IT NEITHER PICKS YOUR POCKET NOT BREAKS YOUR LEG!
IT NEITHER PICKS YOUR POCKET NOR BREAKS YOUR LEG!
To highlight the issue of same sex marriage, it might be best to quote Mary Liz
Holberg, the arthor of the House companion bill to then State Senator Michelle
Bachmann's bill to put a state constitutional amendment to limit marriage to a man and a woman on the ballot. On April 6, 2006, as the House was preparing to vote to not require a referendum of Hennepin County voters on the bill to impose an 0.05% stadium tax on Hennepin County, Holberg said as the House was preparing to enable all Minnesota to enjoy having a new stadium while legislating that only Hennepin County residents pay for it: "You may have the votes to pass this (Hennepin County only tax) but that won't make it right."
Similarly, from 1607 to 1865, the majority of the inhabitants of this country had the power but not the right to impose slavery on African Americans. But that didn't make it right. They had the power during segregation, and still do to to some extent, to deny African Americans equal rights. But that didn't. and doesn't make it right. The majority of Americans had the power to inter Japanese Americans in camps during World War II. But that didn't make it right. The Majority of Germans had the power to exterminate the majority of European Jews from 1933 through 1945, But that didn't make it right.
So too the majority of Minnesota citizens may have the power to keep the Legislature from passing a same sex marriage bill this year. BUT THAT WON'T MAKE IT RIGHT!
Another issue that must be highlighted is that the behavior that is legally sanctioned is best limited to behavior that harms other people. We have laws against murder, rape, assault and robbery because, if someone murders, rapes, assaults or robs you, you are
harmed. But two people of the same sex can have erotic relations and it effects you in no way. Even if the idea of erotic relations with a member of the same sex repulses or disgusts you, the solution is simply for you to not have erotic relations with a member of your own sex. To quote Thomas Jefferson, it neither picks your pocket nor breaks your leg.
This standard of harm to others MUST be the standard for the criminal law or else
society is confronted with a situation in which the different religious and ideological groups can only come to blows in a fight to seize control of the state in order to force their views on everyone else. And this limit on the law includes both outlawing the behavior of a group we dislike and passing discrimatory laws against them, such as denying them the right to get married.
And lastly, one has to wonder about and look askance at a religious group that
continually lobbies against a group whose behavior does not hurt them in any way. WHY CAN'T THEY LEAVE THE REST OF US ALONE?
Robert Halfhill
2700 Park Avenue, Apt 1401
Mpls, MN, 55407
http://halfhillviews.greatnow.com (SITE NOW BANNED ON AOL)
*Write AOL to complain, here: aolaccessibility@aol.com, or call 1-888-212-5537.
http://RedLavenderInsurgent.blogspot.com
To highlight the issue of same sex marriage, it might be best to quote Mary Liz
Holberg, the arthor of the House companion bill to then State Senator Michelle
Bachmann's bill to put a state constitutional amendment to limit marriage to a man and a woman on the ballot. On April 6, 2006, as the House was preparing to vote to not require a referendum of Hennepin County voters on the bill to impose an 0.05% stadium tax on Hennepin County, Holberg said as the House was preparing to enable all Minnesota to enjoy having a new stadium while legislating that only Hennepin County residents pay for it: "You may have the votes to pass this (Hennepin County only tax) but that won't make it right."
Similarly, from 1607 to 1865, the majority of the inhabitants of this country had the power but not the right to impose slavery on African Americans. But that didn't make it right. They had the power during segregation, and still do to to some extent, to deny African Americans equal rights. But that didn't. and doesn't make it right. The majority of Americans had the power to inter Japanese Americans in camps during World War II. But that didn't make it right. The Majority of Germans had the power to exterminate the majority of European Jews from 1933 through 1945, But that didn't make it right.
So too the majority of Minnesota citizens may have the power to keep the Legislature from passing a same sex marriage bill this year. BUT THAT WON'T MAKE IT RIGHT!
Another issue that must be highlighted is that the behavior that is legally sanctioned is best limited to behavior that harms other people. We have laws against murder, rape, assault and robbery because, if someone murders, rapes, assaults or robs you, you are
harmed. But two people of the same sex can have erotic relations and it effects you in no way. Even if the idea of erotic relations with a member of the same sex repulses or disgusts you, the solution is simply for you to not have erotic relations with a member of your own sex. To quote Thomas Jefferson, it neither picks your pocket nor breaks your leg.
This standard of harm to others MUST be the standard for the criminal law or else
society is confronted with a situation in which the different religious and ideological groups can only come to blows in a fight to seize control of the state in order to force their views on everyone else. And this limit on the law includes both outlawing the behavior of a group we dislike and passing discrimatory laws against them, such as denying them the right to get married.
And lastly, one has to wonder about and look askance at a religious group that
continually lobbies against a group whose behavior does not hurt them in any way. WHY CAN'T THEY LEAVE THE REST OF US ALONE?
Robert Halfhill
2700 Park Avenue, Apt 1401
Mpls, MN, 55407
http://halfhillviews.greatnow.com (SITE NOW BANNED ON AOL)
*Write AOL to complain, here: aolaccessibility@aol.com, or call 1-888-212-5537.
http://RedLavenderInsurgent.blogspot.com
posted by Robert Halfhill at 6:59 PM
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