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In Maryland, a Bait-and-Switch
The Washington Post ^ | February 5, 2006 | Tim Maloney

Posted on 02/05/2006 12:57:58 PM PST by DBeers

In 1972 Marylanders voted to adopt the state's Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which provides that "equality of rights under the law shall not be abridged or denied because of sex." Notably, the voters said "sex," not "sexual orientation."

That distinction -- between gender and orientation -- was lost in Baltimore City Circuit Judge M. Brooke Murdock's 20-page opinion invalidating Maryland's law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman [front page, Jan. 21].

The ERA debates of the 1970s focused on ending legal distinctions between men and women, not on legal distinctions between heterosexuals and homosexuals. Indeed, ERA proponents denied that the amendment would permit gay marriage. Now a trial court judge has reached the opposite conclusion. Voters of a certain age should be forgiven for thinking that a constitutional bait-and-switch has occurred.

A decisive majority of Maryland voters -- in 1972 and now -- would not ratify an amendment that created a right to gay marriage. The state legislature has consistently rejected efforts to legalize gay marriage. Voters in 11 states have said no to gay marriage, and Virginia seems poised to become the 12th such state. This is why gay-marriage activists are looking to the courts to legislate.

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


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Maryland
KEYWORDS: era; homosexualagenda; judicialfiat; samesexmarriage

1 posted on 02/05/2006 12:58:00 PM PST by DBeers
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To: DBeers
All the antics by Democrats in Maryland will cause the reelection of Governor Ehrlich and turn the state red. Political shock waves are about to hit Maryland in '06.
2 posted on 02/05/2006 1:01:11 PM PST by TheForceOfOne
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To: DBeers
Homosexual Agenda Ping!

To be included in or removed from the
HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA PING LIST,
please FReepMail either DBeers or DirtyHarryY2k.

Free Republic homosexual agenda keyword search

Bait-and Switch -the homosexual agenda; a subset of the leftist liberal agenda... Up is down, blue is pink...

3 posted on 02/05/2006 1:01:16 PM PST by DBeers (†)
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To: TheForceOfOne
All the antics by Democrats in Maryland will cause the reelection of Governor Ehrlich and turn the state red. Political shock waves are about to hit Maryland in '06

One would hope so...

4 posted on 02/05/2006 1:02:00 PM PST by DBeers (†)
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To: DBeers
Political shock waves are about to hit Maryland in '06

OK hold it right there, it's not fair to tease us on Super Bowl Sunday like that.

5 posted on 02/05/2006 1:17:23 PM PST by ThreePuttinDude ()......Politically incorrect by Intelligent Design........()
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To: DBeers

If state legislatures would impeach renegade judges this foolishness would stop. I simply cannot understand the lack of backbone representatives have. Must have something to do with law school.


6 posted on 02/05/2006 1:20:37 PM PST by eddie2 (Timber!!!!!!)
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To: DBeers
Phyllis Schlafly was right about the ERA!
7 posted on 02/05/2006 1:21:05 PM PST by Paleo Conservative
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To: DBeers

This isn't much different than the RoevWade effect.

We control all three branches branches of government in part due to RoevWade being forced on Americans. The resulting rebellion took nearly 30 years to crest, but here we are.

Has it been worth it? Far too many have died. But this was been the situation we were handed, and I think our side has played it well.

The RATS are going to pay a very real, and tremendous price for what they done in Maryland, and attempted elsewhere. It's going to lead to their defeat at the polls. In less than a decade their political force will be incidental.

I think my tagline applies to nearly everything the RATS do these days.


8 posted on 02/05/2006 1:23:16 PM PST by Balding_Eagle (God has blessed Republicans with political enemies who have dementia.)
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To: ThreePuttinDude
OK hold it right there, it's not fair to tease us on Super Bowl Sunday like that.

LOL

9 posted on 02/05/2006 1:26:24 PM PST by DBeers (†)
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To: Paleo Conservative

I'm glad you brought up Phyllis Sclafly. I think of her prediction on gay marrage often.

In retrospect, it's all so obvious. At the time she said it, it must taken a lot of courage.


10 posted on 02/05/2006 1:28:38 PM PST by Balding_Eagle (God has blessed Republicans with political enemies who have dementia.)
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To: DBeers

Hopefully Maryland will get a Republican Senator this year when we wlect Steele to that post . I hope we can find a good replacement for him as Lt. Governor with Governor Ehrlich.

However Ehrlichs failure to get the slot machine bill through and his sky high registration fees for automobile tags may hurt him.


11 posted on 02/05/2006 1:29:37 PM PST by sgtbono2002
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To: Paleo Conservative

Thanks for posting that article on Phyllis Schlafly


12 posted on 02/05/2006 1:43:14 PM PST by stand4somethin
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To: TheForceOfOne

Do you think that Steele has a chance at Senator?


13 posted on 02/05/2006 2:10:14 PM PST by sportutegrl (People who say, "All I know is . . ." really mean, "All I want you to focus on is . . .")
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To: DBeers
between gender and orientation

Why do journalist substitute the word "gender" where it is obvious the correct word is "sex"?

Gender is a grammatical category used for classification and sex is the property by which organisms are classified as female or male.

Humans have sexes and they have sex, not genders.

14 posted on 02/05/2006 2:17:10 PM PST by MosesKnows
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To: DBeers

Legislators in robes are soooo annoying


15 posted on 02/05/2006 2:18:52 PM PST by Teacher317
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To: DBeers

Wait until the dam breaks with gay marriage....the next step will be to allow polygamy and plural marriage.


16 posted on 02/05/2006 2:47:56 PM PST by The Great RJ ("Mir wölle bleiwen wat mir sin" or "We want to remain what we are." ..Luxembourg motto)
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To: DBeers

Sexual orientation is only a problem because of the 'orientated' party's physical sex; so the judge is probably calling it correctly here. The law may be farcical but the decision isn't.


17 posted on 02/05/2006 3:03:53 PM PST by Grut
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To: sportutegrl
Do you think that Steele has a chance at Senator?

You didn't ask me, but...
Steele has an excellent chance. Most of MD is red, except for Baltimore City, Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties. Steele is from Prince Georges, and is very popular there. He and Ehrlich won mostly because of his popularity there, and poll watchers in Baltimore City.

Never mind that MD GOPers are enthusiastic about the chance for a GOP Sen and will work hard. Or that the Dems might have a nasty primary, because the party wants to nominate the white guy instead of the Black one.

18 posted on 02/05/2006 4:23:23 PM PST by speekinout
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To: sportutegrl
Yes I do think he has a very good chance.

I lived in Maryland for 30 years and most Marylanders will tell you they're Democrats because their parents were Democrats or that they have clung to the more moderate beliefs of the party. Many people lost their faith in the Democrats during the Paris Glendening Administration and saw him as a tax and spend Liberal who left the state in serious debt upon his departure. Robert Ehrlich has reversed that problem completely.

Some people will tell you that Robert Ehrlich won the election for Governor because of a weak Democratic opponent and that he will lose the next election. He won every county except Montgomery, Prince Georges, and Baltimore City which happen to be the most Liberal.

People like Bobby Ehrlich and they like Michael Steele and have grown angry over the antics of the Democrats in Annapolis such as their support of gay marriage, blocking slots, and the slimy politics involving the Mayor of Baltimore, Mr. Martin O'Malley who plans on being Ehrlich's opponent in the next election.

I've heard many people say they are switching their party affiliation to independent or Republican before the next election. The Democrats will lose if O'Mally is their guy, and they will lose even more support when the Baltimore Sun, now hated by most Marylanders, endorses O'Malley for Governor. Look for Democrats to lose big ground in Maryland during '06.
19 posted on 02/05/2006 7:32:34 PM PST by TheForceOfOne
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To: TheForceOfOne

LOL... yea right.

You all underestimate the MD D[evious]NC.

"Liberals push to give vote to felons"
http://washingtontimes.com/metro/20060207-101738-6911r.htm


20 posted on 02/08/2006 10:23:46 AM PST by Menmy38
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