaign to approve the marriage ban amendment to the Indiana constitution. Some of this money will come from wealthy right-wing Christians, but much of it will be sacrificial donations of $100 or $1,000 from working class people who believe enough in their cause, flawed as it is, to give up a meal or two at MCL or a rinse and dye at Hairdo Heaven.

So we need to be tougher, more determined, and more willing to sacrifice so that an All-American athlete at Rose Hulman in Indiana will someday feel just as free as Andrew Goldstein to step out without fear and show the bigots the true face of our community.