Dear Source:
I am deeply offended. We "same-sex couple" people are not political ideas but real human beings with hearts, hopes, dreams and vulnerabilities. I am returning to St. Croix in three weeks for the fourth time in less than a year to celebrate my 20th anniversary with the love of my life – a real person who has survived 51 years, since the age of four, with Type I Diabetes. Health care benefits are not luxuries to us to be doled out by the chosen few based on religious values (and not that it is anyone's business but we are believing Christians); rather, health care benefits are critical to our survival.
We have been planning our eventual move to St. Croix – but what should we do? What would come next? Will it be illegal for us to own property and drink liquor? How far back in time will some St. Croix senators reach to discriminate? We have recently invested in four properties in St. Croix including the re-hab of a home in F'sted – because we believe in St. Croix and have loved the culture and people – a people who have generally embraced us with kindness. But Sen. Richards is suddenly making me feel a little less welcome. We don't expect everyone to embrace us, but we do expect equality and movement in a direction to lessen discrimination, not enhance it.
PS: Dear Usie Richards, I hope we get a chance to meet one day and discuss discrimination. And if we do, you won't have to look behind you to catch me "slip into the back door" (as quoted in the St. Croix Source) because I will be walking in daylight, with my head held high and full of pride…through the same door you do.
Sidney W. Binks III, Ph.D.
Washington, D.C.
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