Tom Turkey
Tim Turkey
It was amusing to hear Governor Pawlenty’s State of the State message today start off with a discussion of turkey droppings and end with the biggest gobbler gunk of all: “And let’s make sure that courts can’t throw out our defense of marriage laws in Minnesota, like they have in other states. Let’s define marriage in our Constitution as being between a man and a woman.”
Aside from all the rhetoric about strengthening education, (when he allows tuition at the U to rise 50 percent during his tenure,) or health care, (when there are 77,000 fewer Minnesotans covered now than there were when he took office,) or holding the line on taxes (when local property taxes have had to take up the slack for the state’s abrogation of its educational responsibilities,) the anti-gay marriage amendment was the true turd in the state’s punch bowl.
Here’s the truth on the anti gay marriage amendment: the Republicans want it on the ballot, not because they believe in it, but because it’s what brings the one issue religious right-wingers to the polls. And when those people vote, we get a Republican majority that’s beholden to them. And when that happens, we all get a good pranging, gay or not.
Here’s what the real marriage amendment ought to look like: “Whereas the state is prohibited by the U.S. Constitution from respecting an establishment of religion, the state hereby renounces all statutes regarding Marriage, and establishes the institution of Civil Union, which can be between any two adults. Such Civil Union shall have the force of law in all regards currently ascribed to Marriage.”
Perhaps the best idea the founders’ ever had was keeping the government free from religion. (Read the First Amendment, if you don’t believe me.) I say we start now and tell Tim Pawlenty, Michele Bachmann and the rest of their ilk that we’d prefer to see them work on uniting us, instead of pursuing their cynical strategy of divide and conquer. Until then, we’re not buying the stuff they’re shoveling.
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