Our National Treasure

Ronald Reagan 1911-2004. Like many, I remember the Reagan presidency as a time of holding young men’s hands as they died. This was my calling as a minister, and it was one I fulfilled with many tears. HIV infection and AIDS was a new thing in those days and no one really understood much about how to deal with it. Hard feelings come from the fact that Reagan had supported the rights of gay people while Governor of California but he could not even mention AIDS or HIV as President of the United States. Other minorities like blacks, and the poor have also felt the pang of being left out of the Reagan agenda. It hurt then. It hurts now.

While Ronald Reagan Lay in State at the Capitol Rotunda, our current President George Bush called him our "national treasure." To me a treasure is not a person; although I cherish people dearly, but things of value that transcend human beings. For me, our national treasure is the Constitution of the United States that George Bush has sworn to uphold.

The Preamble to the Constitution tells me that it is intended to provide liberty for everyone and that justice is the reason our government is established. It gives a clear separation of powers between congress, the judicial system and the executive branch. In spite of this, I hear a President calling judges names and trying to get the American people behind an idea to take away the constitutional rights of judges to do justice. Naturally, these restrictions aren’t for people who are heterosexual, but the rights of those of us who are gifted with loving someone of the same sex. The Massachusetts Supreme Court has allowed gay marriages because it is the right and just thing to do. However, many, like George Bush, want to take away justice from queer people. Even lesser rights, like power of attorney for medical care and some inheritance rights are in danger.

While he is sworn to uphold our national treasure, the Constitution, our President wants to take the power it gives to the courts away. The First Amendment guarantees that the state shall not establish religion. However, since George Bush has decided that his religious interpretation of marriage is the correct one, he wants to make sure that everyone is forced to follow his religious beliefs. In addition, what about those of us who understand the inclusivity of the Bible and God’s creation and believe that same sex marriages are just as sacred as opposite sex marriages. For us, our religion is pushed aside and we aren’t allowed to follow our beliefs.

Another reason the Constitution is our national treasure is because it guarantees full and equal protection for every citizen in the fourteenth amendment. But the fear of the religious right, and many in our executive Branch of government, is that queers will actually be treated equal to everyone else. Can you imagine that? The zealots of bigotry are crying loudly that the rights granted to gays and lesbians in Massachusetts not be allowed to spread to other states. Several state legislatures, like my own, have bills to make sure that equality cannot be given to people who love the same sex.

I’m not impressed with pomp and circumstance anymore. I was impressed when I was a child. What impresses me now is the fact that freedoms for everyone are being limited in our country, and that sexual minorities seem to be at the top of the list to be attacked by the Republicans right now. Ronald Reagan did some good. In my limited understanding I think he helped end the threat of nuclear attack from the Soviet Union that I grew up fearing. But Ronald Reagan is not our national treasure, the Constitution of the United States is. However, I fear the treasure will be lost if people of good will do not act and stand up to those who can swear an oath to uphold the Constitution and yet break that oath so easily. We don’t have a monarch, so let’s not shout the praises of a man. Instead let’s shout "God save the Constitution!"

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Robert Buchanan is a minister of the Ecumenical Catholic Church and a psychotherapist who lives with his partner of many years in Durham North Carolina.  He is the author of  Love, Honor & Respect: How to Confront Homosexual Bias in Christian Culture and serves as director of the Institute for Inclusive Christianity. a training program for ministers and clergy who do not discriminate against gays, lesbians, bisexuals, or because of financial, familial or social status.  Additional resources for inclusive Christians can be found at our Resources page.

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Last modified: 07/09/05