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(Note: the above video was completed based on a 12-song album, and the album has since expanded to thirteen songs with the inclusion of the song "So Long"). 

The following is the fictional story of Ethan and Jacob, a story line that threads the 13 songs on the LGBT original music album "More Equal Union". Each paragraph in secession below is tied directly to each of the 13 songs played from beginning to end.

I started writing this album days after the people of California voted yes on Proposition 8 which amended the state constitution to eliminate the rights of same-sex couples to marry. The album storyline fittingly starts here, at a rally on a Saturday morning in front of the Los Angeles City Hall attended by thousands. Among those in the crowd were two young gentlemen named Ethan Hall and Jacob Collins, both starting their Senior year at the same high school, both unaware that the other is gay. ("Stand Up")

A few months later, news breaks out of a national event called Equality on Campus Day, organized by the group Students for Equality, where LGBT students in high schools and college universities came out and wore a t-shirt that signified gay pride, equality and togetherness. Both Ethan and Jacob knew who they were, as they had shared a class with each other the year before, but on that fateful day when they crossed paths, they both realized that they were gay, and a spark was born. ("Together As One")

They started hanging out and got to know each other for the rest of the year. Their relationship started to materialize as they were both accepted to the same university in Los Angeles and fell in love with each other. They would spend beautiful sunny days strolling along the beach. They eventually started sleeping together every night, one usually up later than the other while immersed in his studies. They would have the occasional squabble, but they would quickly make amends, and their love would grow a little stronger. ("United We Love")

They were a few weeks away from graduation, when Ethan got on bended knee and asked Jacob, “Will You Marry Me”, and Jacob was filled with joyful tears. They had decided to move to Iowa, where Ethan’s greater family was from, and six months later they held a modest but very tender wedding ceremony and reception, filled with Jacob’s and Ethan’s friends and family to share in this divine moment of compassion and commitment. ("Grand")

Ethan is originally from Iowa and moved to Southern California with his parents when he was 12 years old, while Jacob is a native Californian who moved out of his home state to be with Ethan. As he acclimated to his new surroundings, he started to notice how different things were, and unfortunately, how much more homophobic people were. He would especially hear teenagers and young adults say words like “faggot”, “dyke” and “homo” and taunt other teenage boys if they acted with little masculinity. It frankly didn’t make sense to Jacob, and on a few occasions, he would confront the offenders and tell them to knock it off. ("That Is So")

One morning while arriving at work, he placed a picture of him and Ethan with his sister’s newborn daughter on his work desk. His office-mate came in a few minutes later, noticed a change on his desk and casually asked about the picture, to which Jacob replied that’s his family. As the day progressed, Jacob was called into his boss’ office, and the manager promptly fired him without cause, which shocked and scared Jacob. He had been a great worker since he started over a year ago, and the only connection he could make was that his boss may have been homophobic, which greatly disturbed Jacob. ("Honest Pay")

The economy had crashed a few months before, and it was exceptionally hard to find a job, so Ethan and Jacob made a hard decision for Jacob to go into the Armed Forces as they were heavily recruiting. Jacob would send letters back to Ethan as he went through boot camp and was shipped straight to war halfway across the world. His last letter to Ethan was one of horror, as Jacob’s platoon somehow found out about Jacob’s sexuality though Jacob kept it to himself, and he feared that he would be abandoned in combat. Two weeks later,  Jacob's mother was notified by the U.S. Army that her son has been killed in battle. ("Allegiance")

Ethan was contacted by Jacob’s mother, who told him that Jacob was killed while serving his country.  Ethan feared that this day would materialize, and he immediately retreated into his own personal space to process this grave loss.  He particularly suffered from the uncertainty of his death caused by the ordinary activities war or augmented due to possible homophobia within his platoon.  Nevertheless, Jacob was gone, and Ethan was profoundly, genuinely lost.  He was wrapped in despair that wouldn’t loosen its grip on him for many months. ("So Long")

A year later, Ethan was babysitting his niece, Nadia. He read her a bedtime story and tuck her in. As he watched her fall asleep, he would remember the many conversations that he and Jacob had about one day filing for adoption and raising two kids of their own, when they were in a better place financially. His face was filled with streaming tears, as he was reminded that this dream was now broken, but he sang a stoic gentle quiet song to his niece, promising her that he would always be there for her. ("Promise")

He went to bed himself moments later. He dreamed of the rally that he went to in Los Angeles way back when Prop 8 passed. In that moment, surrounded by so many strangers who were nevertheless bonded to him in burning pride and a yearning for dignity, his despair had somehow shed its skin, revealing hope and a sense of purpose. The speakers echoed mercilessly inside his chamber, building into a resonating crescendo as he suddenly darted up from his sleep, wide awake. ("Your Time Has Come")

He had become aware over the last few months of other widows of fallen soldiers who have been receiving post-death benefits, but because he was gay, he was denied the same benefits. This time, he stood up, and he promptly sued the US Government to fight for his equal rights. The court case quickly climbed its way all the way to the US Supreme Court, and by this point he had become known publicly to the entire country, gay and straight, as the case had become big news. On the fateful day that the high court struck down the discrimination and awarded him his fair share of his benefits, and the US President held a news conference hailing this victory, every gay community from the Pacific to the Atlantic erupted in cheers and elation, and a major victory was scored in the Gay Civil Rights Movement that continued to move forward in leaps and inches. Though he was happy to be treated like an equal citizen, Ethan would instantly trade these benefits for the chance to see Jacob again, even for just a day. ("More Equal Union")

Three weeks later, Ethan walked from his house to get a quick drink at the convenience store two blocks away. He heard someone say “look at the little faggot”, and his pace quickened. A gun shot was fired, and Ethan was down on the ground. His assailant stood in front of him, called him a homo and shot him again, this time killing him. He punched him in the face in hatred and walked away. The police came rushing by hours later when one of the neighbors noticed a dead body lying on the street. ("Why")

News of the murder spread across America like wildfire, and the following evening, thousands, and in some places tens of thousands, came together with lighted candles and marched in solidarity for one of their brothers, one of their leaders against discrimination. As the news stations aired the candle vigils, millions of minds started to slowly change a little faster from ignorance to tolerance, hundreds of thousands experienced an epiphany of understanding, and tens of thousands shed a tear they once thought couldn’t exist. In Iowa where the married couple of Ethan and Jacob once lived, Ethan’s niece Nadia was in the front of the march, but she couldn’t walk, and she couldn’t carry a candle, as she couldn’t stop crying, along with her mother, as they continued to march forward, with thousands behind them. ("We Will Be Free")

"More Equal Union" Film/Play

My ultimate vision is for this story to be developed into a film or play as told/narrated from the perspective of Ethan's niece, Nadia, decades later as an adult, as she talks to her husband throughout their honeymoon and comes to terms with the pain that she has harbored from the tragic deaths of her two uncles.

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