Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Democracy
It looks like Massachusetts may be on the road to banning same-sex marriage. A lobby led by a religious few has prompted lawmakers to advance a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union between a man and woman - otherwise known as "no-sex" marriage.
That's democracy in action. Scare people with hints of a vengeful god, allow them to vote their fear, and it becomes valid and righteous for the majority to strip whatever rights they choose from whatever minority they choose.
Equal Rights is an issue for the courts, not the polls.
Wake up, people. One day, you'll be the minority.
posted by Carl Bryant @ 12:59 AM
Literary Shirts
As for no-sex, can't agree there. It's been even better in my fifties. Then love is the ultimate aphrodisiac, and the brain is the chief sex organ. As for the debate, it is a cultural debate and culture has always affected politics. No one wants to stand for something the vast majority rejects. Yet the courts are bound; they have no right to distiguish gender in marriage, and it makes perfect sense. Sense is the last thing politics is about. If some promote fear, that's exactly what drives votes. Look at how Bush manipulated 9/11. Or how the economy tanking got Bush I defeated. Why do we buy insurance? Fear. Seatbelts? Fear. Tracking chips on teenagers? Fear. So in the main, I mainly fear your interpretation of fear as a motivation. Thanks for your sentiments at my blog. And everyone knows your brain is anything but tiny.
In my opinion, people vote on an issue for many reasons. Heck - some of those reasons might even be noble. Voting to exlude a minority from constitutional privilege is wrong.
There's no telling what might be next. Marriage might be "protected" by redefining it as "the union between a christian man and a christian woman."
How about "a white man and a white woman?"
re fear: I've never seen a western religion that wasn't fueled entirely by fear. The fear of death, the fear of God, the fear of our own accountability, etc.
My father was a pastor. I attend church services with my wife. I've spent most of my life in various churches. The fear has always been so heavy it clogs the nostrils.
Whenever I see a glassy-eyed fanatic, I see a person horribly afraid.
I see a lot of that here in the bible belt.
Carl, ditto. I think everyone should live in the southern Bible belt for at least a year to understand how fanaticism really effects a community. They won't even play movies in my town that have homosexual content. Brokeback Mountain --how many awards did it get? Never played in my town. Coincedence? Doubt it.
I was born and raised in the heart of the Belt, East Texas. No need to pitty me. I totally agree with you.