The Supreme Court Affirms Gay Marriage

America isn't "CHANGING"....it HAS CHANGED. Today, all polls show that over 70% of Americans support gay rights. That number obviously includes a LOT of Conservatives.

Religious Conservatives are now a minority among Conservatives, with that group ebbing, while Libertarians are growing.

Libertarians tend to support things like gay rights.

Probably at least SOME of this is in response to the religious extremism of the Muslim world.

You know who doesn't support gay rights and opposes homosexuality?

The adherents of Shariah Law.

Even as the West's religious institutions continue to evolve their stand on this - the Pope of the RC Church (one of the most Conservative religious institutions in the West) has softened its stance, albeit slightly, on homosexuality.

This LEGAL fight appears to be effectively over. YES, those opposed to homosexuality CAN still oppose it, BUT they're going to live within a Corporate structure (America has long been a Corporatist nation) that has long been on-board with such views. (http://www.ijreview.com/…/354051-35-companies-just-told-a…/…)

Those who'd boycott such companies will have a VERY long list. NOT only that, but it's as if they just woke up. ALL of those companies have long supported gay rights. Just take a look at ANY Corporate Human Resources guide.

In his response to the ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts cautioned, “Celebrate the achievement of a desired goal. Celebrate the opportunity for a new expression of commitment to a partner. Celebrate the availability of new benefits. But do not celebrate the Constitution. It had nothing to do with it...Indeed, however heartened proponents of same-sex marriage might be on this day, it is worth acknowledging what they have lost, and lost forever: the opportunity to win the true acceptance that comes from persuading their fellow citizens of the justice of their cause. And they lose this just when the winds of change were freshening at their backs.”

In response there have been idiotic and poorly crafted calls for Justice Scalia (the preeminent Constitutional scholar on the court) to resign (http://theweek.com/articles/563276/why-scalia-should-resign) and commentator/comedians lamely mocking Justice Roberts (http://www.boston.com/entertainment/tv/2015/06/27/stephen-colbert-mocks-supreme-court-gay-marriage-dissenters/SC2WYMwEQ4lIE5eor0LDhO/story.html) calls for

Moreover, there is the very real possibility that defeat may yet be pulled from the jaws of victory, should government bureaucrats, for instance, seek to threaten the tax-exempt status of churches that refuse to perform same-sex marriages. Recent polls show that just as over 70% of Americans now support gay rights, over 80% (some polls have 81%, some as high as 84%) support religious institutions preaching traditional religious doctrines (that homosexuality is sinful, etc.). A less overwhelming, but still sizable majority support the tax-exempt status of Churches.

Any attack on religious liberty carries with it the seeds of real and very severe civil unrest. Hopefully, government will not undermine the gains that have been made by gays. Any attack on religious organizations, could do irreparable harm to those gains and threaten the gains made to this point.

Intolerance is ALL the SAME

Scott Stringer (L) and Ruben and Leslie Diaz (inset)

It's interesting (actually odd, is a better word) that so amany people who relied upon 'tolerance," of new ideas, show little tolerance themselves.

As an example, the nation and increasingly, the world has become more accepting of homosexuality, with a slew of court cases advancing gay marriage, and other pro-gay causes.

However, in recent years, many of the purveyors of "tiolerance" have become increasingly intolerant themselves. THAT has got to change.

An example of that was highlighted a few days ago when it was reported that NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer's office had abruptly fired Leslie Diaz (wife of State Senator Ruben Diaz...the nepotism and cronyism evidenced there is sadly par for the course in many government positions) after having interviewed and hired her for a job in that office. She claims she was interviewed three times, offered a position, then resigned from her current job to accept that new position, before being let go two days before she was scheduled to report for work. (http://www.pressreader.com/…/20150…/283046938061693/TextView)

Turns out that Ruben Diaz is also a Pentecostal Minister and, as such, condemns homosexuality as "sinful," and opposes same-sex marriage.

Scott Stringer apparently saw a video of Ms. Diaz alongside her husband at "a peaceful demonstration...in opposition to same-sex marriage." In the wake of that video, he rescinded the job offer to Leslie Diaz.

Interestingly enough, that is the SAME intolerance that would have an employer firing an employee for merely exprerssing pro-gay, or pro-samesex marriage views. BOTH are wrong.

Ironically enough our very 1st Amendment enshrines religious freedom, which protects religions from government action for things like preachingthat homosexuality is "sinful and wrong."

I am not at all religious, BUT I understand that tolerance is a TWO-WAY street. Religious freedoms MUST be respected AND they can coexist with personal freedoms, such as the freedom to express views that run counter those taught by various religions.

Tolerance IS a virtue. It's time we ALL start living up to it, by looking at ourselves first and our own intolerances.

Maine Says No to Gay Marriage...

Lost in all the hub-bub about the Virginia sweep, the upset in very BLUE New Jersey and NY’s 23^rd, the gay Marriage ballot in Maine was largely overlooked. Certainly, that issue is often seen as a bell-weather for how socially Liberal America is becoming, with Liberals always searching for something, ANY thing to hang their collectivist hats on. But THIS is sort of funny, actually! I mean I know “hope springs eternal,” but apparently, where Liberals are concerned, so does disappointment. Ah, such is life!

Going into yesterday, Politico was reporting said, “A Public Policy Polling automated survey released Monday showed the initiative striking down gay marriage leading by four points, 51 percent to 47 percent, but two polls last week contradicted that finding by reporting opponents of the measure ahead by four and 11 points.”

Surely that last line and the huge efforts that gay rights advocates were making across that state had Liberals hoping to ring in that bell-weather and stoke the view that “America IS becoming more socially Liberal.”

Well, predictably it (and Liberal hopes along with it) went down to defeat (53% - 46%).

Not only that, but the people of Maine opposed to Gay Marriage by legislative fiat had to vote “YES”...for the REPEAL of that law!

The politicians made it as difficult as possible for voters to defeat their legislative over-reach, but in the end, common sense prevailed – the voters have it, most politicians, sadly, DON’T.

It’s hard to really say which was more unpopular in Maine, the idea of Gay Marriage itself (often feared as an “and-around” the 1^st Amendment’s religious protections) OR the independent-minded people of Maine bristling at an arrogant state legislature foisting something on them without input from their bosses (the people).

Well, as yesterday’s headlines went, “As Maine Goes, So Goes Gay Marriage.”

OK, well, in that case, see ya!