by: Thomas Craig
I know this will come as a surprise for some of you, but those of you who visit often know my opinion already on this subject. First, allow me to say that I am not a homosexual and, in fact, a happily married man to a beautiful woman. Next, I am 100% for gay rights. My question is, "why are you not"? I consider myself a true Republican and in being so, I believe that the Government should remain small and not infringe on our individual rights. I have a hard time understanding Republicans who believe that the government has no right to enter your closet and tell you to get rid of your guns (which of course the Gov't has NO right to do), yet they believe that the government has a right to enter your bedroom and tell you who you are legally allowed to share your life with. It makes no sense. Whether homosexuality is right or wrong, the government should be the last one to tell law-abiding, tax-paying American citizens who they can or cannot marry. That last point sometimes gets lost on many Americans. Despite them being gay, they are STILL Americans and as such, they deserve every right that we enjoy. There are people who disagree with inter-racial marriage, should that too be illegal? Of course not. Proposing that would be ridiculous.
The most tragic example of discrimination against homosexuals must be the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the Armed Forces. Especially in this day and age, it is mind-boggling that good soldiers are being thrown out of the military because of their sexual preference. I have met many homosexuals in my life and I promise you, they are not vicious animals who will kidnap and sodomize you in a dark alley. They are people, the same as us, and they want the same goal as we do. They want the government to stop desecrating their individual liberties. I only hope that for once Obama has more to contribute than just a speech. He has got it wrong so many times, but this is the one cause that he can prove himself a successful President by backing.
by Thomas Craig
Okay, I'm the first to admit it. After writing a post about how Cheney should shut his mouth and creep back into the shadows, I am now intrigued by this increasingly vocal man. I believe his opinions on Guantanamo Bay and the use of torture are valid (I don't necessarily agree with them though) and I can understand his desire to defend his legacy. My problem is that I don't believe he is the right messenger to be taking center stage and representing the GOP. Dick Cheney is a symbol of all that America is tired of and voted against in the last election. It is apparent now that during the last eight years, like a good Vice-President, he was stifled by Pres. Bush and was forced to keep his mouth shut. Now that he is free to do as he pleases, he is coming out guns blazing.
In his latest revelation to the world, yesterday the former VP took on the issue of gay marriage and truly surprised me. Accompanied by his daughter, Cheney described how he feels that gay marriage is a state issue, not a federal one. This strikes at the heart of what the new Republican movement should be about; returning power to the States rather than the Federal Government. Cheney even let his "inner-libertarian" through when he said to the National Press Club "I think people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish, any kind of arrangement they wish." This was a big step for him, I'm sure. In this statement, he has proved to me that he does indeed have an understanding of the Constitution and the comprehension of individual rights.
Gay Marriage is controversial and anyone can understand why. I do agree with Cheney that if the issue is to be a legal one, the States should have the power over it. Personally, I don't think this topic should even be determined by voters, just like I don't think voters should be allowed to vote on whether they want interracial marriages or marriages between members of different religions. If two consenting adults wish to get married, it must be allowed since it offers no harm to anybody's life, liberty, or their pursuit of happiness. Now, I want to be clear about this. I believe that under the rights granted to all Americans, Homosexuals should be allowed to marry. I do NOT think that anyone must be forced to betray their religious beliefs and approve of this. You don't have to condone it, like it, or even support it. You do have to accept it. You might not agree with a black man marrying a white woman, but you DO have to accept it. You might not like a Catholic man marrying a Jewish woman but you DO have to accept it. You must accept it because as much as you disagree with it, their union in marriage does not affect you whatsoever. The only people affected are the ones who enter into the marriage. Dick Cheney, thanks to his Daughter, understands this and let's face it- if he can understand it, ANYONE can understand it. Now let the argument begin...
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