As any child going through the American educational system, I was bombarded with messages venerating freedom and equality from an early age. The American system of government, I was told, is the best and most democratic form of rule in the world; after having traveled to other countries, I have no question about the validity of that social studies lesson. It is when I return home, however, that I see the shortcomings of American politics in comparison to the limitless potential of a nation under our Constitution.

In our first act as a sovereign country, the founders of our democracy declared that 'all men are created equal.' History, however, shows us that this has rarely held true in our 230 years as a nation, and contemporary American society continues to remind us that this has yet to come to fruition. De facto racial segregation plagues our communities and women continue to have limited opportunities. But these, at least, are no longer legislated.

In case the far-too-frequent hate crimes and daily hardships faced by gays and lesbians does not remind us of our second-class citizenship in this country, more states amend their constitutions to limit our rights with each election year. Only one state offers us full marriage, while a handful of others offers us a 21st century reincarnation of colored-only water fountains; civil unions may seem like a step toward complete marriage equality, but in the grand retrospect of history, will still prove to be 'the back of the bus.'

Our battle for full equal protection under the law will be arduous, and as the past few months have shown us in Washington and New York, often disappointing. Soulforce's mission is to fight religion-based discrimination so that one day soon, gays and lesbians can have all the opportunities and privileges granted to heterosexuals without inciting the condemnation of others in the name of religion.

Legislation is the key to successful ascension to full citizenship, but only activism can overcome the anti-progressive inertia that has proven throughout history to resist change and promote social stagnation. Had Rosa Parks not refused to give up her seat, or if Samuel Adams had not dumped tea into the Chesapeake, our great nation would have progressed no further than a racially segregated colony. So too, will activism prove crucial to our civil rights battle.

We have chosen to confront 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' specifically because it is the most blatant federal law explicitly limiting the prospects of gay and lesbian Americans. By highlighting our own rejection from the armed forces, we hope to draw attention to a much larger problem in American society: we will never achieve equal legal and social status as long as the government continues to send the message that we are heterosexuals' moral, physical, and spiritual inferiors. Just as it took federal action spurred by mass protest to move Gov. George Wallace aside for the first African-American student to enter the University of Alabama, so too will a clear message from Washington be needed to overcome the states' discriminatory laws and change the national perception of gays and lesbians. However, as long we are complacent and apathetic in being given a portion of the rights we deserve, our representatives in the nation's Capitol will continue to skirt the issue of our equality and outright deny our status as heterosexuals' equals.

As I prepared for my enlistment date, I had an unexpected debate with a gay friend about the Right to Serve campaign and the injustice of DADT. Pointing to the war in Iraq, my otherwise open-minded friend considered this policy his ticket out of a draft. I informed him that DADT author Charles Moskos himself said that the law would disappear in the event of a draft, and my friend's sense of security was quickly dissolved. His unwillingness to take ownership of the gay and lesbian plight, unfortunately, could not be so easily overcome. Just like a majority of gay youth, the issue of gays serving openly in the military does not affect him personally. He does not want to be in the army, so why should he fight for that privilege and responsibility? The same mentality has prevented wide-reaching success in the battle for the right to marry.

The gay community has resources that could affect real change. Yet we have not seen a mass protest for our rights in the 37 years since a handful of fed-up gays, lesbians, and transsexuals stood up for their right to assemble in a New York bar, thus galvanizing the global gay rights movement. We have sat idly watching the country fall into the hands of those who call themselves our enemies, and all energy created post-Stonewall has all but disappeared. Our apathy will prevent success and allow for further measures to be taken against us. The Right to Serve campaign is about more than the right to fight and die for my country; it's the next step in the civil rights movement and the path to complete equality. Even those who are anti-military should be concerned and deeply frightened by the 13-year history of DADT, because as Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'

Robert Fojtik, Co-Organizer of the Chicago Campaign of Soulforce's Right to Serve