3 posts tagged “u.s. constitution”

Sean comments...

Am I anti-American? I am really concerned if I am.

U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann (R-Minnesota) was on Hardball with Chris Matthews and had the following conversation which Stefan and I saw live:

America was founded on the core idea that the people should have a voice in how they were governed and that the minority's voice should not be silenced or punished in the effort to govern.  Rep. Bachmann violates her own definition of what basically amounts to an accusation of treason by challenging the rights to speech, association, and due process through a label used only by those who use fear, hate, and violence (social, physical, or economic) as tools in advancing their ideals.  This does not mean that William Ayers or Rev. Jeremiah Wright are correct in either their actions, beliefs, or words. However, they too are as guilty as Rep. Bachmann in pursuing their tactics to divide and demonize. Neither sides actions are anti-American because it is not treasonous to voice opinion. It is only treasonous if their tools are utilized to advance the cause of another nation at the detriment to our own. 

To question or nation's choices is patriotic not detrimental. It is right to speak out and say America is wrong. Our own Constitution reflects those edits so that all Americans can be treated equally and heard regardless of race, creed, gender, political party, or national origin.  What is wrong is threatening that right to a voice as well as the right to listen to others' voices with a label that is a pure declaration of treason. And what else is wrong is voicing an opinion with the tools of fear, hate, and violence with the ambition only to cause discord and division. Neither is treasonous in criminal law, but disrespectful to fellow citizens and ignorant of our own American values.

The right and left embodied by the actions, beliefs, and words of Rep. Bachmann, Mr. Ayers, and Rev. Wright ignore the truth about American exceptionalism. It is not about claims America is better than all the other nations nor is it about how America is worse than other nations. American exceptionalism is about how we treat each other and celebrate the idea that debate, dialogue, and discussion unencumbered by intolerence and ignorance of difference can lead to great things.  It only by disrespecting difference and not advancing progress through mutual understanding are we all guilty of treason and not the other way around.    

Update Oct 20, 2008: Apparrantly many people saw or heard about Rep. Bachmann's remarks and not only have flooded her office with angry calls but donated $640,000 in just 48 hours to her general election day opponent Democrat Elwyn Tinklenberg. Pollster.com currently has Bachmann leading Tinklenberg by 10% but she has not broken the 50% barrier yet. The Democratic Party just pledged $1 million to Tinklenberg for media in reaction to this as well.

Here is a link to an article about the reaction to Bachmann's speech in terms of her own election battle. In the interest of equal time here is a link to her rebuttal. And her district seems to be running ahead of the rest of the country on foreclosures (link).

Wouldn't it be nice to drop even $10 in Mr Tinklenberg's coffers to defeat someone who seems to value partisanship over compromise in the Congress?

The McFreeds share the following letter from Barack Obama with you...

Barack Obama

Dear Friends,

Thank you for the opportunity to welcome everyone to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club's Pride Breakfast and to congratulate you on continuing a legacy of success, stretching back thirty-six years.  As one of the oldest and most influential LGBT organizations in the country, you have continually rallied to support Democratic candidates and causes, and have fought tirelessly to secure equal rights and opportunities for LGBT Americans in California and throughout the country.  

As the Democratic nominee for President, I am proud to join with and support the LGBT community in an effort to set our nation on a course that recognizes LGBT Americans with full equality under the law. That is why I support extending fully equal rights and benefits to same-sex couples under both state and federal law.  That is why I support repealing the Defense of Marriage Act and the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, and the passage of fully inclusive laws to protect LGBT Americans from hate crimes and employment discrimination. And that is why I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states.

For too long, issues of LGBT rights have been exploited by those seeking to divide us. It's time to move beyond polarization and live up to our founding promise of equality by treating all our citizens with dignity and respect. This is no less than a core issue about who we are as Democrats and as Americans.

Finally, I want to congratulate all of you who have shown your love for each other by getting married these last few weeks. My thanks again to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club for allowing me to be a part of today's celebration.  I look forward to working with you in the coming months and years, and I wish you all continued success. 

Sincerely,  
Barack Obama

Sean reports...

Well, another federal U.S. Constitutional Amendment has been submitted before Congress. With the Democratic Party majority in charge, the amendment will probably not even come up for a vote. Here is the text:

Section 1. This article may be cited as the Marriage Protection Amendment.

Section 2. Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman.

The congressional sponsors? Senators Larry Craig (R-Idaho) and David Vitter (R-Louisiana).

(pauses for laughter)

It's nice to see that an allegedly (thank you Kathy Griffin) closeted gay man who thinks being in Congress means laws don't apply to him as well as his word (Didn't he say he was going to resign Sept 2007?) and an admitted former client of the DC Madam can in good conscience introduce legislation together affecting other people's lives especially in the area of defining marriage. Hypocrisy at its best.

I am sure there are other sponsors to this but I am just appalled.  I know forgiveness is a virtue best practiced but this is to easy to just shake your head at and just groan at the audacity.