The Pursuit of Happiness

Living in Philadelphia, we sometimes take the city's rich history for granted. Old City has its charms, but it's congested with tourists by day, and bar-hoppers at night. Not that we have anything against either; we're just hopelessly jaded locals. Sorry, but we've had our fill of Betsy Ross impersonators, and the South Jersey West social scene doesn't hold much interest for us. Still, it's hard to miss the historical importance of Independence Hall, where the founding fathers declared our independence from an empire, and formed a new nation. The Declaration of Independence, first read publicly 233 years ago today, deemed all men equal, and asserted the inalienable rights of the people, including "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." It was revolutionary.

Radical, even, which makes what happened on Independence Hall 44 years ago all the more fitting. In 1965, a group of gay men and women picketed Independence Hall, protesting the federal government's discriminatory policies against homosexuals. 39 people took part that day, members of homophile groups, the precursors to modern gay rights groups. These groups met secretly, many members requiring extreme caution and discretion. Imagine the courage of people like Frank Kameny, Barbara Gittings and Kay Tobin, holding signs in public that identified themselves as homosexuals, at a time when it was dangerous to do so. They decided a conservative dress code would present the best image; men wore suits and women wore dresses. They picketed silently for 90 minutes that afternoon, in front of Independence Hall on the Fourth of July, enduring hostile taunts from the public.

Despite snide comments and dirty looks, the protests were peaceful. They repeated each year after that, until the last one in 1969. The Stonewall riots in New York City had broken out less than a week earlier, and silent picketing suddenly seemed a too passive form of protest. In 1970 the first gay pride parades were held, and new, more open and aggressive activism was leading the charge for equality.

The pursuit of happiness is an interesting concept; it's been invoked in legal cases that stuck down anti-miscegenation laws. Judges have recognized that "happiness" includes love, and marrying the person of your choice, regardless of what societal norms or historic precedent dictate.

As our nation continues to strive for a more perfect union, and a better realization of equality, we honor all the great Americans who have worked to achieve those goals. We remember our founding fathers, and the brave and radical colonists who first fought for our freedom, and we remember the brave and radical men and women who first fought for our rights as gay people. Happy Independence Day!