Whatever it takes to make you happy, you know...
But as the famous saying goes, your right to swing your fist ends at my nose.
This is a swing that I think is bound to conflict with and ultimately violate my right of conscience and the oft-flouted and more frequently misunderstood principle of the separation of church and state in America.
Justice Kennedy's comment after this decision belies his naivete or his willful misrepresentation of the facts. He tells how he has heard stories from gay people wanting to get married and that they 'reveal that they seek not to denigrate marriage but rather to live their lives, or honor their spouses' memory, joined by its bond...'
But here's how it goes. We already know that speaking in favor of a heterosexual definition of marriage is hateful. We already know that hate (as long as it not the acceptable and expected type of hate du jour) is intolerable. We already know that companies and individuals accused of hate can lose and have lost their livelihoods, including government contracts and tax favored status.
So, what happens to me? I'm not a hater. I couldn't care less with whom or what you do this or that. I just don't want to hear about it. Straight or queer, keep it to yourself, puh-lease!
But what happens to me?
I attend one of the many churches that adamantly supported California Proposition 8, some years ago. That was the popular ballot initiative that passed with more than 52% of Californians voting to define and preserve traditional marriage. While the will of the people in California was overturned by one judge after another, what will happen if my church doesn't change its stance on gay marriage?
I was assured by a gay friend of mine that this initiative in no way was aimed at impacting my right of conscience or other rights protected by the First Amendment, but I'm not so sure.
But as the famous saying goes, your right to swing your fist ends at my nose.
This is a swing that I think is bound to conflict with and ultimately violate my right of conscience and the oft-flouted and more frequently misunderstood principle of the separation of church and state in America.
Justice Kennedy's comment after this decision belies his naivete or his willful misrepresentation of the facts. He tells how he has heard stories from gay people wanting to get married and that they 'reveal that they seek not to denigrate marriage but rather to live their lives, or honor their spouses' memory, joined by its bond...'
But here's how it goes. We already know that speaking in favor of a heterosexual definition of marriage is hateful. We already know that hate (as long as it not the acceptable and expected type of hate du jour) is intolerable. We already know that companies and individuals accused of hate can lose and have lost their livelihoods, including government contracts and tax favored status.
So, what happens to me? I'm not a hater. I couldn't care less with whom or what you do this or that. I just don't want to hear about it. Straight or queer, keep it to yourself, puh-lease!
But what happens to me?
I attend one of the many churches that adamantly supported California Proposition 8, some years ago. That was the popular ballot initiative that passed with more than 52% of Californians voting to define and preserve traditional marriage. While the will of the people in California was overturned by one judge after another, what will happen if my church doesn't change its stance on gay marriage?
I was assured by a gay friend of mine that this initiative in no way was aimed at impacting my right of conscience or other rights protected by the First Amendment, but I'm not so sure.
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