Although social conservatives are licking their wounds after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage in all states, the loss of “traditional marriage” has not silenced them into remission. In fact, a new civil war has ascended: The fight for religious freedom.
Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has issued, no commanded, that social conservatives rise up as Black Americans did in the sixties. Like Martin Luther King Jr., Huckabee will lead the parishioners of Christian theology, enlightening America to the path of moral righteousness again.
In dissent, Huckabee stated, “I don’t think a lot of pastors and Christian schools are going to have a choice,” because you “…either are going to follow God, their conscience and what they truly believe is what the scripture teaches them, or they will follow civil law.” Sounds like civil disobedience, disobedience that gay members and advocates were chided by the political right for, as they protested for equal rights. Contradictions aside, conservatives on are on a mission to clear society of secularists’ sin.
Before President Obama was elected, thirty-seven states passed laws that defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman. For homosexuals committed in monogamous and loving relationships, the perception of bans on same-sex marriage was deemed as discrimination. Imagine being denied the right to an estate, medical decisions, visitation, and tax benefits because the state controlled the definition of marriage, essentially ensuring control of your personal affairs.
For years we sat idle as the government dictated rights between consenting adults, adults who believed in the conservative principle of family and economic stability. For years, society was idle as the fourteenth amendment was violated by rites. How was this discrimination against the gay community different from issues of discrimination which led to the lawsuit in Loving v. Virginia and one hundred years of Jim Crow laws?
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal remains firm against gay marriage, and vehemently supports religious freedom laws. In an op-ed for The New York Times, Jindal fortified his reason for signing the Religious Freedom Restoration Law, writing, “Conservatism faces many challenges in today’s America. Hollywood and the media elite are hostile to our values and they tip the scales to our liberal opponents at every opportunity. Yet the left has lost repeatedly in state elections all over America…”
Keep in mind, only 30 percent of eligible votes participated in the 2014 election. Voter participation tends to be higher in presidential elections. In fact, polling has showed that the voters tilt to the left. Additionally, more people are registered as independent than conservative or liberal. The GOP should not remiss that Republicans won the 2010 election but still lost the 2012 presidential election. It would be wise for Republicans to consider the 2016 election will dovetail a robust margin of millennials, and millennials overwhelming disapprove of RFRA legislation and disapprove of opposition to same-sex marriage.
On social issues, progressives are winning. Sixty percent of Americans support the Supreme Court ruling, especially millennials. Millennials are committed to inclusiveness. They have no toleration for exclusive behaviors. If Republicans want a chance at winning the White House in 2016, they must get on board with the Supreme Court decision. This does not require a disregard for faith, personal beliefs, or religious tradition. Many would attest religious bodies should not be forced to disregard their doctrine and rights.
The tide of religious marriage did not change because of judicial tyranny, but because of the people. The calls for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage are not the correct course of action. Parishioners of a particular theology have to learn to separate God’s law from government law. Demanding the Constitution to abide to your religion is not what the Founding Fathers wanted.
Religious marriage remains in the hands of religious bodies. The Supreme Court did not rule on the religious matter of marriage but the civil right. Unfortunately, anger has blinded this. Honestly, it would be wise for Republicans to listen to Sen. Lindsay Graham, who issued the party should respect the Supreme Court’s ruling.
When we ask government to grant our rites over rights, not only are we asking the government embrace discrimination, but we open the door to allowing the government to control our religious doctrine and place of worship. Essentially we allow government to be our God. Europeans came to America to escape a government mandated church. Please conservatives, I beg of you to, protect your place of worship not discrimination.