Gay Marriage.
The whole Prop 8 thing is back in the media today. I've largely not talked about the gay marriage debate, mainly because my opinions on politics tend to piss off both sides, something which has proven doubly true on this one.
But, fuck it, what do I have on here - 5 readers? You guys are cool, right?
So, here it is: I'm against prop 8. I'm against any law that makes it illegal for people to get married. Yay! Did I make you happy, liberal people? Now, here's the reason so you can start hating me again: The government has the ability to recognize civic unions. This is the legal equivalent of marriage. Why is it an equivalent and not the same thing as marriage? Because marriage is a function of the Church. Any legislation passed regarding marriage is, practically speaking, an exertion of the power of government over the constitutionally-guaranteed sovereignty of religions. I am not a religious man, but I am a citizen who believes in that right and for that reason I disapprove of legislation banning gay marriage.
The corollary to this is that I also cannot support any legislation which pronounces gay marriage legal. (Happy now, conservatives?) Just as the banning laws forcing the church to not marry anyone are wrong, so are laws that are designed to force them to perform marriages illegal. I support the right of anyone to choose any other person to spend their lives with. If you're one of the lucky people who truly finds someone to spend the rest of your life with, I hope you can do that. I wholeheartedly support the specific legalization of civil unions for homosexual couples. But the continued pursuit of laws enforcing 'marriage' for gay people comes from their desire to be recognized by a private organization which is protected from government interference. Although I believe the church is wrong in this, I also believe that it is their right to be wrong or right about things without government interference.
So, that's my opinion on the gay marriage debate. We need to stop looking to Washington/Sacramento to wave their magic wand and make everyone act the way we think they should, and in my opinion the best outcome for all is to recognize the legally-binding non-religious alternatives to marriage (that are already available in many states). This will require the religious right to stop attacking the gay people's lifestyle as a whole, AND will require the gay community to stop attacking the beliefs of the religious through law.
There, that should piss everyone off. Did I miss anyone?
But, fuck it, what do I have on here - 5 readers? You guys are cool, right?
So, here it is: I'm against prop 8. I'm against any law that makes it illegal for people to get married. Yay! Did I make you happy, liberal people? Now, here's the reason so you can start hating me again: The government has the ability to recognize civic unions. This is the legal equivalent of marriage. Why is it an equivalent and not the same thing as marriage? Because marriage is a function of the Church. Any legislation passed regarding marriage is, practically speaking, an exertion of the power of government over the constitutionally-guaranteed sovereignty of religions. I am not a religious man, but I am a citizen who believes in that right and for that reason I disapprove of legislation banning gay marriage.
The corollary to this is that I also cannot support any legislation which pronounces gay marriage legal. (Happy now, conservatives?) Just as the banning laws forcing the church to not marry anyone are wrong, so are laws that are designed to force them to perform marriages illegal. I support the right of anyone to choose any other person to spend their lives with. If you're one of the lucky people who truly finds someone to spend the rest of your life with, I hope you can do that. I wholeheartedly support the specific legalization of civil unions for homosexual couples. But the continued pursuit of laws enforcing 'marriage' for gay people comes from their desire to be recognized by a private organization which is protected from government interference. Although I believe the church is wrong in this, I also believe that it is their right to be wrong or right about things without government interference.
So, that's my opinion on the gay marriage debate. We need to stop looking to Washington/Sacramento to wave their magic wand and make everyone act the way we think they should, and in my opinion the best outcome for all is to recognize the legally-binding non-religious alternatives to marriage (that are already available in many states). This will require the religious right to stop attacking the gay people's lifestyle as a whole, AND will require the gay community to stop attacking the beliefs of the religious through law.
There, that should piss everyone off. Did I miss anyone?