Friday, January 20, 2006
Editorial: Virginia takes another swat at gays
Virginia is for lovers, so long as they are one man and one woman who vow to alter the state constitution.
From the RoundTable blog
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Whereas members of the Virginia General Assembly are of a singular mind that marriage -- between one man and one woman -- will fail to survive without the full force of protection that the commonwealth can bring to bear....
Whereas lawmakers fret that an activist judge will someday overturn its statute banning same-sex marriage....
Whereas lawmakers desire to further prevent its homosexual citizens from eloping to an ungodly state and then, gasp, return to Virginia expecting equal protection....
Whereas lawmakers remain eager to pander to those elements of society that fear a same-sex couple's love might tear asunder their own marriages....
Whereas lawmakers deem it inevitable that Virginia must dispense of this threat through its constitution....
Whereas, lawmakers agree there is no reason to debate such a monumental resolution that will forever alter its very foundation....
Whereas, lawmakers cede the power and authority entrusted in them by the good people of Virginia and will place before the voters a referendum to inscribe in their sacrosanct constitutional document "that only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by the Commonwealth...."
Whereas, in doing so, lawmakers abdicate their responsibility to explore the consequences of such action that could vest within the courts the power to prevent loved ones from making medical decisions, or to strip the courts of the power to prevent domestic abusers from terrorizing their partners, even if of the opposite sex.
Therefore, be it resolved that it is up to the good people of Virginia to protect the commonwealth's constitution from such frivolous intrusions on the sanctity of freedoms ascribed therein, not the least of which is enumerated in the Bill of Rights -- "That no free government, or the blessing of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue, and by frequent recurrence to fundamental principles," the first of which is equal protection under the law.
