President Barack Obama did not state in the memorandum if foreign aid will be cut directly from countries with poor treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, communities, but the aid will be a tool used in some way.

This is great news for those in support of LGBT rights across the globe. It’s a step in the right direction for those fighting for the equal rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people — and a step forward is better than just standing still.

But as I read through this article, I couldn’t help but think, “Who are we to talk?”

The entire plan seems hypocritical of the administration. We are living in a country where a large group of people are not able to get married and are forced to deal with discrimination on a daily basis.

Does the U.S. really have the right to point fingers while these problems still exist here? Don’t get me wrong, we are way ahead of numerous countries in terms of how we treat homosexual people.

For example, Uganda’s parliament recently reopened a bill that outlaws homosexuality and considers it to be a crime punishable by death or life in prison. Similarly, in Saudi Arabia, same-gender sex is banned and punished by death or flogging.

However, the Obama administration is threatening to punish countries who discriminate based on sexual orientation, yet we don’t treat them equally in the U.S.

Yes, the U.S. does not treat LGBT citizens as badly as other countries do. The repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was a huge step for equality in the U.S. military. But, as a country, we still do not treat LGBT individuals as equals. It’s as simple as that.

Taking away a person’s right to get married because of their sexual orientation is discrimination. Although it isn’t as harsh as flogging or death, it’s punishing a person for who they love and for who they are — and that is not fair.

I’m not writing this column to argue for gay rights, because we’ve all heard the same good arguments a thousand times explained in the U.S. Congress, inside the White House and on the streets during lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups protests. I’m simply saying that before we start to point fingers at foreign governments, we should try to fix our own problems.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, only seven states allow same-sex marriage and five states allow civil unions.

Yesterday, the Huffington Post reported a Tennessee teen took his own life because he was bullied for being gay at his high school. These stories are too common nowadays, and there’s a ton of variations to the story: lesbians, gays, transgendered people and bisexuals young and old are committing suicide because of harassment.

Gays in other countries are getting killed by their government for being gay, but many LGBT citizens in America are taking their own lives because of harassment of their sexual orientation.

The reasons might be different, but the results are the same: lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people are dying.

I understand it is beyond the Obama administration’s power to put an end to bullying. I only am implying the head figures in our country should use their power to enforce equality for gays within our borders before criticizing foreign countries for their treatment of gays.