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The trouble with the ‘dignity’ of same-sex marriage (Positive rights in Constitution?)
Washington Post ^ | July 2, 2015 | Jonathan Turley

Posted on 07/06/2015 10:25:06 AM PDT by C19fan

Like many people at the Supreme Court last month, I was deeply moved by the historic ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges recognizing the constitutional right of same-sex couples to marry. At such a transcendent moment, it is difficult to do anything but celebrate the triumph of what Justice Anthony Kennedy called the “dignity” and “profound hopes and aspirations” of the many loving couples who had been denied the recognition of marriage.

But Kennedy’s moving language was more than just aspirational thoughts on dignity. He found a right to marriage based not on the status of the couples as homosexuals but rather on the right of everyone to the “dignity” of marriage. The uncertain implications of that right should be a concern not just for conservatives but also for civil libertarians. While Obergefell clearly increases the liberty of a historically oppressed people, the reasoning behind it, if not carefully defined, could prove parasitic or invasive to other rights. Beware the law of unintended constitutional consequences.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism
KEYWORDS: gay; homosexualagenda; marriage; rights; ssm; welfare
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Kennedy loves to use the noun "dignity". What is scary if Constitutional rights can be expanded to encompass dignity that might lead to a court in the future declaring this Constitutional right to dignity involves positive rights. Positive rights are the claims the a person is entitled to stuff from the government, for example, the statement that health care is a right. The dream of the Left has been somehow to use the Constitution to have positive rights imposed on the country by a court. Why is a concern? Many of the Catholic Left use statements on the meaning of human dignity to push for a Welfare State. For example:

"The dignity of the individual and the demands of justice require, particularly today, that economic choices do not cause disparities in wealth to increase in an excessive and morally unacceptable manner."

or

"There exist also sinful inequalities that affect millions of men and women. These are in open contradiction of the Gospel: Their equal dignity as persons demands that we strive for fairer and more humane conditions. Excessive economic and social disparity between individuals and peoples of the one human race is a source of scandal and militates against social justice, equity, human dignity, as well as social and international peace."

http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/life-and-dignity-of-the-human-person.cfm

1 posted on 07/06/2015 10:25:06 AM PDT by C19fan
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To: C19fan

Get used to it. The Court has overturned the Constitution. Basic Law now is made up on the fly by the partnership of the Democrat Party and the Supreme Court with the full co-operation of the nominal Republican Party. Where there is no political opposition the direction is one way and the speed is rapid and rapidly accelerating. Next summer seems to be the time for some sort of Climax of it all. Traditional politics provides no remedy at all. Alternatives must be considered.


2 posted on 07/06/2015 10:33:29 AM PDT by arthurus (It's true!)
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To: C19fan

It could be used for “death panels”, death with dignity, etc. I think it could be used for every sort of everything. The NFL could be forced to sign more white players to give them “dignity”. LOL

The list is endless.


3 posted on 07/06/2015 10:35:21 AM PDT by ilovesarah2012
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To: C19fan

And Kennedy was appointed by Ronald Reagan.

Baffling.


4 posted on 07/06/2015 10:35:50 AM PDT by WayneS (Yeah, it's probably sarcasm...)
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To: WayneS

The Great One Mark Levin described in detail how Kennedy was the 3rd string pick... absolute shame he made it through their screening.


5 posted on 07/06/2015 10:37:58 AM PDT by Phinneous (Viva Napoli!)
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To: ilovesarah2012
It could be used for “death panels”, death with dignity, etc. I think it could be used for every sort of everything. The NFL could be forced to sign more white players to give them “dignity”. LOL

I've never seen a tall fat jockey. Tall fat people who have aspired to be Jockeys are being denied their constitutional right to dignity.

6 posted on 07/06/2015 10:46:23 AM PDT by P-Marlowe (Resistance to Tyrants is obedience to God!)
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To: C19fan

“Many of the Catholic Left use statements on the meaning of human dignity to push for a Welfare State.”

Got a problem with Catholics? A leftard is a leftist first and foremost, before anything else, and that goes for Catholic priests as well. However, anyone pushing for a welfare state is working against Catholic teachings.

“The dignity of the individual and the demands of justice require, particularly today, that economic choices do not cause disparities in wealth to increase in an excessive and morally unacceptable manner.”

What’s wrong with that? Implementing the toxic policies of John Maynard Keynes, as leftards advocate, causes disparities in wealth to increase. Higher taxes cause disparities in wealth to increase, even if—perhaps especially if—those tax monies are supposed to be used to “help the poor.” So, yes: “The dignity of the individual and the demands of justice require” that we return to classical economics as advocated by Ronald Reagan, with lower taxes, less regulation, more liberty, and a healthy economy that provides jobs for all who want them. That’s what Catholic teaching requires.

“There exist also sinful inequalities that affect millions of men and women. These are in open contradiction of the Gospel: Their equal dignity as persons demands that we strive for fairer and more humane conditions. Excessive economic and social disparity between individuals and peoples of the one human race is a source of scandal and militates against social justice, equity, human dignity, as well as social and international peace.”

What’s wrong with that? “Their equal dignity as persons demands that we strive for fairer and more humane conditions,” such as a society in which men and women get married, stay married, and bring up children to be good citizens; a society in which Satan’s little energizer bunnies do not succeed in making sodomite play-pretend marriage the law of the land; a society in which men work outside the home, and women do the much more important work of making a home for husband and children.

Did I say “more important?” Hell, yes. As we have seen, even Forrest Gump’s dumber brother can be a CEO of a Fortune 500 company, but only a wife and mother can perform the indispensable work appertaining thereto. No wives, no mothers, no nation. It’s as simple as that.

And I’m not talking about the sort of women who expend 98% of their strength on careers, and call the 2% left over for husbands and children “having it all.”

If you want to hate on Catholics, don’t pretend you’re doing anything more noble than that.


7 posted on 07/06/2015 10:51:55 AM PDT by dsc (Any attempt to move a government to the left is a crime against humanity.)
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To: WayneS

“And Kennedy was appointed by Ronald Reagan. Baffling.”

Ironically, decent people are often slowest to see the perfidy that lurks in a scumbag’s heart.


8 posted on 07/06/2015 10:58:22 AM PDT by dsc (Any attempt to move a government to the left is a crime against humanity.)
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To: C19fan
 photo bd1437c3-f213-4c54-8b01-8c0120ecb5ad_zpscqb2qglb.jpg

There is no dignity, only heighten political power for the micro minority and their sympathizers.

9 posted on 07/06/2015 11:04:21 AM PDT by dragonblustar (Philippians 2:10)
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To: dsc; C19fan
Got a problem with Catholics?

I do. Present company excepted, the majority of Catholics are hypocrites who supposedly oppose abortion and gay marriage yet they can be counted upon to consistently vote Democrat in election after election.

When that condition changes then so will my opinion.

10 posted on 07/06/2015 11:06:08 AM PDT by MeganC (The Republic of The United States of America: 7/4/1776 to 6/26/2015 R.I.P.)
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To: P-Marlowe

Exactly. And the dwarf gets her job back at Starbucks.

Starbucks fires dwarf barista: Was it discrimination?

http://www.cfodailynews.com/starbucks-fires-dwarf-barista-was-it-discrimination/


11 posted on 07/06/2015 11:06:49 AM PDT by ilovesarah2012
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To: MeganC

“the majority of Catholics are hypocrites who supposedly oppose abortion and gay marriage yet they can be counted upon to consistently vote Democrat in election after election.”

So, since Slick Willie and Chairman Maobama were both elected twice, we can say that “Americans” are moral degenerates who “can be counted upon to consistently vote Democrat in election after election.”


12 posted on 07/06/2015 11:15:49 AM PDT by dsc (Any attempt to move a government to the left is a crime against humanity.)
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To: C19fan
And remember, Obama famously declared the Constitution "a charter of negative liberties", in a radio interview.

What an upside-down world we live in. They define "free stuff" as "positive liberties" and "leave me and my property the hell alone" as a "negative liberty", as if government owned everything.

13 posted on 07/06/2015 11:16:39 AM PDT by backwoods-engineer (Blog: www.BackwoodsEngineer.com)
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To: dsc

>>>>>So, since Slick Willie and Chairman Maobama were both elected twice, we can say that “Americans” are moral degenerates who “can be counted upon to consistently vote Democrat in election after election.”<<<<

No, but given that the majority of Catholics voted for Obama in 2008 then by the measure of your own statement the majority of US Catholics are moral degenerates. I only called them hypocrites but if you insist I’ll go with ‘moral degenerates’ from now on.

http://www.pewforum.org/2008/11/05/how-the-faithful-voted/


14 posted on 07/06/2015 11:20:20 AM PDT by MeganC (The Republic of The United States of America: 7/4/1776 to 6/26/2015 R.I.P.)
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To: C19fan

I didn’t know this, but DignityUSA is apparently a Catholic organization that seeks to push a homo-friendly agenda within the Church.

It makes me wonder if Kennedy chose “dignity” not out of coincidence, but because he was inspired by their ill-conceived advocacy. It’s almost too convenient.


15 posted on 07/06/2015 11:20:58 AM PDT by MarkRegal05
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To: MeganC

“No, but given that the majority of Catholics voted for Obama in 2008 then by the measure of your own statement the majority of US Catholics are moral degenerates.”

Glib, but totally irrational.

Using reason correctly is a learned skill.


16 posted on 07/06/2015 11:38:59 AM PDT by dsc (Any attempt to move a government to the left is a crime against humanity.)
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To: MarkRegal05

“I didn’t know this, but DignityUSA is apparently a Catholic organization that seeks to push a homo-friendly agenda within the Church.”

Good grief. Is it hatred of the Church that robs you people of your ability think?

DignityUSA is an ANTI-Catholic organization that seeks to damage the Church by pushing a homo-friendly agenda within the Church.”


17 posted on 07/06/2015 11:43:15 AM PDT by dsc (Any attempt to move a government to the left is a crime against humanity.)
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To: dsc
Using reason correctly is a learned skill.

True, but the ability to recognize reason when it is demonstrated is innate.

18 posted on 07/06/2015 11:44:20 AM PDT by MeganC (The Republic of The United States of America: 7/4/1776 to 6/26/2015 R.I.P.)
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To: MeganC

http://www.pewforum.org/2008/11/05/how-the-faithful-voted/";

Firstly, I do not trust Pew.

Secondly, a majority of white Catholics voted the right way in the three elections reported in your table.

The others, we can safely presume, are being flim-flammed by their demonrat overseers.


19 posted on 07/06/2015 11:46:52 AM PDT by dsc (Any attempt to move a government to the left is a crime against humanity.)
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To: MeganC

“True, but the ability to recognize reason when it is demonstrated is innate.”

Absolutely not.

Were it so, no demonrat would have been elected to any post since WWII at the latest.

See, among other concepts, “sophistry.”


20 posted on 07/06/2015 11:48:55 AM PDT by dsc (Any attempt to move a government to the left is a crime against humanity.)
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