Index of SPPS Budget Discussion http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/spps-posts.html _________________________________________ Seeing as a lot of this discussion is about words. I've been finding it useful to talk about matrimony as the church word and marriage as the civil word.
Responsively yours, Bruce Leier -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 22, 2004 08:48 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [StPaul] Denial of same-sex marriage Index of SPPS Budget Discussion http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/spps-posts.html _________________________________________ Ok, heres my thoughts - Why is it an appropriate issue for the City Council? Since this amendment is about restricting rights, the City of St Paul will be affected by it. When gay unions are outlawed, the options available to our city will be restricted. If this makes it into the constitution, whats to stop radical religious groups from suing the city to eliminate any policies that recognize the legitimacy of same sex partnerships? Why is the amendment a bad idea? "Marriage" is fundamentally a religious union, and the government shouldn't have a position on it all. Leave marriage to the churches to handle in any way they want. Todays christians apparently don't think much about it, but someday they may find themselves in the minority. Once the door is open to embedding religious principles into civic law, you don't know what will come through that door in the future. My understanding of a Constitution is that it grants certain powers to the government, while guaranteeing the rights of individuals to go about their business unmolested. Policies that restrict individual behaviors belong in the statutes, not in the constitution. On a personal level, I don't understand why some people are so afraid, or so insecure in their own beliefs that they care who loves whom or for how long. Heterosexual marriage in our culture is hardly ideal in its practice. Lets live and let live. _____________________________________________ SPPS Budget Reduction Forum - Feb. 23-27 Co-Sponsored By NEAT: http://www.stpaulneat.org/ _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ _____________________________________________ SPPS Budget Reduction Forum - Feb. 23-27 Co-Sponsored By NEAT: http://www.stpaulneat.org/ _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
