alexthebird wrote:On the other hand, I recognize that there are some who look askance at the things that make me love Philadelphia and Cambridge. They aren't wrong for that. I'm having trouble characterizing the actions of the Alabama, Missouri, and Georgia legislatures as anything other than an honest expression of what local people think and feel.
So isn't that what states are for? If you believe that the rules around abortion should focus on the woman carrying the fetus, that people should be able to wear what they want, that where you pee shouldn't depend on the plumbing you had at birth, and that immigration is the foundation of this country, then you should probably be living in Massachusetts or Pennsylvania.
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Isn't that what states are for?"
To some extent. The states can make any laws they wish as long as none of them are contrary to the federal constitution. Abortion aside (more on that later), no state can (or should, we'll see how this high court upholds it's own constitution) create or enforce a law that pits on group over another with regards to what they can and can not do. This is spelled out in the 14th amendment. So, in theory, the only way a state could say, ban men from wearing skirts would be to enact one of two laws, a) to enforce strict gender roles amongst both sexes and require women to wear skirts, which would be more in compliance with biblical law, or b) to enact a law that nobody can wear skirts, men or women.
Additionally, this means, that no matter how unpopular it can be, a state can't pass a law making it illegal to me Muslim... even in the deep south no more than they can ban the bible in California.
Your thinking is very democratic, whereas it seems your basically stating that depending on where you live, the majority should decide the lifestyle of the minority.
This is why our constitution guarantees us a
republican form of government, to prevent this type of thing from happening. In the U.S. (in theory), the 51% should NOT have dominion over the other 49%. How in the world modern day democrats somehow managed to be the party of the minority and republicans the party of the majority is beyond me. Now I do realize that prior to the 14th, states had very strong rights as the constitution generally only applied to how the federal government treated the citizens of the various states. This was an oversight that HAD to be corrected in the 13th ad 14th amendment respectively. Prior to those, then it was up to the states to decide whether to legalize slavery or not.
Perhaps some of us southern skirt wearers don't want to be required to move up north just to enjoy freedom. We were promised a free
nation, and damn it, I personally intend to hold this country to it!
At my core, I
am "republican", my political ideals are a work in progress, but I almost always sway to the direction of individual freedom, even if I disagree with the liberty being practiced.
As to Christianity, I'm sure I've painted myself as an enemy of Christ. Nothing could be further from the truth. I've seen the beautiful and spiritually fulfilling side of the faith, and at many points in my life (to the present day), I share in it often. What angers me is what modern day "republicans" and "conservatives" are doing to the faith. They have focused on it being a "holier than thou" practice full of ego worshiping practitioners who seem to delights in riding on a moral high horse while condemning anyone that they perceive to be beneath them as hell bound sinners. I'm sorry, that is NOT what the Christian message is.
Now again, I have no problem with Christianity or Christ,
but I want to experience Christ on MY TERMS, I DO NOT want it shoved down my throat by people who I personally believe to be sinister.
On abortion,
Whatever your leanings on the practice, no one can deny that these southern legislatures are breaking the law. This issue was settled in the 1970's and it just keeps going. Now that we have an evangelical friendly high court, southern legislatures are racing to overturn the last 40 years of progress. The abortion issue is an EXPERIMENT to see how easy it can be done... I guarantee it WON'T stop there. Before you know it, mandatory Christian prayer will be back in public schools [0], creationism will be the only science taught, and of course, to keep in line with the theme of this thread, the old anti-crossdressing laws that existed in the 50's and prior will slowly make a come back.
So I'm sorry alexthebird, I can not support a breakdown of freedom across state lines just because various majorities in different states take issues with this or that. That's NOT a republican form of government... that's MOB RULE.
As for abortion... ban it... move on. Liberals and democrats reading this: let it go, we've got bigger fish to fry at the moment. Freedom is in peril! Let's make this a nation worthy to birth a child into, then we can hash out abortion....
[0] And before somebody says "GOOD!", then let me remind you that the separation of church and state is what prevents mandatory Islamic prayers from also being recited in public schools.... Christianity is the big dog now, but Islam is growing, when you're child represents the Christian minority in a school system located in an area dominated by Muslims... you'll be cherishing the separation of church and state then! Public education is for learning how to function in the real mortal world. Spiritual education is best left to home and church instruction.