Both sides should be heard
Bob Page's letter published yesterday not surprisingly has triggered a spirited exchange on the blog about same-sex marriage.
Whatever one's views might be on that touchy subject are beside the point, in my opinion.
Page was making the argument that advocates on one side of the issue shouldn't spend money advancing their cause when there are so many poor people who need help.
He was referring to those who oppose same-sex marriage in California and are campaigning for a state constitutional amendment to prohibit it.
One might agree with Page that there are more worthwhile causes, but in California citizens have the right to initiate proposed constitutional amendments and to spend money trying to win voter support.
People on the other side of the debate have an equal right to campaign to defeat such proposals.
Which is happening in California. The Human Rights Campaign is one organization raising money for that purpose.
Obviously, money spent in the campaign against the proposed amendment also could be given to the poor.
I suppose partisans of any stripe believe money is badly spent only in opposition to their own views.
But simple fairness says that both sides in a contested campaign are entitled to press their case. Those who suggest only one side should be heard don't deserve to be taken seriously.
Comments (4)
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According to groups identifying themselves as “pro-family,” stopping same-sex couples from marrying is “critical” and comparable to the abolition of slavery. Fighting poverty and homelessness will have to wait. *Brother Bob Page Greensboro
Brother Bob! Don't worry about the faith base family values bunch spenting 10 million dollars to stop pagan transgender marriages. first of all, the dollar has no value anymore and most likely will be able to buy only one TV commerial in a San Diego Republican repo mortage subdivision. Two! Jesus is coming back after the November election and will void all transgender marriages.
Three! A great fire and earthqake will consume California after Jesus return and cast your faith base religion on to a floating sand dune island formally known as South Central Los Angles, which be the new nation of "Pacfica"
But simple fairness says that both sides in a contested campaign are entitled to press their case. Those who suggest only one side should be heard don't deserve to be taken seriously.* Doug
Doug! Has it occure to you that both sides are neither serious nor really concern about Jesus coming back?
Posted on June 29, 2008 4:07 PM
Ah, the old "helping the poor" schtick. I remember my second grade teacher went ballistic over the Apollo program, whose funding, she suggested, should be used to help the poor.
One question that's usually supressed in this tactic is whether helping the poor actually helps them.
Posted on June 30, 2008 12:13 AM
Ah, the old "helping the poor" schtick. I remember my second grade teacher went ballistic over the Apollo program, whose funding, she suggested, should be used to help the poor.
One question that's usually supressed in this tactic is whether helping the poor actually helps them.
Posted on June 30, 2008 12:14 AM
The other common schtick is "there are more important issues to be concerned with."
Uh, yeah, but aren't you focused on this issue? So why can't I?
Posted on June 30, 2008 9:33 AM