Since when do entertainment and discrimination coincide?

Think back to 2003: right after the MTV Video Awards, the juicy topic of the month became Britney Spears’ racy kiss with fellow musical performing artist Madonna.
   While some conservative groups of people were deeply offended by this outward display of public affection by two women, another common opinion was that it was “hot.”
   Fast forward to 2009. Lady Gaga kisses both a man and a woman in her new music video: Love Game.
   Neither of these events caused a significant negative reaction from the public, at least not for long.
   However, when American Idol runner up Adam Lambert kissed a male dancer at this year’s Video Music Awards, everyone is up in arms.
   To date, Lambert has already been cut from interviews on ABC because of millions of complaints to ABC and the Federal Communications Commission.
   Neither Spears’ nor Gaga’s careers were seriously affected by their public promiscuity, and any resulting outcome was probably positive.
   So why is it that Lambert has been cut from his planned interview for Good Morning America and Jimmy Kimmel Live? Why is it that he is looked down upon for lewd acts that others have committed as well?
   It appears that Lambert is being punished for being open about his sexuality from the start of his career, something most gay celebrities have not had the courage to do.
   Singer Melissa Etheridge, another gay celebrity, commented to Access Hollywood about Lambert’s boldness to do what even she did not.
   “He’s got no path to follow – he’s making his own path,” Etheridge said. “He is going to make mistakes, and he’s not going to please everybody.”
   In the age of Proposition 8 and the promotion of gay rights, society needs to change with the times.
   Because from where I’m standing, most of society is looking homophobic.
   Is it really fair for society to have this double standard simply because Lambert is a homosexual?
   This double standard is not just present on television, where who kisses who might just infuriate a horde of overtly conservative viewers. It is also present in our legal system.
   With the rejection of Proposition 8 came the loss of my faith in society.
   The government is now telling us who we can and cannot marry. Awesome.
   America is supposed to be a land of opportunity, a place where people can live the life they want to live – and a natural right is the pursuit of happiness.
   What gives us the right to deny basic rights to minorities? Since when did our country become a schoolyard full of bullies who pick on people just because they can outnumber them?
   Adam Lambert, feel free to kiss anyone you want. I won’t be telling you to kiss off.