[John O]

Yes, it takes moral people to live peacefully in a constitutional republic. But the state is not responsible for the people to be moral.

Disagree strongly. It is one function of government to assure a moral citizenry. EVERY law we have is designed to enforce moral behavior

Murder is illegal because it is immoral. Theft is illegal because it is immoral. Rape is illegal because it is immoral.

When the government (as a part of the society) stops enforcing morality the society falls. Soon we'll see rape legalized because there's no reason for it not to be. If the immoral behavior known as homosexuality is now legal why should any other immoral behavior be illegal? And why should the government try to enforce that morality?

Without government enforcment of morality you have chaos and anarchy. Truly a liberal's wet dream

[blanknoone]

It is one function of government to assure a moral citizenry. EVERY law we have is designed to enforce moral behavior

I disagree strongly. The purpose of government is not to enforce moral behavior. The purpose of government is to protect the rights of citizens. All of the examples you cited are violations of rights (and also immoral). But that is why things like...say coveting your neighbors wife (and I'm talking in the mental, not physical way) is immoral, but not illegal....thinking about someone is not a violation of their rights. It is not the government's role to use their monopoly on force to compel morality, nor even punish immorality. It is its purpose to protect citizens' rights. Those areas partially overlap (the examples you cited) but are NOT the same.

[tahiti]

"It is one function of government to assure a moral citizenry. EVERY law we have is designed to enforce moral behavior"

Where morality is present, laws are unnecessary. Without morality, laws are unenforceable.