True ZOT, For All Americans

New York Times ^ | 11-3-11 | Andrew Rosenthal

[merryandrew]

It has been 47 years since the passage of the Civil Rights Act, and 46 years since the passage of the Voting Rights Act. And yet the political leaders of this nation of liberty cannot seem to muster the courage and principle to sweep away one remaining example of institutionalized, government-sanctioned discrimination: The 1996 law that denies the right of marriage to same-sex couples.

The law, the Defense of Marriage Act, was passed in the heat of election-year fear and bigotry against men who want to marry other men, and women who want to marry other women.

It was a bipartisan act of cruelty, sponsored initially by Republicans but passed overwhelmingly by both houses of Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton. It was then, and still is, unconstitutional, because it violates the principles of federalism by allowing states to refuse to recognize marriages performed in other states and because it is blatantly discriminatory....

[Hemingway's Ghost]

because it violates the principles of federalism . . .

They're going to start fretting about this "federalism" bullsh*t now?

[ConorMacNessa]

I love the smell of ozone in the afternoon!

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[Tzimisce]

Gay Marriage is not a civil rights issue.

[Don Corleone]

One of the Communist Party planks is to break down the American Family.

[merryandrew]

Neither party pays much attention to federalism, really....

[goldstategop]

This is the same New York Times that editorialized in favor of states rights to discriminate against gun owners. Heaven forbid that our Second Amendment rights don't end at the state line.

For what its worth, there is no "right to marry." Its a privilege and states have always had the authority to decide who gets to have that privilege. Andrew Rosenthal is as obsequious as he is stupid. And DOMA was simply an expression of the country's long-standing interest in affirming traditional marriage is the foundation of the basic building block of society, the family.

No one has been harmed by DOMA.

[Phlap]

It was a bipartisan act of cruelty sanity, sponsored initially by Republicans but passed overwhelmingly by both houses of Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton.

[circlecity]

"The 1996 law that denies the right of marriage to same-sex couples."

Gays have the exact same marriage rights as everyone else does.

[goldstategop]

Neither is traditional marriage.

Marriage is not a right or an entitlement. Its a serious undertaking between a man and a woman. Moreover, its a sacred vow between them and God.

But its just like liberals to trivialize the serious these days because they have deep contempt for the accumulated wisdom of the ages.

[goldstategop]

No one has the right to marry any one.

And none of us have the right to marry the dead or our pets.

Errors like yours are in need of correction. Some conservatives fail to grasp the difference between a privilege and a right.

[econjack]

Man...am I off base. All this time I thought the US was founded on Christian principles and, unless I've missed something, most Christian religions are against same sex marriage. Therefore, it would seem to me, if France has what you want, migrate to France. If that doesn't make you happy, find some uninhabited island 200+ miles from any other nation, buy it, and start your own country. Then you can have your own way. Until then, my guess is that most people want to stick with heterosexual marriages in the US.

[rlmorel]

What the homosexuals are looking for is the financial booty that we give to married couples (in whatever form and however small) to aid the formation and raising of families.

But even more, they want the stamp, the imprimateur of respectabilty and encouragement they feel government approval would give them.

[goldstategop]

Marriage is a civil and a religious privilege.

Proof that its a privilege is demonstrated by the fact the union can be dissolved if the privilege is not exercised properly or has been abused, by the act of divorce.

Thus, marriage can be withdrawn from those who have freely entered into it. In contrast, a right can never be suspended or revoked.

[merryandrew]

Correction: The US was founded on religious (and other) liberty.

[merryandrew]

In contrast, a right can never be suspended or revoked.

Huh? The right to vote and the right to bear arms, for example, are routinely taken away from convicted felons (even after they finish their prison sentences).

[circlecity]

"Errors like yours...."

What error? I said gays have the same marriage rights as everyone else - and that is true.That statement made no assertion as to the extent of the right merely that straights had no rights which gays don't. And yes, marriage is a God given right, it is not a privilege. Some conservatives fail to grasp that not every right we enjoy is specified in the Constitution, as the 9th amendment specifically points out.

[goldstategop]

I mean in general rights are absolute in nature for those who possess them but certain people are not allowed to exercise them, either because they have not reached a certain age, they committed a crime or they are not citizens of this country.

[WayneS]

And yet the political leaders of this nation of liberty cannot seem to muster the courage and principle to sweep away one remaining example of institutionalized, government-sanctioned discrimination...

I was just SURE he was goijng to mention 'Affirmative Action'.

Shows what I know...

[WayneS]

And yet the political leaders of this nation of liberty cannot seem to muster the courage and principle to sweep away one remaining example of institutionalized, government-sanctioned discrimination...

I was just SURE he was going to mention 'Affirmative Action'.

Shows what I know...