Ah, smoking is not good for you, and it's been deemed that anything not good for you is bad; hence, illegal.-Lenina Huxley, Demolition Man
One of the most repeated complaints against social conservatism is that you "cannot legislate morality." What is meant by this is that you cannot make people better through law, and people who try are not simply mistaken, but actually tyrannical by trying to force their ethical ideology down everyone else's throats. We're told this is what social conservatives want to do; ram Judeo-Christian ethics through the system and force everyone to live like a 1950's sitcom family. No drinking, no dancing, no fun.
The interesting thing, though, is that if you look at the actual record of what has been done in the past, it is actually the left which has tried to legislate morality, not the right. Consider.
In the 1970s, the left insisted that it was immoral to expect women to carry a child to birth when she didn't want to. So Roe v Wade forced legalized abortion on every state in the union. And that's just one example of what the left has done to enforce their moral vision on the rest of the nation.
Homosexual "marriage" is another such example, with left-leaning judges requiring that this be the law of various states over the will of the actual voters in most cases. In Oregon and California, leftist city and county official simply declared these unions legal without legal authority or popular support. Why? Because it was considered immoral to not allow homosexuals to marry by these people, so they used their positions of power to implement policy.
The examples go on. Leftist moral making has resulted in scores of laws and policies forced on the entire nation, such as low flow shower heads, the banning of incandescent bulbs, low capacity washing machines, nutritional information required at all restaurants (including the minimum size of the font!), bans on smoking in public places, and more.
These are all presented as moral imperatives, requirements we all must follow because it would be wrong not to do so. You're killing the planet, its a civil right, think of the children! All kids must wear bicycle helmets because its wrong to let children be hurt. All drivers must wear seat belts because it is wrong for us to be hurt in accidents. All cars must have a certain mileage per gallon because it is wrong to use that much fuel.
When the rubber hits the road, we find that it is the left, not the social conservative, who gives us legislated morality. It is the left which is using its power to try to force people into what it considers proper moral behavior. It is the left which punishes people legally for doing what it believes is wrong morally.
To be sure, there have been times in days past when the social conservative has given us such laws. The blue laws of New England's puritan past were such examples, with rules against various activity on Sundays. The prohibition of the early 20th century was another such example, with religious and morality groups demanding that the evil of demon rum be banned by law. Almost a hundred years later, the specter of those rules haunts the nation still, and although these examples are ancient, they still hold enough weight to frighten and concern voters.
If those social conservatives get power, we're told, you'll not be allowed to have any fun any more! Except... how much fun are you allowed today, in modern bubble-wrapped, nanny state America? In New York City, the mayor is ignoring a huge bedbug infestation over the terrors of salt and saturated fats. One threat is tangible and annoying, the other perceived and mothering. The left again, given power, is trying to force its morality on you.
Consider this, then, the next time someone's shrill, prudish cry warns you against the dangers of social conservatives. Who's actually cutting back on your fun and your freedom, is it the guy with the Bible or the guy with the Che Guevara tee shirt?
got this from http://rightnetwork.com/posts/legislating-morality it's a pretty good piece and slams those that yell the loudest about morality driven politics
One of the most repeated complaints against social conservatism is that you "cannot legislate morality." What is meant by this is that you cannot make people better through law, and people who try are not simply mistaken, but actually tyrannical by trying to force their ethical ideology down everyone else's throats. We're told this is what social conservatives want to do; ram Judeo-Christian ethics through the system and force everyone to live like a 1950's sitcom family. No drinking, no dancing, no fun.
The interesting thing, though, is that if you look at the actual record of what has been done in the past, it is actually the left which has tried to legislate morality, not the right. Consider.
In the 1970s, the left insisted that it was immoral to expect women to carry a child to birth when she didn't want to. So Roe v Wade forced legalized abortion on every state in the union. And that's just one example of what the left has done to enforce their moral vision on the rest of the nation.
Homosexual "marriage" is another such example, with left-leaning judges requiring that this be the law of various states over the will of the actual voters in most cases. In Oregon and California, leftist city and county official simply declared these unions legal without legal authority or popular support. Why? Because it was considered immoral to not allow homosexuals to marry by these people, so they used their positions of power to implement policy.
The examples go on. Leftist moral making has resulted in scores of laws and policies forced on the entire nation, such as low flow shower heads, the banning of incandescent bulbs, low capacity washing machines, nutritional information required at all restaurants (including the minimum size of the font!), bans on smoking in public places, and more.
These are all presented as moral imperatives, requirements we all must follow because it would be wrong not to do so. You're killing the planet, its a civil right, think of the children! All kids must wear bicycle helmets because its wrong to let children be hurt. All drivers must wear seat belts because it is wrong for us to be hurt in accidents. All cars must have a certain mileage per gallon because it is wrong to use that much fuel.
When the rubber hits the road, we find that it is the left, not the social conservative, who gives us legislated morality. It is the left which is using its power to try to force people into what it considers proper moral behavior. It is the left which punishes people legally for doing what it believes is wrong morally.
To be sure, there have been times in days past when the social conservative has given us such laws. The blue laws of New England's puritan past were such examples, with rules against various activity on Sundays. The prohibition of the early 20th century was another such example, with religious and morality groups demanding that the evil of demon rum be banned by law. Almost a hundred years later, the specter of those rules haunts the nation still, and although these examples are ancient, they still hold enough weight to frighten and concern voters.
If those social conservatives get power, we're told, you'll not be allowed to have any fun any more! Except... how much fun are you allowed today, in modern bubble-wrapped, nanny state America? In New York City, the mayor is ignoring a huge bedbug infestation over the terrors of salt and saturated fats. One threat is tangible and annoying, the other perceived and mothering. The left again, given power, is trying to force its morality on you.
Consider this, then, the next time someone's shrill, prudish cry warns you against the dangers of social conservatives. Who's actually cutting back on your fun and your freedom, is it the guy with the Bible or the guy with the Che Guevara tee shirt?
got this from http://rightnetwork.com/posts/legislating-morality it's a pretty good piece and slams those that yell the loudest about morality driven politics
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