Stomping the Constitution

Well, it seems that the GOP has their mind set on crushing the same document they like to use as a shield. In a ridiculous move to "take America back" and to "make America what it once was", you know, an empirical nation of whites, the Republicans have made it their mission to make changes to the Constitution. And on a personal note, it makes me sick to my stomach that someone who I once that was intelligent and wouldn't side with his parties crazy fanatical policies is leading the charge. But I guess once your as old as John McCain, and you are fighting for your career, because ALL politicians serve their own ego, not the people, you do what you have to.

But lets take a look at what Washington wants to do with the cornerstone of America:

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness: Thanks to the overturn of Prop 8, gay and lesbian couples are allowed to marry. This should be a moment of celebration across the country as we show that America truly believes in equality no matter what your race, color, creed, religion or sexual orientation is. However, many Republicans are afraid this is going to have an effect on "traditional marriage".

A woman for an organization for concerned women, told MSNBC's Chris Matthews that they are now teaching about homosexuality in schools to kindergartners. And that this takes away from their punch line of "traditional marriages" because children should grow up with one mother and one father. Well, since 50% of our heterosexual, traditional marriages end in a divorce, where if that one mommy and one daddy get remarried you get step parents, which mean a possible nother set of mommy's and daddy's. So are those who oppose gay marriage saying that step-parents fall into that category of "traditional marriages? And if they are worried about them teaching about different family dynamics, where would they have been during the Scopes Monkey Trial?

Keith Olbermann made a very valid argument in his show earlier this week. As of the 1960's, only 50 years ago, some 17 states had a law against Blacks and Whites getting married. And in the 1800's it was illegal for Blacks to get married all together because they were still viewed as slaves, and property, unable to unite in the bonds of love. That is the America the GOP wants us to get back to, where real, living, breathing, loving people don't count as much as the majority. Democracy only works when ALL people have a voice to be heard, not just the majority.

First Amendment: Well, we've already seen what Sarah Palin and her tea party cronies fall on this belief. They believe that you should have the right to believe in God, but only the god that they worship. They want to stop the building of a mosque near Ground Zero in New York, because that's the way the founding fathers imagined Freedom of Religion.

I actually found myself agreeing with Mayor Patterson when he said that denying this group of Muslims their God given, Constitutionally protected right to building a house of worship on private property is doing the terrorist job for them. It's showing them that what they think of America is right. And that is not the America our soldiers fight for.

Second Amendment: I like that through out all the overhaul the GOP wants, this is the one that they believe shouldn't be touched. They are so concerned about the outdatedness of the First and Fourteenth Amendments that they fail to realize that at no time could our founding fathers imagine an assault rifle with the ability to take out a British Militia within a minute. I'm pretty sure that those weren't the arms they wanted to grant us the right to bare. But the GOP is doing a stellar job raising fears that at anytime now Obama is going to bust down the doors of citizens and steal their guns.

Miranda Rights: While this is not technically a Constitutional right, the Supreme Court has issued that the suspects Miranda rights aren't as important as they were six months ago. Yes, you have the right to an attorney, but they don't have to provide you with one in a timely manor, so break the law and stew. In actuality, you don't even have to break the law, you just have to fit the description of a criminal, which in Arizona means anyone darker than Conan O'Brian.

Twelfth Amendment: I do think, of all the amendments that Congress sits around and considers messing with, this almost 200 year old one needs to be redone. The electoral college doesn't allow us to be a true republic.

Fourteenth Amendment: I'm unsure whether it was Mitch McConnell, the moron from Kentucky, or Old Man McCain, but a major reason they are opposing this and wanting to change it is because, they believe its out of date and that the founding fathers never thought about "Brazilians flying to America and having children", because lately there has been such a large migration of pregnant Brazilians flying into America. This new argument is made up solely of racist propaganda. While we offer political asylum to Cubans trying to escape Communism, or pushing to make Puerto Rico the 51st state, we don't want Mexicans in this country stealing our jobs, women and goods and replacing them with drugs and violence.

If the GOP, or any party for that matter, want to get America back to some sort of mythical ideal they think they have of a country that has consistently committed atrocities against anyone who doesn't look like our "founders", then they need to open up their eyes. If they want America to get back to being the strongest, most powerful and influential country in the world, we need to adhere to those principles that got us there. Instead of arguing about "entitlement programs" and how they help the poor get what they want and how its a redistribution of wealth, consider this. The worst entitlement program we have is programmed into the citizens of this country at birth. It's the belief that we will get whatever we want without putting in the work because we were born here. We are the land of opportunity because we used to believe that if you worked hard, you actually earned your money.

Now we live in a society that worships socialites who make money partying and living in bathing suits, and the only time they are photographed outside that setting is in time to release their latest sex tape. Yet we want to condemn those who believe in this country so much they are willing to risk their lives for a dream. How many of you can honestly say that in your lifetime you ever felt that way about anything? Yes, times are tough right now, and unemployment is at a ridiculous high that President Obama had promised it wouldn't get to, but there are still jobs out there, its just a matter of swallowing your pride and getting one.

If we ever have any REAL dreams of making this country great again, we need to be all in, and together. We cannot, EVER, EVER deny anyone their freedoms or rights based on their race or sexual orientation, because then we are not a truly free country. America's greatest strength comes from its fundamental belief that everyone is created equal. And even if that very fundamental belief took hundred of years to finally include minorities, women and now homosexuals, it is still self-evident.

Mancow Mueller, a right leaning radio personality, consistently says on his show that "fear" is the four letter word that controls the masses, and he is very right. Whether its fear by one side of the isle or the other, we can't let fear dictate how we live our lives. If you fear allowing gays to marry or serve openly in the military may lead to turning your child gay, you need to consider that maybe your smothering him will, or maybe it will open his/hers eyes to the wonder that is diversity. If you're afraid that the scary Mexicans are going to take your job, maybe you should spend a day watching them work in 102 degree heat, working construction. Personal growth and intelligence only comes from your ability to go outside your comfort zones and learn from those who are willing to teach you something new. Take a chance, and live a little.