If Same-Sex Marriage Is a ‘Right,' There Are No Rights

CNS News ^ | March 27, 2013 | Terence P. Jeffrey

[NYer]

The old adage that one lie leads to another is never more apparent than when modern American public officials deal with issues arising from sexual immorality.

President Bill Clinton, for example, started a chain of lies when he decided to have an adulterous relationship with a White House intern.

Clinton first lied to his wife, then to a federal court, then to the American people.

Nor could Clinton's lies, delivered as president, be his lies alone. His partisans in Congress either had to abandon him or add another link to the chain of lies by declaring that perjury and obstruction of justice in a federal court, so long as they were intended to cover up presidential adultery with a White House intern, were not the sort of high crimes and misdemeanors that ought to be considered impeachable offenses under the Constitution of the United States.

Yet, as corrosive as Clinton's perjury was to the public understanding of right and wrong and true liberty, it was not as corrosive as the left's current crusade to get the Supreme Court to declare same-sex marriage a "right."

Clinton's perjury was at least predicated on the assumption that people not only would see his behavior with a White House intern as a transgression against marriage, but also that they ought to do so.

If they are to succeed in their cause, those who now claim that same-sex marriage is a "right" must eradicate from American law and society the true — and only sustainable — rationale for any right at all.

That, of course, is that rights are immutable things that come from God — that they are part of the natural moral law that all men and all nations have an inescapable duty to obey.

The Founding Fathers of this nation not only believed in the natural law created by God, but insisted it was the justification for the United States becoming a nation.

The "Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them," they said, "to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station" of an independent state.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident," they said, "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Now, did Nature's God, who endowed all men with unalienable rights, endow two people of the same sex with a "right" to marry one another? If so, why did God create men and women?

Why did He create a system of human reproduction that rests on mothers and fathers and not mothers and mothers or fathers and fathers?

In truth, the advocates arguing to the Supreme Court that five or more justices should band together and declare a "right" to same-sex marriage are not arguing that there is a God-given right to such a thing. Indeed, the more candid among them see morality itself as an obstacle to their desired end.

In the case challenging the constitutionality of California's marriage amendment, which came before the Supreme Court on Tuesday, U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli argued in the Obama administration's amicus brief that it is illegitimate for the government to base a policy on "a moral judgment" — in this case, a moral judgment about homosexual behavior.

"Protecting children from being taught about same-sex marriage is not a permissible interest insofar as it rests on a moral judgment about gay and lesbian ... intimate relationships," he says.

But it is going to be either one way or the other: The government either will teach children about same-sex "intimate relationships" or it will not. And if the government does teach children about same-sex "intimate relationships," it will either teach them that these relationships are right or they are wrong.

The advocates of same-sex marriage want the government to teach children that same-sex "intimate relationships" are not only right, but a "right."

To do that, they must reject the natural law, the Old Testament, the New Testament and more than 2,000 years of Western tradition. They must teach that the God of Genesis, who created all things, was wrong about marriage. They must teach that Jesus Christ was wrong about marriage.

And they must teach that the Declaration of Independence was wrong when it insisted our rights come from our Creator.

So, if God did not give Americans a right to same-sex marriage, who did? Its advocates are hoping it will be Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and ...

A state that no longer recognizes that it is subservient to the Laws of Nature and Nature's God will also no longer recognize the God-given rights of individuals. In such a state, there will only be those privileges the powerful decide to grant us — until they decide to take them away.

[NYer]

One of the best points made on this topic comes from Pat Robertson. One need only look to history to see our future.

Pat Robertson on gay marriage

In history there's never been a civilization ever in history that has embraced homosexuality and turned away from traditional fidelity, traditional marriage, traditional child-rearing, and has survived. There isn't one single civilization that has survived that openly embraced homosexuality. So you say, "what's going to happen to America?" Well if history is any guide, the same thing's going to happen to us.

[Jewbacca]

If marriage is a right, I demand to marry Rachel Weiss.



She has to dump that James Bond guy, now!

[Bitsy]

Traditional marriage is being attacked. Our right to bear arms is being attacked, Our Christian faith is under siege, and we are being taxed without representation. Does anyone deny our Constitution and our rights as citizens of the United States are being stripped to the core? I really think, not only should Christians pray, but we have to stand up to those bent on destroying our country as we know it. God is bigger than all this!

[circlecity]

In addition to Pat Robertson’s point I would note that the normalization of homosexuality has pretty much always been associated with the decline and fall of once great civilizations.

[cloudmountain]

In addition to Pat Robertson’s point I would note that the normalization of homosexuality has pretty much always been associated with the decline and fall of once great civilizations.

True.

And if that is indeed the case WE are ripe for a BIG decline and an even BIGGER fall.

[ex-snook]

We have come to this. Judge Sotomayor made the point that a law based on morality would be unconstitutional. We need an amendment to put God back into our Constitution as a nation under God. Precedent - Prohibition was reversed.

[circlecity]

"And if that is indeed the case WE are ripe for a BIG decline and an even BIGGER fall."

We are in the middle of it right now.

[LearsFool]

Judge Sotomayor made the point that a law based on morality would be unconstitutional.

Such an absurdity can be uttered only because America has rejected morality.

No amendment to the Constitution can restore this country to morality, nor can our immorality be blamed on the lack of one. To quote John Adams:

"This Constitution was made for a moral and religious people. It is inadequate for the governing of any other."

First you become a moral and religious people. Then you get good governance. (The converse is also true.)

[Autonomous User]

Nothing good will ever come by trying to please the Homo-deranged.

[Salvation]

The Supreme Court - About to Play God Again?

[Soul of the South]

The fix is in. This major push for gay marriage is occurring in a non election year. The Republican establishment has determined it is losing elections due to the social issues. It is throwing in the towel on gay marriage to get the subject off the table. It has also given in on federally funded abortions and birth control. Next capitulation is amnesty for illegals which they also want to push through this year.

With abortion, amnesty, and gay marriage off the table the party powers believe they can focus on economic issues to win the 2014 congressional elections. Based on history they are counting on conservatives to once again support them as the lesser of two evils. They’ve concluded the conservative base can’t marshall the financial resources to create a viable third party having seen the Tea Party movement fizzle in 2012.

If Kennedy votes with the progressives, count on Roberts to go with him to avoid a 5-4 split. If Kennedy stays with Scalia, Alito, and Thomas, Roberts will be faced with a 5-4 vote whichever way he goes. If it is true the White House has information to blackmail him, it isn’t hard to figure out where this one will land.

[ex-snook]

That you for appropriate quote "To quote John Adams: "This Constitution was made for a moral and religious people. It is inadequate for the governing of any other."

I do think we have that kind of people. However we have a growing number of people who wish to provide exceptions for immorality. These people find the Adams' limitation as useful to their challenge. If laws like DOMA can be overturned by the Constitution, then the Constitution should be amended.

[maryz]

The Republican establishment has determined it is losing elections due to the social issues.

Whether that's the reason -- "losing elections due to the social issues" -- or merely visceral distaste for social conservatism, the national GOP elites seem to want to follow the "Massachusetts model." The MA GOP has been liberal on social issues for maybe 30 years or more. Its "official" position is supposed silence on social issues, but the reality is that the party will recruit and support a social liberal in a primary if a social conservative has the temerity to declare. Normally, it just recruits social liberals.

So how is this working out electorally? I believe the GOP currently holds 10-12% of legislative seats and no state-wide offices. IIRC, they held a "high" of 15% of the legislature before Romney (apparently hand-picked by the MA GOP) was governor. We've had Republican governors, but our last conservative governor was Ed King in the early 80s -- and he was a Democrat (later ousted by Dukakis).

This may go a long way to explaining why only about half of those eligible to register/vote actually vote in MA.

[Repent and Believe]

“If they are to succeed in their cause, those who now claim that same-sex marriage is a “right” must eradicate from American law and society the true — and only sustainable — rationale for any right at all.

That, of course, is that rights are immutable things that come from God — that they are part of the natural moral law that all men and all nations have an inescapable duty to obey.”

Mr. Jeffrey really hits the nail on the head here. Remove this nation’s reliance on God and you have conquered her. Without God as here life-source she is floundering and easy target for rape and slavery if not destruction. Mr. Jeffrey’s argument should be tactfully and compellingly submitted by an influential friend of the court.
“It’s the Constitution, Stupid!”

[Soul of the South]

The Massachusetts experience, as well as the California experience, demonstrates why the GOP will die given the route it has chosen. The experience in those states also doesn’t give much hope a competitive alternative conservative third party can be created on the national stage. The cost of running campaigns is too high for a third party, funded by average citizens, to overcome. That’s why Obama walked away from federal financing of campaigns in 2008 in order to pursue unlimited campaign contributions.

I suspect going forward the GOP will have great difficulty raising money. Wall Street backed Romney but learned its lesson and will go back to being reliably Democrat. The pressure put on the Koch brothers tells independently wealthy people who have business interests not to venture into supporting conservative politics. Business people who have any dealings with government or whose businesses are in any way regulated know giving to conservative causes opens their organizations up to attack from the media, bureaucrats, and liberal judges. Over the next few years the Democrats will use their power to cut off funding for the opposition.

The Republican Party is voluntarily committing suicide by walking away from its base and capitulating on every issue. We are headed toward one party rule with a token opposition party controlled by the dominant party.

[Biggirl]

Which could produce all that is needed for a second revolt.

[NYer]

I would note that the normalization of homosexuality has pretty much always been associated with the decline and fall of once great civilizations.

Back in 1969, an Italian immigrant, after surveying the rising feminist movement in the US, made a startling comment. In Italy, children receive a classic education; i.e. they study the ancient civilizations while simultaneously learning their languages, customs, traditions and culture. He had studied both Ancient Rome and Greece. He explained that throughout history, every time women began to rise to power, they were soon followed by a rise in homosexuals demanding equal rights. He predicted that in my lifetime, if the pattern he saw then (1969!) went unchecked, I would see the collapse of our society. At the time I laughed ... it seemed totally preposterous ... but I never forgot his prognostication.

"Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it" - George Santayana

[MosesKnows]

I demand to marry Rachel Weiss

This medium offers few clues to age but let me share some advice that may serve you well as you mature.

Somewhere in this world, there is a man who is so fed up with Rachel Weiss or (fill-in-the-name) that he can hardly stand her any longer.

I know, doesn’t help much but it does help a little.

[bronxville]

The most brilliant strategy of the gay marriage movement is language. If they can redefine a key term like “marriage” they win. Control language and you control thought; control thought and you control action; control action and you control the world, for example, in Canada it’s a crime, punishable by a fine or even imprisonment, to speak against homosexuality in public and other politically incorrect ideas, such as Biblical morality, are considered evil.

There’ll come a time when they redefine pederasty...even more souls for their god Lucifer. Our children will be taught from Kindergarten upwards that it’s a “right”.