"Free to live and love as they see fit."

Yesterday President Obama attended a fundraiser for his re-election campaign that was hosted by a GLBT organization. Like all politicians, the speech was intended to express support for whatever that particular group champions. It just happened to be in this case that the cause being supported is the current legislation in the NY Assembly to endorse "gay marriage."

I'm thankful that every person in the United States is free to pursue 'happiness' as the Preamble to the Constitution states, within the boundaries of the law. I am not interested in trying to deny that right to the GLBT community. As far as I know, it is not illegal to be homosexual in the United States; although there have been laws regarding the sexual expression of homosexuality in a number of states in the past.

What caught my attention in the Yahoo news article about the President's speech was his statement that "he was confident that there will be a day when every single American, gay or straight or lesbian or bisexual or transgender, is free to live and love as they see fit." I thought that they were free to live and love as they see fit in the United States...aren't they?

The President's words "as they see fit" sounded awfully familiar. His speech writer may or may not be familiar with the Bible, but there is statement in the book of Judges that sounds quite similar to the President's dream. In Judges 17:6 we read, "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit." Sounds great doesn't it? Sounds like real freedom! But this freedom that the President looks forward too with confidence doesn't apply to everyone in our country. "It doesn't?" you ask. No it doesn't.

Let me offer a few examples:

Rep. Anthony Wiener is free to live and love as he sees fit, right? No?

Lindsey Lohan is free to live and party as she sees fit, right? No?

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger certainly can live and procreate as he sees fit? No?

Bernard Madhoff? Can he live and spend as he sees fit? No?

Rev. Fred Phelps got approval from the U.S. Supreme Court to live and protest as he sees fit?

Osama Bin Laden? Can he live and fight as he sees fit? No?

Why not? Why can't these human beings live as they see fit? Not all of them are even breaking the laws of this country? The reason, of course, is because they are violating our societal laws and norms. We've decided formally and/or informally that the way that they want to live is most definitely NOT okay.

So, the President's dream is not for everyone. It is only for those who have gained the approval of our society. What about those who are outside of the societal norms? I guess they have to keep dreaming.

What happens if one day you are found to be outside of societies norms? Will you continue to live and love as you see fit? And really, isn't there a basis for drawing the boundary lines that is not left up to the whims of culture or the political fundraising of a president? I sure hope so!