Left Fifth Column

Right-Wing Amendment Batshittery

The right-wingers in Congress have been trying to push through two crazy amendments recently. The first of these is the gay marriage ban, which would write into the Constitution that marriage only exists between a man and a woman. Since when has the process of amending the Constitution been used to take rights away from people (other than Prohibition)? There is no evidence that children who grow up with straight families are better wel-adjusted than those who grow up with gay families. Not that the welfare of children is the only thing that should be considered in marriage. I'm awfully sick of hearing about how certain things should be done "for the children". Newsflash, right wing: Not all marriage is about children. I know it breaks your freaky little hearts to hear this, but not everyone was cut out to be breedstock for the Christian right.

Second on the list of ridiculous amendments is flag-burning. We realize it is distasteful to others to see the American flag burned in protest, but have they considered this: That most people who burn the flag are not doing so because they "hate America" or because they hate Americans. Rather, burning the flag is generally doen in response to some militaristic US policy. Because for all the talk about the American flag standing "for America" (which I do not deny that it does, Americans being very symbol-minded people), the flag also stands for American policy.

When the Pentagon bombs another country, do the flags on the fighters stand for America and all Americans, or in that case for the American policy that is being carried out by those planes? Americans have become far too attached to the flag, and they often forget that what looks like destruction to them of a symbol of America is not done in disrespect of Americans, but out of a desire to change foreign policy. None of us want to see the US military invade a country under false pretenses. None of us want to see America earn its reputation as a country that waves around its military power and threatens other nations. None of us want the United States to kill hundreds of thousands of civilians in some ill-defined war for "democracy", or against terrorism, or to find WMD, or for American business interests (which is really what most wars in the past 50 or so years have come down to).

There will always be the risk that someone is offended by your actions or remarks. And in the cases of those two insane amendments, both which would limit the freedoms of Americans (in their private lives and in their public speech), the best answer is "FUCK YOU!" Because some people ought to be offended, and on a regular basis.

posted by Cypher @ 7:46 PM