I wrote, then Neal writes: > > Actually, Bill, I don't believe it is a valid analogy. One of the > > judges > > who refused to halt SF's gay marriages made a truly valid point: this > > is a > > civil rights issue. Handing out drugs or guns is not. > > Guns are a civil rights issue. Read the Bill of Rights. > It's right after Amendment One.
I would argue gun ownership is only a limited civil right (in the context of the 2nd Amendment's inclusion of a well-regulated militia - which several Supreme Courts have ruled makes gun regulation constitutional. That's why we have it today.). > Hey David: if I refuse to pay my state taxes because my money will go > to fund abortions, will you defend my rights under the Minnesota > Constitution(1), or will you just throw me unto the mercy of the state > for exercising my rights of conscience - while public officials who > violate the law and their constitutional authority are not held to > account? The Supreme Court has held abortion (for now) is a limited constitutional right. It - unlike gay marriage - has been litigated repeatedly. On the other hand, gay marriage - and whether such a civil marriage right flows from the 14th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing equal protection under the law - not been adjudicatd by ANY Supreme Court. As I mentioned earlier, SF seeks a court verdict in the context of the constitution (California's guarantee of rights, in this case.) You can certainly withhold your taxes as civil disobedience - many have, but you will be doing it in direct contradiction of settled Constitutional law, unlike the SF gay marriage folks, who are acting in the absence of constitutional guidance. You will be thrown to the mercy of the state - as, perhaps, local officials who perform gay marriages will. That's the price of civil disobedience, which I referenced before. My points above were merely to set up my (still unanswered) locally specific question: how hospitable is the Minnesota constitution, and since Mpls is probably the most likely city to do this, what would be the penalties for local officials and how much would this cost the city at the state legislature? David Brauer Kingfield REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
