Why Are We Wasting Our Time?

The gay marriage issue is suddenly back on the front page. The Senate has voted down an amendment to the constitution to effectively ban same sex marriage. I think it interesting that the timing of these headlines coincides with the coming congressional elections of 2006. Let’s see, when did we last speak of same sex marriage? Oh yeah, I remember, it was about two years ago. Oddly enough, it was also during an election cycle. That time it was during what seemed to be a rather tight race for President. Coincidence? I think not.

I am in a state of constant bewilderment that we, as a nation, do not have more important things to worry about. Our nation’s schools are a joke, we still rely on foreign energy to survive, we are in what could arguably be called a failed war effort in Iraq and it looks like Iran will soon have nuclear capabilities. Yet the most pressing issue the Republican party can bring up is gay marriage? Wow.

I can’t blame the right for bringing this, along with immigration, to the forefront at this time. I guess if I were of the same persuasion I would do the same. It is just as imperative now as it was in 2004 to the conservative movement to bring out the vote. The religious right has lived off the gay rights issue for the last few elections and for the right wing to bring the issue up at election time only helps mobilize the troops for those that would not normally vote in off year elections.

I really don’t want to hear any argument based on religious beliefs. It’s meaningless on so many levels not the least of which is the first amendment to the Constitution. Even without the constitution, any argument based on the bible is purely hypocritical. The very same bible, in the same chapter that says homosexuality is an abomination, allows me to purchase slaves as long as I purchase them from neighboring nations. The bible also allows me to sell my daughters into slavery. Do we just get to pick which laws of the bible we’ll follow and which ones we get a pass on?

How can we, as a nation, stand for the personal liberties of our citizens being denied because it happens to make others uncomfortable? I have yet to hear of an instance where someone answers their door to a group of homosexuals trying to recruit them into the fold, yet I’m sure we’ve all got stories of being bothered by that knock on the door and opening it to find those two or three friendly faces holding a number of copies of “The Watchtower”. Does this not make even more of us uncomfortable? We would never even consider making laws to deny the rights of this group of citizens.

Now is the time for the left to do something they have been too afraid to do since the Clinton years. Stand up for true liberal ideals. Speak about them constantly, attack the right for their Neanderthal like thinking. Counter any and all attacks with feeling. If the dems do not go on the offensive there will be no house majority. Don’t let Kerry’s refusal to stand up for himself in 2004 be the same mistake you make in 2006.