ACLU action alert: Stop Religious Right from Amending the Constitution!

[G_j]

ACLU Action Network Members
Subject:
Stop the Radical Religious Right from Amending the U.S. Constitution
 
* Stop the Radical Religious Right from Amending the Constitution

Spurred by the recent Massachusetts State Supreme Court decision against discrimination, the Bush Administration and some members of the radical religious right are aggressively campaigning to amend the U.S. Constitution to deny the right to marry to same-sex couples in committed relationships.  Just today, the Bush Administration signaled that the President will endorse this mean-spirited measure.

The Massachusetts ruling recognized that gay and lesbian Americans serve in our military, keep our communities safe as firefighters and police officers, staff our hospitals, build our cities and pay taxes. The Massachusetts court ruled that the state cannot deny to gay couples the same marital legal rights in pensions, health insurance, hospital visitations and inheritance that other committed couples enjoy.

The radical religious right wants to write intolerance into the U.S. Constitution and forbid equality to these citizens.  As a nation we have periodically struggled with the question of marriage -- the last law prohibiting people from different races from marrying was overturned only 35 years ago -- but we have never taken the step of amending the Constitution to define marriage. Revising the Constitution to incorporate discrimination is wrong and should be rejected.

Take Action! Urge your Members of Congress to reject efforts to write discrimination into the Constitution!

Click here for more information and to send free faxes to your Members of Congress:

http://www.aclu.org/LesbianGayRights/LesbianGayRights.cfm?ID=9977&c=101

[Adams Wulff]

1. Y'know...

I coulda sworn that "All men are created equal, with certain inalienable rights" was meant for everybody.

I coulda sworn that Jesus Christ said "Love one another, as I have loved you". But then again, every person that hits this planet preaching that message, we send to an early grave somehow.

This country was founded with the groundwork laid so that injustices like this can be resolved, and wrongs can be righted. It is truly the beauty of the system, and it has worked for 200+ years. Now this administration and it's followers want to dismantle that system because they don't agree with a possible fairness that might result from it.
Why?
...the state cannot deny to gay couples the same marital legal rights in pensions, health insurance, hospital visitations and inheritance that other committed couples enjoy.
That sure sounds reasonable to me.

[marie123]

5. very nice post

[theorist]

2. They are bigots. Period. Let them know. n/t

[no_hypocrisy]

3. If they succeed, the RR would probably continue to amend the

Constitution. Imagine jailtime for blasphemy, mandated prayers in public schools, death for having or performing an abortion or performing a homosexual act, penalties for not being registered in and attending a sanctioned church, and other punishments for the criminal behavior of premarital sex, adultery, possessing pornography, etc.

All it takes is an amendment to the Constitution and it's not only sanctioned but compulsory throughout all 50 states and related territories.

It's not about morality. It's about power.

[G_j]

4. very true, this is extremely dangerous

they must be stopped

[LeahMira]

7. Amendments to the Constitution...

... have usually been made to extend more rights to people over time.

It would be a sad turning point for the country if the Constitution were amended to limit people's rights.

It would take a majority in two-thirds of the states to ratify any such amendment. I'd hope that the people in the states would have better judgement than the White House currently demonstrates.

Even so, if worse comes to worst, remember that prohibition was eventually repealed. The religious nuts might have their day, but it will be a short one if it comes. I do think that a new administration will change the whole cultural atmosphere of the country for the better, though, and that the religious nuts will have to go back under their rocks. Let's just hope they don't have a chance to infect the next generation with their poison.

[G_j]

6. it only takes a moment to send a fax here

and it sure can't hurt..

[G_j]

8. kick