Common Cause: Why The LGBT and Environmental Communities Must Work Together.

By David Mixner -

Happy Earth Day!

With the celebration of Earth Day, this is the perfect time to realize that the LGBT community and environmental activists occupy much common ground. The political forces who are attempting to denied LGBT citizens full equality are the very same people who are attempting to strip protections from our environment. The right wing wants to close the Environmental Protection Agency, remove protections from the clean water act and are fighting any effort to deal with climate change.

In addition, both communities have seen our issues readily and often without a battle sacrificed in the name of a 'greater good'. Just as we can't compromise basic freedom we can't afford to live in an overpopulated world, dirty rivers, toxic waste sites, unsafe nuclear plants and polluted air. The deniers of climate change are the very right wing extremists who advocate that LGBT citizens are dangerous and immoral. For anyone to deny that climate change is taking place is to place all citizens in jeopardy and that includes every single LGBT American.

Together we can fight our common enemies. Even more important is understanding our common cause. Now is the time for LGBT citizens to reach out to the community of environmental activists and build bridges for freedom and saving our planet. Afterall, freedom and a secure planet is everyone's issue.

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