Push for gay marriage ban a contrived GOP crusade

7/16/2004

STOP wasting my time, Rick Santorum. Get a grip, Mr. Senator. Homosexual marriage is not the death knell of our society. You

appeased the conservative base of the GOP. Now go home. You and your partisan minions, including Ohio s own publicity hound, Ken

Blackwell, can t possibly think anyone in the heartland gives two

hoots about a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage when issues a hundred times more urgent cry out for resolution.

Honestly, if Joe and Joe or Jill and Jill want to commit themselves

to a lifetime of monogamy, how exactly does that affect the bond of

the heterosexual couple across town or destroy the sanctity of their

marriage?

Lord knows more than half of all straight brides and grooms destroy,

all by themselves, what they vow to honor til death do they part.

Did gay marriage send that paragon of conservative virtue, talk show

host Rush Limbaugh, to divorce court for the third time?

Was he was so distraught over same sex marriages that he had to take solace in painkillers and divorce court? Did the prospect of gay

partners legalizing their commitment force Newt Gingrich, leader of

the GOP revolution, to cheat on his second wife and eventually marry

his paramour while chastising Bill Clinton for his extramarital

affairs? Can legalized unions between gay couples who love each other actually be blamed for the break-up of happy heterosexual homes or the decline of fundamental civilization as we know it?

Fortunately, we saw a bit of sanity just a trifle in Washington

when the Senate this week rejected a proposed constitutional

amendment banning gay marriages. But the issue is hardly going to go away.

These contrived crusades can steal huge chunks of the people s time in pointless Capitol Hill debates. It s a testament to the skills of

those who execute the political plots with flawless timing

especially in crucial presidential campaign seasons.

When the Republican from Pennsylvania pushes a constitutional

amendment to ban same-sex marriages to protect the institution of

marriage and defend families and children, who can get a word in

edgewise about war and peace?

Dwelling on the unholy alliance between homosexuals and those darn activist judges to create legally binding domestic partnerships or, worse, same-sex marriages, diverts public attention away from real issues that affect everyone.

Young Americans are dying daily in Iraq with the death toll up to

almost 900. Look at that number again. Nearly 5,000 soldiers have

been wounded in the Bush war, which has cost taxpayers more than $200 billion.

And now the truth about the basic justification for that war trickles

out as congressional and independent investigations conclude their

work. A recent Senate Intelligence Committee report on the U.S.

invasion said it was all a big mistake. Oops. The intelligence was

bad. Tell that to the grieving families. Wait for the obvious

parallel study on how the intelligence was misinterpreted or massaged by the administration to justify its preconceived, pre-emptive regime change in Baghdad.

But hold that thought. Catch the recent sideshow in the Senate? It

had nothing to do with finding jobs for Americans who have been

looking for months (years?) or have settled for working a couple jobs

that don t pay what one used to. Nope. When the President declared A great deal is at stake in this matter, he wasn t talking about the economy. Or about America s dismal standing in the world, or the worrisome warnings that the homeland is under heightened threats of terrorist attacks from emboldened extremists.

Not even close. The President, and congressional Republicans who do his bidding, were just killing time on an issue they knew wouldn t goanywhere. It simply bought favor with the social conservatives of the GOP and cornered the Democratic presidential campaign a couple weeks before the party s convention. That s it. It s all about divide and conquer. If gay marriage works as an effective wedge issue, mission accomplished.

Meanwhile, the American dream of peace and prosperity drifts further

from the reach of average citizens. It is not reassuring that public

servants like Senator Santorum respond by taking to the floor of the

Senate and wasting precious time on a trumped up play for traditional marriages and a constitutional amendment that even other Republicans are loath to support. It s crazy. End the madness. Vote.