In the video clip of the CNN/You Tube presidential debate above, Rev. Reggie Longcrier of Exodus Missionary Outreach Church in Hickory, North Carolina makes a point during the CNN/You Tube debate that not many are willing to acknowledge: There is a double standard in terms of when it's acceptable to discriminate against others based on religious beliefs and when it isn't.

Religious dogma has longed been bastardized by bigots to justify their hatred and cruelty, particularly among those of a darker hue. For people of color, one would imagine there being some sense of sympathy for the gay community given that both communities have been subjected to mistreatment and intolerance from those claiming to be people of God.

Before you start to wonder if I dare equate the struggles of the gay community with that of the African Americans, be easy. I realize gays weren't transported here in shackles. Still, that doesn't negate that while the severity may differ, bigotry is bigotry. Wrong is wrong.

Thankfully, the state of California is moving this nation one step closer to righting such wrongs. On May 15, the California Supreme Court overturned a voter-approved ban on gay marriage. In a 4-3 decision, justices ruled that domestic partnerships are not a good enough substitute for marriage, thus striking down the ban.

Justice Jesse Carter wrote: "The statutes here involved are the product of ignorance, prejudice and intolerance. This decision is in harmony with the principles of the Declaration of Independence which are guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment . . . that all human beings have equal rights . . . and that the right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness is inalienable."

In simpler terms: Separate but equal is for suckers. The right to be miserable should be afforded to all.