For decades now, the LGBT community at large has blindly followed the Democratic Party.

Ron Paul is a Libertarian running for the GOP presidential nomination.

Despite years of violent, pro-war policies, and a complete disregard for domestic and international laws, never once have we collectively voiced opposition to the harmful and unjust positions of the left.

If we are serious about ending the life threatening bullying and violence directed at gay youth and LGBT individuals around the world, then we must take a pro-peace, anti-war position.

To say we stand against bullying and violence directed at children in our schools, while at the same time standing in support of violence and war in other countries, is a morally bankrupt position. Supporting President Barack Obama’s violent policies makes us all hypocrites.

In order to truly reject bullying, we must reject all violence, which means we must reject Obama.

We, as a community, are grossly guilty of doublespeak by supporting a violent president whose illegal and deadly war policies stand at odds with the peaceful, violent-free hopes we now claim to have for our children.

But, if not Obama, than who? Here’s my test: I look for the candidate who, above all, will bring peace (not Obama). I look for the candidate who has a long history of standing against war and in favor of individual rights (not Obama). I look for the candidate who believes in liberty and will uphold the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which are our greatest protection as a minority (not Obama).

I look for the candidate who believes that war and violence should be rejected and replaced with friendship, communication, and trade (something every bully could learn from; and also, not Obama). And, lastly, I look for the candidate whose policies are not based on political positioning, but instead on principles and a philosophy (definitely not Obama).

Brace yourself... it's Ron Paul.

Ron Paul may have positions some of us do not like, but he is the only candidate who will bring peace, which should be our number one priority considering the environment in which LGBT youth now find themselves in our country.

Brian Watkins is a West Hollywood peace activist.

He wants to end our military occupation of the world and has been starkly opposed to the violence we spread through our conquests. Yes, he is a Republican, but Republicans and Democrats are, in practice, the same exact thing. They, as parties, are both pro-war, big government, in favor of limited rights, and promoters of violence.

Ron Paul, however, stands out as the only candidate who truly rejects the status quo of both parties.

Ron Paul is a man with a philosophy and principles that align directly with our community: peace, acceptance, and the rights of every individual to choose what is best for their life, liberty, and prosperity.

He approaches every issue, socially/legally/internationally, from a liberty perspective. Whatever most protects the liberty of the individual is his position, which fits perfectly with the anti-bullying, anti-violent desires we have for our children.

Most in our community are turned off from Ron Paul simply because of his party. As a registered Republican (which I admit is only so I can vote for Ron Paul, otherwise I would be Independent), I have been called self-hating, a psycho, a crazy person who doesn't live in the real world, and a long list of nasty adjectives I am pretty sure I'm not supposed to publish. Hateful, hateful things.

The irony alone kills me, as there is nothing more grotesque than crying out for the hate against LGBT to stop, all the while spewing hate at fellow LGBT who don't fit inside the tiny box in which we all seem to reside.

What if instead of rejecting someone out-right based on their party affiliation, which is embarrassingly something our community generally does with pride, we started looking at candidates on an individual level? Especially considering that both parties support violence and war. And, while we can look past Obama's policies that we don't agree with (he is not for marriage equality, which is something many do not seem to get), why can we not do the same with Ron Paul (he wants the government out of marriage all together, making it a personal decision each individual has the right to make)?

If we want people to respect us on an individual level, I think we should start doing the same. As an individual, Ron Paul is by far the person with the honesty, integrity, and principles we should look for in our president. Something no one can effectively argue for Obama.

Obama has proven he is for violence and war. Ron Paul, on the other hand, has proven he is for peace and friendship.

In 2012, I, as a proud, self-loving gay man, urge you to vote for peace and the ending of violence toward us, our children, and people around the world. Vote for real change. Vote for peace. Vote for Ron Paul.

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