Wednesday, November 19, 2003

Amendment-mania

The next time some chowderhead proposes amending the U.S. Constitution, I swear I am going hari-kari in alphabetical order. Every time there's a happening that someone doesn't like, the amendment idea gets floated. In 220+ years, this nation has enacted fifteen amendments, one of which (Prohibition) was motivated by chowderheads, and another of which (anti-Prohibition) was motivated by those who realized they'd given the chowderheads the wheel. That leaves thirteen substantive amendments, and most of them concern things that mean a lot: extending equal protection of the law to all citizens, banning slavery, guaranteeing women the right to vote, etc. That's what an amendment is about: Making a sea-change that is fundamental to a free society.

In the wake of the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling, the "I'm a primitive bigot" crowd has renewed its bleating for a same-sex-marriage amendment. Folks, folks...is this an issue that is fundamental to a free society? Does making sure Tom and Ivan never marry really protect our liberty? However, I welcome the chance to fight this out in the open. Bring on the amendment, chowderheads. We will fight you in the House, the Senate, and then in fifty state legislatures, making you argue in favor of bigotry every step of the way. In the end, if the people of this nation genuinely feel that same-sex marriages are something the union simply cannot endure, then I'll know the United States is a place where equality and justice are labeled, "straight only." I'll give Canada a try; they'll soon allow gay marriage, and they believe in universal healthcare too.

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