With all due respect for Mr. Olson, who is usually a smart, standup guy, this list shows why the “conservative case for gay marriage” makes about as much sense as a conservative case for whites-only lunch counters:
Leo Childs
http://www.amnation.com/vfr/archives/005774.html
Scott Brockie
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/apr/04041604.html
Ake Green
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ake_Green
Scott Savage
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=49761
Crystal Dixon
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,355238,00.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,355507,00.html
http://newsbusters.org/people/crystal-dixon
Ene Kiildi
http://people.maine.com/paula/pph/pph-2.9b.98.html
The Mennonites of Roxton Falls, Quebec
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/aug/07081701.html
Christian (and Mormon, Jewish and Muslim) business owners in Colorado
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=68060
Guy Earle
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=7096c4b6-e48c-46ea-9aeb-7a075a3766e2
Christian youth in Australia
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jun/08062406.html
Christian civil servants
http://www.10news.com/news/16663610/detail.html
The Philadelphia 11
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=41705
The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association
Yeshiva University
California Lutheran High School
A psychologist at North Mississippi Health Services
A Vermont civil servant
Elane Photography
A Christian doctor
A private adoption agency
The Boy Scouts
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91486340
eHarmony
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27821393/
The Mormon Church
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_11070812?source=rss
This is certainly not an exhaustive list.
Since when does firing people for thought crimes, shutting people up and forcing them to do things against their religion have anything to do with “the values conservatives prize?” That’s the result wherever the gay lobby gets its way.
There is no case for COURTS creating law, period.
Marriage in the secular sense is a legislative issue, and for any court to say a legislature can or cannot deem the requirements for a marriage under the law, is fundamentally insane.
No homosexual has had any “right” violated by a legislature refusing to pass a law stating they can marry a member of the same sex, in fact they are being treated absolutely equal under the law.. The law says any 2 people can marry as long as they of different gender... So, any gay man can marry any woman they want, and vice versa. They can marry legally, they choose not to... to say the legislature does not have authority to determine this is treason.
Now from a religious standpoint, the state has no say in marriage at all, if the state abolished its recognition of marriage tommorrow, I would be no less married to my wife than I am today.
From that perspect, 2 homosexuals can find some libertine pastor to wed them in some ceremony anytime, regardless of the secular recognition. They don’t generally do that though... Why? because its not about being “married” its about politics, nothing more. Attempting to force the majority to accept what they find generally abhorant behavior as “normal”.. not tolerate it, no but accept it as normal.. and that’s what this is about.
Notice how he picked News Week to speak his mind. The transformation is Complete.
Mr. Olsen says, “So there are now three classes of Californians: heterosexual couples who can get married, divorced, and remarried, if they wish; same-sex couples who cannot get married but can live together in domestic partnerships; and same-sex couples who are now married but who, if they divorce, cannot remarry. This is an irrational system, it is discriminatory, and it cannot stand”
There is a fourth class: single people. Equality for all. End discrimination by ending government marriage and civil unions.
What would happen if government withdrew from the marriage business and the civil union business?
Would people stop falling in love?
Would people stop having beautiful weddings?
Would churches stop marrying people?
Would people stop living together in caring committed relationships?
Would people stop forming families?
Would people stop making babies?
Would parents stop caring for their children?
Would people stop doing the things that we associate with fulfilling marriages?
Does the government policy of providing Social Security benefits to 65 year old spouses who would not otherwise qualify, weigh on the decision of a couple in their 20s to marry?
Are the bundle of default marriage laws, such as spousal inheritance, superior to specific legal documents such as wills?
What percentage of married couples have a critical need for the government financial perks given to couples with government marriage licenses?
What is the governments definition of marriage? Not who can get married , but what marriage itself is? How can the government accuse the marriage of a Russian woman to a US citizen for the purpose of coming to the United States as being a sham? What about the brief Las Vegas marriage of Britney Spears?
What vows of love do government marriage licenses require?
Do marriage laws prevent multiple sex partners, disease, incest, or statutory rape?
Should there be separation of church and state?
Should single people get equal government benefits?
How many times have you had to show your government marriage certificate?