By Charles Karel Bouley II

Bigoted: Obstinately convinced of the superiority or correctness of one's own opinion and prejudiced against those who hold different opinions; expressing or characterized by prejudice and intolerance

Well, by definition, it appears I'm a bigot. It's come to my attention recently, thanks to two hot button issues on diametrically different ends of the spectrum: illegal immigration and American Idol.

First, the hot button issue of the day, the much ado about wedge issue of illegal immigration. Congress has gone home for Easter on a two week break, there's no bill pending, and the issue is dead, at least politically, for the next year. That's fine, because no one has really cared about this issue for years. Even Bill Clinton didn't do much about it. It's the elephant in the room, the dirty little secret of America: We like our illegals. They keep things cheap. They make it so we can have affordable goods at WalMart, affordable construction for the housing boom and so much more. Corporate America loves them, even if America is split on what to do about them.

Everyone has weighed in on the issue, including Christine Chavez, granddaughter of the late civil rights leader Caesar Chavez. According to her Advocate.com piece of April 10, 2006, the illegal immigration battle is one that gays and lesbians should be involved with as well. We should support our immigrant brethren for a variety of reasons. I read her reasoning with interest. I mean, I have a maid and a gardener, and I've never even asked to see their green cards. But I was taken aback by the notion that gays and lesbians should side with immigrants because they are downtrodden.

First and foremost, most immigrants from Hispanic countries are Catholic, and we know how they feel about gays. We also know that in the Hispanic culture, being gay is not accepted, but frowned upon. In other words, it is not uncommon for a Hispanic male to have gay sex and identify as heterosexual. That allows for closets.

There are immigration issues that are uniquely gay and lesbian, and ones I do not want confused with this melee of illegal immigration. Yes, it is unfair that, unlike heterosexuals, if we find a partner from another country and want to live with him or her legally here, we cannot. That is wrong, but that is tied more to marriage equality and not immigration status. If we could legally marry, our partners would be able to become naturalized.

Chavez bemoans that the ban on HIV-positive immigrants is wrong and again tied to illegal immigration. I disagree wholeheartedly. If you want to come to this country and you have a communicable, life-threatening illness, then there has to be regulation. If you have insurance and are in good health, then yes, come to this country. But if you have HIV, no insurance, and are coming here just for the medical care, then I have issues with that. Too many Americans can't get quality health care, let alone those with HIV. If you have HIV and are on private insurance, tests will be denied, drugs not authorized and much, much more. On public insurance you're relegated to clinics and the like, which are doing their best, but are overworked. So, do I want HIV-positive immigrants with no health insurance coming in to our country, who may not be educated about how and who may need immediate care or hospitalization? The humanitarian in me says "yes," but the economist in me says "no way." HIV is a sexually transmitted, often fatal disease caused by a virus. I believe we should have had enforced quarantines at the beginning of the epidemic. We didn't. But we can still control how many people with this virus come in.

So, I guess I'm a bigot because I really don't see the plight of illegal immigrants tied to the plight of gays and lesbians here legally. As an American gay person, I have less rights than current illegals in my state of California, so please, I am sensitive to your plight, but it in no way parallels the plight of my community. I'm an American citizen and can't get my government to grant me much, and until I win that battle, I can't even think about those running across the borders. So yes, I'm a bigot.

Then there's Mandisa on American Idol. A few weeks back she came out and said God is bigger than any lifestyle. Gays took that to mean their lifestyle. She backtracked, and said that's not what she meant, she meant her battle with food (which, if you saw her in those horizontal stripes, she's losing). But then she granted more interviews, in which she flat out said she would never perform at a gay or lesbian event. Oh, I'm not bigoted, I accept all people, but my Bible tells me it's wrong. I'm not judging, but I wouldn't perform at one of their events.

Well, first of all, hun, you performed every week for Ryan Seacrest. Enough said about that. Secondly, a true singer sings for any audience that wants him or her, within reason. I mean, Kayne West at a Klan rally? I could see him turning it down. But a big black diva at a gay event? Seems tailor made.

And whether Mandisa knows it or not, that's homophobia, plain and simple. And by definition, I am a bigot against homophobes. I feel my way is superior to theirs, meaning, accepting of every lifestyle. Mandisa is a homophobe hiding behind the Bible, as so many homophobes do, and goes to bed at night and sleeps by telling herself it's not her, it's God that makes these decisions. Well, it's her, and it was a stupid thing to say, and if that's how you feel, I'm glad you got voted off. There I am, being bigoted again, but it's true. I have no tolerance for Christian singers who refuse gay events. Look, in my MP3 collection you'll find Lifehouse, Evanescence, and a few other Christian rock bands. I like their music. I don't care that they love the Lord -- good for them. I listen to Aretha, even when she sings gospel. I love all types of music. Patti Labelle believes in God from the word go, but loves her gay audiences. No, Mandisa is a big horizontal stripe-wearing bigot who alienated a huge percentage of her audience by her asinine statements.

So, yes, I am a bigot. I have no tolerance for many things. But at least my bigotry is directed at those who would oppress, or those who would glom on to our struggle to enhance their own. And I'm somewhat of an isolationist. Until we can solve our own problems here in the United States for gays and lesbians, I can't even think about the problems of those wanting to come here but can't. Yes, we need to reform immigration. It's a joke right now and I feel horrible for those caught in the struggle -- a human rights struggle. That makes it a human issue, not a gay issue. And as for Mandisa, good riddance. Enjoy your short-lived career and one day when you're begging Jeffrey Sanker to put you on one of his bills to sing this or that dance hit you've recorded, I hope he remembers your quote about not performing at gay events.