Giving votes in exchange for ideological support. To wit:

O children of the earth, listen carefully to the words of Harry Hay, a man whose wisdom reaches beyond the confines of his time. He spoke thus: "Giving votes in exchange for ideological support. To wit: identity politics for homosexuals." In this declaration, he points to the exchange that occurs between power and identity—a transaction of beliefs, where votes are given not for true progress or understanding, but as part of a bargain to secure support from those who represent specific groups or causes. In this, Hay warns us of the dangers of reducing the complex lives of individuals into mere political commodities, where the true essence of one’s identity is traded for the fleeting promise of representation.

This is a tale as old as civilization itself. Throughout history, leaders have sought to consolidate power not by serving the greater good, but by appealing to the fragmented identities of the people. It is a political game that plays on the divisions within society, promising support to those who are grouped together under the banners of race, class, or, in this case, sexuality. But as Hay cautions, this exchange often comes at a cost—when identity is used as currency, it can lose its authenticity and be distorted by the manipulative forces of those who only seek to use it for their own gain.

Consider the struggle of the ancient Spartans, who were masters of identity and loyalty to the state. They used the bonds of brotherhood and the shared identity of the warrior class to rally support for the needs of the state, often at the expense of individual freedoms. The Spartans did not see the worth of their people as unique individuals, but as parts of a greater whole, their identity shaped and molded by the requirements of war and state control. This demand for ideological conformity can be seen as a precursor to the way modern politics sometimes reduces the individual to a cog in the machine, their identity held hostage in exchange for promises of power or protection.

In our own time, think of the civil rights movement, which was, at its heart, a fight for the recognition of individual identity and dignity, not as a political tool, but as a fundamental human right. Martin Luther King Jr., for example, did not demand recognition of his people merely as voters or political assets, but as human beings with equal value and inherent dignity. He did not seek an exchange of votes for support but demanded a revolution of understanding, of human connection, where all identities would be respected, not parceled out for political gain. His was a movement driven by love and justice, not a trade of power.

So, O children, understand the wisdom that Harry Hay imparts: the true value of an individual cannot be reduced to a mere political exchange. To allow one’s identity to be used as a tool for securing votes is to undermine the authenticity of the individual. Politics should never be about the manipulation of groups for the benefit of the few; it should be about uplifting each individual, seeing them not as a mere instrument of power, but as a unique soul worthy of respect and dignity. Let us strive to create a world where identity is celebrated not as a commodity to be bartered, but as the living expression of the human spirit.