2009
In 38 States Being Gay is a Terminable Offense I was horrified by this example of how allowing the States to “protect our rights” is a meaningless statement.
James Madison, author of the Constitution, wrote that the federal government’s purpose is to protect the people from the tyranny of state legislatures. Here we have a perfect example of why a strong federal government is essential.
If it were left up to the states, we’d still have slavery – at the very least segregation. Women would not have been given the franchise and, well…yes, you see it here. Gays and Lesbians don’t have the full rights guranteed them – indeed, promised them, by the Declaration of Independence:
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.
I don’t see any exclusionary clauses there, “Except….” Please, do show me where they are, if you are going to argue that some of our citizens should have fewer rights than others.
It is hardly a coincidence that the people supporting the withholding of these rights are now the ones attacking the Obama Administration as taking away rights, of imposing a totalitarian form of government on our Nation. Sadly, the rights these people most want to protect are the rights they claim to withhold rights from others.
Remember that Nazi Germany made gays and lesbians – yes, and Jews and Pagans – second class citizens. Given it is the Republicans who now argue that gays and lesbians are second class citizens, who do you really think are today’s Nazis?
It isn’t the liberals. They got thrown in concentration camps too.
The same arguments were used to keep African Americans as second class citizens. The same arguments were used to keep women “in their place” as are now being used to diminish the rights of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. And what argument is that?
God. He just doesn’t want it. Do this and you violate his will. Do this, and 9/11 happens. He smacks you down with righteous fury and makes you his bitch.
The constructed other. The politics of fear. Epic fail.
Time to say “Whatever,” folks.
Let’s do the right thing.
Let’s fix this, America. Is the Declaration of Independence, are the words of Thomas Jefferson, a lie?
I keep seeing this story about the Nazi's being Atheists and taking Christ out of Christmas. I noticed that it was recently picked up by FOX.
This is the worst form of Revisionist history I've ever seen. No one seems to read any more.
The Nazi movement is a Christian movement headed by Christians. Hitler thought he was doing Gods work.
The whole reason the USA is spiraling into a fascist state is because of the extreme right wing form of Christianity being entwined into our government.
Mikes, thanks for commenting. I'm not surprised FOX would run something like that. It's amusing but I suppose it's inevitable – Christians can't accept that the people who followed Hitler (and Hitler himself) were Christians (unless they want us to believe 10s of millions of Germans were atheists). The fact is that even anti-Semitism is Christian in origin and Hitler is a product of that Christian-born madness.
I agree entirely with you with regards to the direction we're currently heading.
Too funny my wife and I were talking about this today. While I am not happy with how some states manage law, etc. I have to say I am more libertarian and would love smaller "government" such as villages and such. When people have to actually talk to the person they are hurting, etc. I feel it makes a much larger impact.
In Frith
A move to Iceland is my fall back plan should the USA take that final step into fascism during my lifetime.
MN_Homesteader, I'd like government to be as small as we can reasonably make it and to have the least amount of intrusion into my life. I'm just not certain how we go about this and still assure equal rights for all (and adequate education and medical care, etc).
That's my fallback plan as well, Mike!
Iceland is good. However, I also like Nova Scotia, Denmark and Provence, France. I'm sure they'd let an Hellenic polytheist in
.
France is at least as bad as the United States, freedom wise.
Julie & Mike: I've thought about Canada as well. At least the Right's hate speech is controlled there to a degree.
France would be amusing. My father's ancestors were Huguenots who fled Catholic persecution and came to the New World in the 1600s.
A lot of US policies get imposed on Canada because the Canadian government doesn't have the will to stand up to the US. So basically, Canada is not far enough away from the US for my tastes. If I need to leave the US, I don't want to be in a country that shares a border with the US. Iceland is also the oldest continuous Democracy in the world.
"My father's ancestors were Huguenots who fled Catholic persecution and came to the New World in the 1600s."
Hey…me too ('cept on my Mothers side and they escaped to England!)
Guess that side of my ancestors weren't as adventurous as yours…..or got on the wrong damn boat! HAHAHA!
LOL Or were perhaps more sane, Stu. Helluva thing, to flee the tyranny of Catholic religion and leave your ancestors in a land about to be overrun by Protestant tyranny instead of Catholic.
Sorry Mike, missed your comment. Yes, and in Iceland, "Heathen" has never been a bad word.
Good article, and I totally agree- there's a lot of things the world at large could stand to become more mature about.
Thanks for the read,
Nicolette
http://modern-witchcraft.blogspot.com/
With regard to choice of countries to which to emigrate, one could have the best of both worlds by moving to, say, Gimli, Manitoba, which was originally settled by Icelanders and, as New Iceland, had a semi-autonomous government until late in the 19th century. Its Icelandic roots still figure strongly in the local culture.
I moved from the U.S. to Canada over forty years ago and have never regretted it. Canada declined to join the U.S. in the Vietnam quagmire, as well as in the Regan and Bush versions of Star Wars and the "coalition of the willing" in Iraq. It was Canada who gave the UN and the world the concept of using troops as peacekeepers, for which Lester Pearson was awarded the Nobel prize.
Anent the issue with which you began your blog post, discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation is prohibited by the federal and most (if not all) provincial human rights codes, and same-sex marriages have full legal status. Canada is officially multicultural. We see ourselves as a mosaic rather than a melting pot, and we pride ourselves on our diversity.
One thing that you won't find here is the level of religious crankiness that bedevils the U.S. Anyone who seriously suggested teaching "intelligent design" in Canadian schools would be hooted out of the hall, and I can't imagine any Canadian politician ending a speech with "God bless Canada."
And, of course, Canadian residents enjoy universal access to state-funded health care–and don't believe the scare stories that you hear from the GOP regarding this.
Sorry, I didn't mean to turn this into an ad for our Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration. Nor did I intend to convey the impression that Canada is perfect (as what country is?) Just some food for thought.
Nikki, thank you for commenting. As I've said, sometimes it's difficult to tell whether this is the 13th or the 21st century. Enlightenment seems no more within our reach – perhaps further away in some respects – than it did when Thomas Jefferson and James Madison sat down to write.
Makarios, thank you for the description of Canada. I've seen Canadians forced to defend their healthcare system on Digg and I think they've done an admirable job of bashing the Right's horror stories (not that anyone on the Right believes them – they can't – it's against the rules) but it reassured me at least (since I'd no reason to imagine they were lying). It's rather interesting that being so close, and with so many Canadians crossing the border back and forth, that the Right thinks it can easily and convincingly mislead Americans about Canadian healthcare.
I'm wondering – if I design t-shirts to sell in Christian bookstores that say "I'm God's Bitch" – do you think I could fund my escape from the USA? ;o)