This is my last post on the subject. I do not seek, nor do I expect 'middle ground'.
Furthermore, if I may borrow from Chief Justice Earl Warren (1967): "The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men."
I offer these quotes without further commentary - they stand on their own merits. You, on the the other hand, are free to twist them as necessary to bolster the dogma to which you subscribe.
You've gotta be joking. Given the rancorous nature of your participation in this and other threads, I consider your accusation of 'personal attacks' to the quintessence of 'intellectual dishonesty'. Spare me the sanctimony.Quote from oktiri:
Intellectual dishonesty and personal attacks are not going to compensate for the weakness of your argument.
Back in the good ol' days, they called a certain collection of Constitutional amendments the Bill of Rights, not the Bill of Restrictions. It was a document of inclusiveness, not exclusiveness. I suggest that you weigh your statement above against the tenor of Amendment IX: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." Now, before you return to your 'rights vs. social institutions' rant - please allow me to quote the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."Quote from oktiri:
The addition of the language to the constitution is the LAST resort to stop activist judges from legislating from the bench. so if it takes amending the constitution to signal to these judges the will of the people , so be it. it's not making government bigger, it's stopping the government from being bigger
Furthermore, if I may borrow from Chief Justice Earl Warren (1967): "The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men."
I offer these quotes without further commentary - they stand on their own merits. You, on the the other hand, are free to twist them as necessary to bolster the dogma to which you subscribe.