Two quotes.


What a difference a couple of centuries makes
The first quote is from The Agitator.

Virginia has long had a state ban on same-sex marriage. Not content with a mere ban, however, when the same sex marriage issue made national headlines a couple of years ago, anti-gay legislators pushed another bill banning same sex marriage again, even though, yes, a ban was already in place. Guess they wanted to prove they were serious.

They further moved to prohibit same-sex partners from having visitation rights with one another in the hospital, get custody of one another's children in the event of death, or share health insurance -- yet another example where conservatives have allowed their distaste of lifestyles that have nothing to do with them trump their alleged allegiance to free markets, in this case freedom of contract.

Now the Virginia legislature has passed an amendment to the state's Constitution that would alter the state Bill of Rights in order to adequately express Virginia lawmakers' contempt for gay people.

Oh, but they're not done. Another bill this session, which is clearly aimed squarely at lesbian women, would prohibit unmarried women from using medical technology to conceive a child. As if the bill itself weren't enough, the lawmaker then justified the bill by comparing single women who want to have babies to Al Capone.

The second one isn't always recognized these days. It should be, but there is far too much "for me, not for thee" in our legislatures. So I consider it a public duty to provide the relevant text for anyone to read,

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the governed, -- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new guards for their future security...

Granted, this passage does not have the force of law. But I would argue that it is the heart of the American spirit.

— NeoWayland

Posted: Mon - January 16, 2006 at 05:06 AM  Tag


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Pagan Vigil "Because LIBERTY demands more than just black or white"
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