“Feel the rainbow, Newt,” yelled an attendee at an event in Minneapolis after he dumped a Cheez-It box full of glitter on Newt Gingrich and his wife, Callista. Gingrich and his wife, who were against gay marriage, were signing copies of “Rediscovering God in America” when they were “glitter-bombed”. Glitter bombing then became a new way to protest anti-gay politics in America without putting anyone’s health at risk. In the following months, protestors across the country glitter-bombed multiple politicians and spread glitter all throughout the headquarters of organizations who opposed the L.G.B.T. (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) agenda.


Personally, I think glitter bombing is a very positive and harmless way to get a point across. Glitter doesn’t leave stains, nor does it harm the body in any way. It might even create a fun show which would still leave a lasting impact on the people watching as well as the targeted victim. Some may argue that glitter can get into a person’s eyes and cause damage, but a member of the “glitterati”, Ms. Lang, said, “We have been really careful to make sure that we wouldn’t do anything that could hurt anyone. That includes the size of the glitter, which is so big that it can’t get into anyone’s eyes.”


So far, none of the glitter bombers have been sued, and some people assume that it hasn’t happened yet because the targeted politicians didn’t want to involve themselves in a complicated lawsuit over a handful of glitter that was poured onto their heads. However, Mr. Gingrich, and perhaps others, believes that glitter bombing is clearly an assault and should be treated as such. In an email, he said, “When someone reaches into a bag and throws something on you, how do you know if it is acid or something that stains permanently or something that can blind you?” Well, it is obvious that dumping a Cheez-It box full of toxic chemicals on the head of a politician would cause problems, which is why people like Ms. Lang take precautions to make sure no one gets injured as a result of an act of protest.


Although I support the meaning and effectiveness of acts of protest like the glitter-bombing movement, I do not choose sides in the actual issue. However, I do believe that the L.G.B.T. should be left alone to do as they please in a free country as long as they do not infringe on other people’s rights. Wouldn’t restricting a person’s rights because of his/her sexual orientation be similar to inhibiting another person’s freedom because of the color of her/her skin? People, regardless of sexual orientation, are still people and should be treated with the respect that all people deserve.