Issues in the News:
I. Republicans in a state legislative committee in Idaho have passed a resolution calling on the Federal Communications Commission to ban any and all mentions of pre-maritial sex on television (even if only implied) in most hours of the day.
Indeed, the resolution calls on the FCC to “resume enforcement of traditional American standards of decency.” Maybe that will also mean, no more gay characters or atheist characters on television. This is from a party that calls for having a smaller government, well at least when it comes to polluters.
II. Republican U.S. Senator Rob Portman has come out in support of marriage equality for gays and lesbians. Before he was an opponent, though not a vocal opponent, of same sex marriages.
He is being derided by the religious right-wing for not standing by his principles. The principles being that gays should not have the ability to be equal in marriage in their own nation. Well, the principle was stupid. Opposition to marriage equality at this point in 2012, is largely a product of Christian fundamentalism.
The only real opponents of same sex marriage and civil unions are fundamentalists. In fact, if you oppose even civil unions for gays, odds are you believe the earth is 6000 years old and that the Flinstones is a documentary.
What kind of principle is it that marriage is good for the children of married couples (which it is on average) but not good for the children of gay couples? It is absurd and it is a principle that is being scrapped by millions of Americans. Once you get past religious fundamentalism (as most Americans aren't members of) there is no secular reasons to oppose it.
By the way, why do so many arguments against marriage equality seem to be some weird worship of the definitions of a word? For example, opponents stated marriage shouldn't be redefined. But marriage is just an extension of what we as human beings desire it to be.
Marriage is purely the creation of human beings to serve the needs of their fellow human beings. Now we are extending it to gays and lesbians as we once extended the right to vote to women. These aren't bad things, obviously.
III. Finally a Pastor Jack Schaap told a 17 year old girl that her having sex with him is "God's plan." It seemed to work, because she believed him and had sex with him. Is this any differently then pastors or imams or clerics who tell women that being inferior, not speaking in churches, being covered, not participating in the political process or not being leaders, is part of this god's plan? Well, of course not.
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