Free Republic

I have a dream. I have a dream that I will wake up one day in a country where we don’t have to go to court or pass a law to protect our fundamental natural rights—from the government. I have a dream of a place where elected officials have so much regard for the Constitution that they memorize it like Scripture, in order to not sin against it. I have a dream about a country where it doesn’t matter if you are on the right or the left, because you have so much respect for the freedoms you were given...

Sonoma County's top official on Monday ordered the removal of stars, angels and other religious symbols from Christmas trees in county buildings after a complaint that the decorations violate constitutional protections. “I understand the concern about government endorsing religion or a doctrine, and I respect that is not our role,” Acting County Administrator Chris Thomas said. The complaint was lodged by Irv Sutley of Santa Rosa, a 65-year-old disabled veteran who has a long history of protesting the use of religious symbols in government settings. One of the offending trees was in the lobby of Thomas' office. He said he...

San Francisco, CA (AP) -- More than half of California residents would support amending the state constitution to outlaw gay marriage, according to a new poll published Friday. The Los Angeles Times/KTLA poll of 834 Californians, 705 of them registered voters, found that 54 percent of the voters surveyed backed a gay marriage ban proposed for the November ballot and 35 percent opposed it. The ballot initiative follows a May 15 ruling by the state Supreme Court legalizing same-sex nuptials. But with so many months to go before the election and the court's decision only a week old, the survey...

LAST WEEK, a lesbian filed suit against eHarmony.com because the online dating service does not fix up homosexual couples. It is ugly to watch how a group that has been asking straight Americans for tolerance and understanding can turn on a dime, as members seek to punish and shut down those with heterodox opinions. In the Bay Area, it is no secret. Here, tolerance is a one-way street. Equal rights for some mean fewer rights for others. In February, after the breakup of a 10-year relationship, San Mateo County resident Linda Carlson signed on to eHarmony. As her San Francisco...

SACRAMENTO - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Wednesday that he will veto a bill seeking to allow gay marriages in California. Schwarzenegger said the legislation, given final approval Tuesday by lawmakers, would conflict with the intent of voters when they approved Proposition 22. That measure was put on the ballot in 2000 to prevent California from recognizing same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. "We cannot have a system where the people vote and the Legislature derails that vote," the governor's press secretary, Margita Thompson, said in a statement. "Out of respect for the will of the people, the governor will veto (the bill)."...