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Danforth: Ban on gay marriage a silly idea
Houston Chronicle ^ | April 30, 2006 | Associated Press

Posted on 04/30/2006 4:25:57 PM PDT by DBeers

Danforth: Ban on Gay Marriage a Silly Idea

WASHINGTON — Former Sen. John Danforth says a conservative push to ban gay marriage through a constitutional amendment is silly, calling it the latest example of how the political influence of evangelical Christians is hurting the GOP.

Danforth, a Missouri Republican and an Episcopal priest, made the comments in a speech Saturday night to the Log Cabin Republicans, which support gay rights. He said history has shown that attempts to regulate human behavior with constitutional amendments are misguided.

"Once before, the Constitution was amended to try to deal with matters of human behavior; that was prohibition. That was such a flop that that was repealed 13 years later," Danforth said.

Referring to the marriage amendment, he added that perhaps at some point in history there was a constitutional amendment proposed that was "sillier than this one, but I don't know of one."

The Senate is scheduled to vote in June on a constitutional amendment that its supporters hope will head off any decision in the federal courts that could legalize gay marriage. The measure would need to be approved by two-thirds of those voting in the House and Senate and then be ratified by at least 38 state legislatures.

But Danforth said he is opposed. "The basic concept of the Republican Party is to interpret the Constitution narrowly, not expansively, so that legislatures, and especially state legislatures, can work out over a period of time the social issues in our country," he said.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: danforthincloset; episcopal; episcopalianfreaks; episcopalians; fagenabler; faglover; homosexualagenda; homosexualmarriage; idolatry; johndanforth; liberalrepublicans; marriage; pervertedrinospews; pervertperverts; perverts; pervertspervert; pompousbore; purinaboy; religiousleft; rinos; theusualsuspects; waco
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To: OldFriend

Whitless has raised millions of dollars in order to put own brand of politics of personal failure in power.

She is a product of the old media and could not survive in the new media.


101 posted on 05/01/2006 6:29:07 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: linda_22003

Society rewards the institution not the individual.

The insitution of marriage is the one which produces a future for society. Your personal example is irrelevant.
However it is worth noting that even your pairing can raise a child seamlessly with a mother and a father.

An adopted child need never know anything, homosexuals can never ever have a semblance a normalscy.


The purpose is societal benefit, not individual anecdotes. There is no orgasm test for marriage.


102 posted on 05/01/2006 6:33:30 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: DBeers
"Once before, the Constitution was amended to try to deal with matters of human behavior; that was prohibition. That was such a flop that that was repealed 13 years later," Danforth said.

The analogy would be a constimatushional amendment to ban sodomy.

103 posted on 05/01/2006 6:34:39 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck
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To: longtermmemmory

If you go on the website of her PAC you will be surprised at who is signed up. Very disappointing, to say the least.


104 posted on 05/01/2006 6:55:52 AM PDT by OldFriend (I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.....and My Heart to the Soldier Who Protects It.)
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To: OldFriend

Why "disappointing"? Do you have a link?


105 posted on 05/01/2006 6:57:38 AM PDT by linda_22003
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To: linda_22003
My husband and I got married twenty years ago with no intention of producing children, and we never did. Should we have reported that to The State, so The State could have decided whether we were allowed to marry or not? What Orwellian world does this come from?

You want the tax deductions as a dependent spouse? Social Security survivor's benefits? Legal protection in divorce, spousal support and community property division? Alimony? Or, is it so that it looks more socially acceptable to sleep and cohabitate with each other?

So much for the intentions of getting married at all...

Marriage made your relationship an open book for that Orwellian world...

Married filing jointly... Social Security number(s)? Married filing seperately... Spouse's Social Security number? Age? Address? Daytime phone? Employer(s)? Home mortgage interest deduction? Alimony paid? Head of Household?

Do I need to continue?

106 posted on 05/01/2006 6:59:05 AM PDT by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
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To: Sir Francis Dashwood

I'm not sure what you're saying. You really can't imagine why two people would get married if they're not going to have children?


107 posted on 05/01/2006 7:00:01 AM PDT by linda_22003
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To: longtermmemmory

Thank you!


108 posted on 05/01/2006 7:07:49 AM PDT by Sister_T (Kenneth Blackwell for Governor of Ohio!)
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To: John Geyer
Do the majority of Episcopals even believe in the Bible anymore!?

Friend of mine was an Episcopal priest. He was dying from emphysema and going through a rough time. I used to go visit him. I read some of the monthly magazines aimed at the Episcopal clergy. I never found a reference to praying for strength, using the Scriptures for guidance in conduct, or even a scriptural quote. It was totally secular in outlook.

There were multiple references to psychology, support groups, fund raising, etc., but I don't think Christ was ever mentioned in any article. In short, no, they don't believe Jesus Christ was the Son of God. They believe in using the warm fuzzies of Christianity to get everyone to act nice to each other and donate money to the church, but do not believe in the Ten Commandments, the Scriptures or Jesus Christ.

109 posted on 05/01/2006 7:08:15 AM PDT by Richard Kimball (I like to make everyone's day a little more surreal)
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To: DBeers
Thank God this loser is a "former senator." May there be several more "former senators" among the RINO ranks soon.

See tagline.
110 posted on 05/01/2006 7:09:13 AM PDT by Antoninus (I will not vote for a liberal, regardless of party.)
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To: DBeers

RINOceros grunt.


111 posted on 05/01/2006 7:11:17 AM PDT by Inwoodian
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To: DBeers

Gay Marriage: A Sthiwly Idea


112 posted on 05/01/2006 7:12:09 AM PDT by LifeOrGoods? (God is not a God of fear, but of power, love and a sane mind.)
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To: linda_22003
Don't know how to do links....try Itsmypartytoo.......and see if you can google in her website.

Just heard on WABC radio that Whitman has signed on as a lobbyist for nuclear power.

That ought to end the left's love affair with Whitless.

113 posted on 05/01/2006 7:13:23 AM PDT by OldFriend (I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.....and My Heart to the Soldier Who Protects It.)
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To: linda_22003
You really can't imagine why two people would get married if they're not going to have children?

Money, sex and the other image based, selfish social appearances... it really takes little or no imagination as to why a man and woman would sleep together. I am not making a judgement of any sort... just the facts ma'am...

114 posted on 05/01/2006 7:13:59 AM PDT by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
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To: longtermmemmory

Just heard on WABC radio that Whitless is going to be lobbying for the nuclear power industry.


115 posted on 05/01/2006 7:14:38 AM PDT by OldFriend (I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.....and My Heart to the Soldier Who Protects It.)
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To: Sir Francis Dashwood

Well, it's a good thing we don't all have to live the way you see fit. :)


116 posted on 05/01/2006 7:15:41 AM PDT by linda_22003
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To: OldFriend

Thanks for telling me the name. All you have to do is "copy" the address line of the browser and "paste" it into the box where you're writing your posting message. I found the "advisory board" page:

http://www.mypartytoo.com/advisors/advisors.html

I don't see any names that particularly surprise me; apparently you did?


117 posted on 05/01/2006 7:18:37 AM PDT by linda_22003
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To: linda_22003
John McCain was on Whitless' board but got some heat so asked that his name be removed. Said it was added in error!

McC ever the opportunist and worse.

118 posted on 05/01/2006 7:33:21 AM PDT by OldFriend (I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.....and My Heart to the Soldier Who Protects It.)
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To: John Geyer

I've always had a problem with clergymen holding political office. Pope John Paul II did the right thing when he forced Robert Drinan to leave Congress.


119 posted on 05/01/2006 8:25:26 AM PDT by Revenge of Sith
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To: DBeers

-Referring to the marriage amendment, he added that perhaps at some point in history there was a constitutional amendment proposed that was "sillier than this one, but I don't know of one."-

That's because you've got your head up your...well, never mind. There are a pile of amendments proposed by Jesse Jackson every year - and this RINO picks on gay marriage.

Still, if gubmint would take out the special civil rights granted to - well, everyone - I would see fit to leave this matter to states. If everyone's got the same rights, there should be no need to categorize people by anything other than "American citizen".


120 posted on 05/01/2006 8:35:37 AM PDT by AmericanChef
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