What better time to take a look at our nation’s history than today—National Coming Out Day. In 1776, our founding fathers decided to fight back against the tyrannical rule of the British and form a country of their own. They published their intent to separate in a document known as the Declaration of Independence, which holds one of the cornerstones of our beliefs as Americans.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” it reads.

So why is it that over 200 years later it is unacceptable for many citizens of this country to be themselves? Why are members of minority groups still denied their rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness; oftentimes simply because their beliefs do not align with the majority? The Declaration does not say that some men are created equal and only a chosen few get to live life to the fullest.

Today is National Coming Out Day—a day that, according to the Human Rights Campaign, “promote[s] a safe world for LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender] individuals to live truthfully and openly.”

National Coming Out Day has been celebrated since this day in 1987. This date was picked to commemorate the 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. After 25 years, why is there still a need for this type of activism? Better yet, why was there a need for this type of activism to begin with? Which leads to an even broader question: why do we, as Americans, not practice what we preach?

If we really do hold the truths that all men are created equal and thus are endowed with the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to be self-evident, we wouldn’t need activists to tell us that members of the LGBT community are human beings, too. We shouldn’t need National Coming Out Day to serve as a call to action for LGBT individuals and allies to take a stand for who they are and what they believe in. We certainly would not have to argue that all people should be able to spend their lives with the ones they love.

You can’t help who you love or the way you were born, but you can help who you hurt. You can help who you alienate. You can help end or perpetuate bigotry towards those who are different or share different beliefs than your own.

This year we at the Spectator ask that everyone “come out” for justice. Take a stand for what’s right. Show the world that all men (and women) really are created equal and thus equal rights should be extended to all.