DJ is napping so I am on a tirade about the current news:
Can we please stop arguing about the Gay Marriage issue? Can politicians please stop calling this a "state's rights" issue? Does anyone else remember another time when barring people from civil rights was called a "state's rights" issue? Hello-the same argument was used to defend slavery, if memory serves.
The Constitution clearly states that States "may not abridge the rights and privileges" of its citizens. Why does no one mention this? Why? Why? Why?
Having a job is a right, some say a privilege-gay people can't be denied that. Voting is a right-they can't be denied that. Owning property is a privilege, they can't be denied that. HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT? (legally speaking, although it happens all the time.)
And please DO NOT play the religion card. The "this country was founded by Christian men" argument is lame and full of holes and I caution you to do your homework:
James Madison fought for and was successful at making certain there was verbiage in the Constitution to separate Church and State and why? Because even back then there were Christian groups who disagreed with each other on what was moral and immoral, on what met with Church teachings or not, on what constituted Christian ideals, or not. The founders of this country left a CHRISTIAN country because of religious persecution for God's sake!! (no pun intended.) The last thing they wanted was another form of government that was controlled by any one person's, or any one party's, view of what was religiously acceptable. This is why they separated Church and State and why it remains separate to this day, much to the chagrin of many on the very far right.
Let the churches decide who they will allow to marry in their religion but the states do not have a Constitutional basis for denying liberties or privilege to any of its citizens. As far as the government is concerned, marriage is a contract between two consenting adults who wish to join their lives, both personal and economic. This contract allows them to take part in the same rights and privileges that others can enjoy such as tax relief, rights to pass on property or to inherit property, rights to collect life insurance, and rights to own property together. We allow it for straight people-not everyone is married in a church and this is why we have justices of the peace- for those who want the legal rights of marriage without the religious strings attached. Why is it different for gay people? There is a constitutional basis for them to share in the same rights as everyone else so why are we skirting the issue? Why will not someone publicly point this out? Because our government is being held hostage by those who want to foist their religious views on the rest of us. If you're active in your church, that is where your strongly held beliefs about marriage can be exercised-you can bar homosexuals from marrying in any number of churches. I suggest you bring your strongly held beliefs there where you are "safe" from government intervention.
And no, my believing in gay rights is not foisting my religious views on those who don't agree with it. If you believe that then you also believe that those who dislike African Americans are being "forced" to live with them or accept them, and that those who think women don't belong in the work world are having women's liberation foisted on them. You can think what you want, you can own a business and bar women and black people from it, but don't expect to get one red cent from any form of government because you can't discriminate and get government funds.
So yes, you have the right to discriminate in your house, and in your business, as long as you don't expect the government in any form (otherwise known as the citizens of this country) to subsidize you in ANY way-no government sponsored loans for your business, no grants, etc. So go ahead, keep your home as you like it-bar gay people from it, or women, or foreigners-your home is your castle and you don't have to share. But this country is OUR country damn it all and you may get away with ripping people off from getting their fair share of rights and privileges for now, but you won't get your way forever. Women will not leave the workforce, African Americans will not ride in the back of the bus, "foreigners" will not stop emigrating here, Gay people will not be shamed into silence.
But there are still plenty of countries in the world that will allow the religion to rule the country and I'm pretty sure they don't allow gays to marry either. Yes, some of these places are so "pro-marriage" they'll allow one person to have multiple spouses. Perhaps a person who feels strongly could emigrate there. Saudi Arabia comes to mind, as does Iraq and Pakistan. What's that? You wouldn't want to live there because you would not be able to enjoy the freedoms you have here? Oh, but it's ok to deny someone else THEIR freedoms? Sounds like you need your own world-I think there's a religion out there that promises that too, perhaps you should look into it. I'm pretty sure it's Christian as well.
Can we please stop arguing about the Gay Marriage issue? Can politicians please stop calling this a "state's rights" issue? Does anyone else remember another time when barring people from civil rights was called a "state's rights" issue? Hello-the same argument was used to defend slavery, if memory serves.
The Constitution clearly states that States "may not abridge the rights and privileges" of its citizens. Why does no one mention this? Why? Why? Why?
Having a job is a right, some say a privilege-gay people can't be denied that. Voting is a right-they can't be denied that. Owning property is a privilege, they can't be denied that. HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT? (legally speaking, although it happens all the time.)
And please DO NOT play the religion card. The "this country was founded by Christian men" argument is lame and full of holes and I caution you to do your homework:
James Madison fought for and was successful at making certain there was verbiage in the Constitution to separate Church and State and why? Because even back then there were Christian groups who disagreed with each other on what was moral and immoral, on what met with Church teachings or not, on what constituted Christian ideals, or not. The founders of this country left a CHRISTIAN country because of religious persecution for God's sake!! (no pun intended.) The last thing they wanted was another form of government that was controlled by any one person's, or any one party's, view of what was religiously acceptable. This is why they separated Church and State and why it remains separate to this day, much to the chagrin of many on the very far right.
Let the churches decide who they will allow to marry in their religion but the states do not have a Constitutional basis for denying liberties or privilege to any of its citizens. As far as the government is concerned, marriage is a contract between two consenting adults who wish to join their lives, both personal and economic. This contract allows them to take part in the same rights and privileges that others can enjoy such as tax relief, rights to pass on property or to inherit property, rights to collect life insurance, and rights to own property together. We allow it for straight people-not everyone is married in a church and this is why we have justices of the peace- for those who want the legal rights of marriage without the religious strings attached. Why is it different for gay people? There is a constitutional basis for them to share in the same rights as everyone else so why are we skirting the issue? Why will not someone publicly point this out? Because our government is being held hostage by those who want to foist their religious views on the rest of us. If you're active in your church, that is where your strongly held beliefs about marriage can be exercised-you can bar homosexuals from marrying in any number of churches. I suggest you bring your strongly held beliefs there where you are "safe" from government intervention.
And no, my believing in gay rights is not foisting my religious views on those who don't agree with it. If you believe that then you also believe that those who dislike African Americans are being "forced" to live with them or accept them, and that those who think women don't belong in the work world are having women's liberation foisted on them. You can think what you want, you can own a business and bar women and black people from it, but don't expect to get one red cent from any form of government because you can't discriminate and get government funds.
So yes, you have the right to discriminate in your house, and in your business, as long as you don't expect the government in any form (otherwise known as the citizens of this country) to subsidize you in ANY way-no government sponsored loans for your business, no grants, etc. So go ahead, keep your home as you like it-bar gay people from it, or women, or foreigners-your home is your castle and you don't have to share. But this country is OUR country damn it all and you may get away with ripping people off from getting their fair share of rights and privileges for now, but you won't get your way forever. Women will not leave the workforce, African Americans will not ride in the back of the bus, "foreigners" will not stop emigrating here, Gay people will not be shamed into silence.
But there are still plenty of countries in the world that will allow the religion to rule the country and I'm pretty sure they don't allow gays to marry either. Yes, some of these places are so "pro-marriage" they'll allow one person to have multiple spouses. Perhaps a person who feels strongly could emigrate there. Saudi Arabia comes to mind, as does Iraq and Pakistan. What's that? You wouldn't want to live there because you would not be able to enjoy the freedoms you have here? Oh, but it's ok to deny someone else THEIR freedoms? Sounds like you need your own world-I think there's a religion out there that promises that too, perhaps you should look into it. I'm pretty sure it's Christian as well.
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