Everyone knows the famous song Imagine by John Lennon. Now imagine what life would have been like about 50 years ago, visualize yourself having to live a lie because of the way you were born. Plus, imagine the hatred that comes with being different and what it would be like to never be happy. For what? Because being gay is against some religions. Now realize that people are still oppressed in this way. Even today, many people are afraid to talk to friends and family due to extreme prejudice. The Declaration of Independence states: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among which are life, liberty, and the search for happiness. » We, the people of the United States, still have friends who do not have their unalienable rights, because certain factors still hang over the head of this nation, despite our country's founding values. The concept of loving yourself as your own neighbor spans many religions and time periods. In the King James Bible, “You shall not take revenge nor hold grudges against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” » (Lev. 19:18). Yet, time and again, religion has proven itself hypocritical to its own ideals. Recently, a Missouri preacher addressed his town council and said, "The step toward gay rights is just another stepping stone to the immorality and lawlessness that would be characteristic of the latter days..." what I did was just eliminate the phrase 'racial integration' and replaced it with the phrase 'gay rights'” (Phil Snyder). civil rights movements. He demonstrates the fact that by quoting people...... middle of paper...... Imagine. gay rights, with a twist, goes viral." Gay Star News. October 20, 2012. The Web. March 5, 2014.12 InternetMacklemore and Ryan Lewis. Same Love. Macklemore LLC. 2012.13 InternetTerese Pencak Schwartz. "The Holocaust : the non-Jewish victims. » Jewishvirtuallibrary.com ND Web March 7, 2014.14 Internet “Justinian Code: Ancient Rome/Byzantine Empire”. orias.berkeley.edu. July 2014. Web. March 10, 2014.15 InternetScott Lively. scottlively.net. March 7, 2014. The web. March 10. 2014.