More to worry about than gay marriage

defending the First Amendment against the Christian right ...

... because if Jews don't speak out, they'll think we don't mind

Web JewsOnFirst

Optional Member Code

Please email us
(click here)
catcher@JewsOnFirst.org

And "bookmark" us at
JewsOnFirst.org

Jews on First
P.O. Box 33821
Washington DC 20033

310-910-9153

More to worry about than gay marriage

Op-ed article, by Rev. James L. Evans, The Decatur Daily, February 25, 2006

Laura Hildebrand, author of the award-winning book about the legendary Seabiscuit, has emerged as an outspoken critic of the riding crop, or "whip," when used to enhance race horse performance.

Hildebrand says the use of the whip is cruel. It inflicts unnecessary pain on the animal. And it may not even be all that effective. She argues that using the whip to increase performance only works so long. The horse eventually becomes numb to its effects. Over time, as was the case with Seabiscuit, the whip may actually diminish performance.

Curiously, as candidates start getting ready for the upcoming election season, there is a political equivalent to "going to the whip." It works like this.

Senate Majority leader Bill Frist recently announced on the floor of Senate that he was once again calling for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. His reference is to the so-called Marriage Protection Amendment brought to the floor during the last political season.

The reason it's back again, Frist explains, is out of fear that some state may take action to legalize gay marriage, and because of Article IV of the U.S. Constitution, the so-called "full faith and credit" clause, marriages in one state are legal in all states.

Alabama gubernatorial candidate Roy Moore also is trumpeting the need for a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Even though there is already a law that prohibits same-sex marriage in Alabama, Moore believes it is not enough. Alabama needs a hedge against what other states might do.

Curiously, both Frist and Moore's initiatives will reach their climax around the first of June. The significance for Alabama is obvious. The Republican primary is June 6. Moore has stated publicly that the gay marriage ban will attract concerned Christian voters, many of whom also may support his candidacy.

In the case of Frist, the effort seems to have a similar purpose. The call for a constitutional amendment is intended to arouse conservative Christian voters and give candidates in tight midterm elections a potent campaign issue.

This is politically "going to the whip." Voters are warned that the homosexual agenda is about to wreck the American dream. They are whipped into a frenzy to pass laws that will stop this gay juggernaut.

But as in horse racing, so in politics — there can be a downside. The constant use of the whip renders voters numb. Over time, hot button issues lose their effectiveness. Campaigns are forced to find ever more urgent moral concerns, or else try to squeeze one more voter turnout from tried and true issues.

We've seen this with the abortion issue for years, now it's gay marriage.

In Alabama, the last thing we need to worry about is a surge of gay couples flooding the courthouse with marriage requests. In Alabama, we need to worry about the future of our public school system. We need to be concerned about the status of our healthcare safety net for children and senior adults. We need to be worried about an unfair tax structure and grossly ineffective constitution.

We have some serious issues before us here in Alabama, but gay marriage is not one of them. It is a wedge issue, a whip designed not to inspire voters to vote for better government, but to frighten voters into electing a savior.

And the last time I checked, that job was already taken.

Fair Use Statement: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.