Last week The United Nations Human Rights Council passed a resolution supporting equal rights for all regardless of sexual orientation

The resolution which expressed “grave concern at acts of violence and discrimination, in all regions of the world, committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.” was strongly backed by the U.S., the European Union, Brazil and other Latin American countries.and is supposed to persuade South Africa to take the lead on the resolution so that other non-Western countries would be less able to claim the West was imposing its values.  The irony is the United States IS a country where LGBT discrimination is legal and acts of violence has been on the rise for the past 10 years and gays are still treated as second class citizens.  Of course not nearly as bad and as brutal as other countries.  But LGBT American citizens aren’t treated as well as in some other countries either.

According to Amnesty International, consensual same-sex relations are illegal in 76 countries worldwide, while harassment and discrimination are common in many more including within the United States

It is the height of hypocrisy for America to strongly back this resolution without being a leader on this issue, and while it is a worthwhile issue especially to those in third world counties and the Middle East who are killed for being gay, lesbian, and transgendered.  The United States should not be given a pass and be hailed as a backer of LGBT rights while it still allows LGBT discrimination and second class citizen treatment to LGBT individuals in its own country.