August 15, 2012
This morning I am pondering politics again….I was attempting to ignore the whole thing (I find it incredibly irritating) but I found myself curious about Paul Ryan – Romney’s chosen running mate. From the one sound bite I heard, he sounds good….but for me, the pivotal decision-making issue underlying who I will support in November is gay marriage. Why? Because I have only one measuring stick for any representative of this great nation and it comes from the Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Whether or not someone agrees with gay relationships/marriage or not doesn’t really matter. It is the premise that each of us has the right to live our lives the way we see fit….in Liberty and in pursuing our own Happiness that is the issue. Unalienable rights do not only belong to those with whom we agree but to those whom we don’t agree with as well. This is the foundation on which our founders rallied in 1776.
Obama has come out (no pun intended) in support of gay marriage. When the president of the United States of America takes a stand on such a controversial issue, he has my respect – as long as he follows through. Taking a stand for same-sex marriage is taking a stand for Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. It is putting the unalienable rights above the standardization of opinion and dogma.
On the other hand, where do Romney and Paul Ryan stand? Back in the 1990’s, Romney supported making it illegal for employers to discriminate based on sexual orientation. In 2006 he reversed his position. Romney has also signed a pledge opposing same-sex marriage. In 2007, Ryan voted in favor of the Employment Nondiscrimination Act. However, Ryan supports the Defense of Marriage Act, voted for the Marriage Protection Act, voted against repealing the “don’t ask don’t tell” policy and voted against expanding the country’s hate crime legislation to protect gay people.
I cannot vote for a candidate that is “wishy-washy” in their support of the unalienable rights. Honor, integrity and a fundamental understanding of the principles this nation was founded upon are integral in protecting the unalienable rights for each and every one of us. The minute Ryan and Romney make it clear they understand this crucial measuring stick, they are back in the mix for my consideration. This is the number one deciding factor for me.
In love of Liberty….
Much love,
Karrie
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