1 Boring Old Man

Following up my last post, "what not to do," it seems only sensible to discuss "what doesn’t matter." Top of the list:

President Calls for Constitutional Amendment Protecting Marriage

For all these reasons, the Defense of Marriage requires a constitutional amendment. An amendment to the Constitution is never to be undertaken lightly. The amendment process has addressed many serious matters of national concern. And the preservation of marriage rises to this level of national importance. The union of a man and woman is the most enduring human institution, honoring — honored and encouraged in all cultures and by every religious faith. Ages of experience have taught humanity that the commitment of a husband and wife to love and to serve one another promotes the welfare of children and the stability of society.

Marriage cannot be severed from its cultural, religious and natural roots without weakening the good influence of society. Government, by recognizing and protecting marriage, serves the interests of all. Today I call upon the Congress to promptly pass, and to send to the states for ratification, an amendment to our Constitution defining and protecting marriage as a union of man and woman as husband and wife. The amendment should fully protect marriage, while leaving the state legislatures free to make their own choices in defining legal arrangements other than marriage.

No one could possibly believe that he is bringing this up right now because he cares about the issue. In fact, it’s a non-issue for the national government. In his statement, he as much as says so. It’s just about the word, "marriage." There are only two possible reasons for bringing it up. First, the hope that it will hold people who still cling to the "Bush is on God’s side" in the fold of people who don’t notice what a disaster he is. Second, it will force Congressmen to vote against it, so that they can be labelled in the upcoming midterm election. With either reason, it is an active attempt to divide and polarize the electorate.

We’re so used to it, it doesn’t occur to us that this is a monsterous tactic for a President – to try to keep his country constantly polarized. What kind of leadership is that? If asked, I would advise anyone with any sense to ignore him – no matter what happens. Ignore what he says about abortion, ignore what he says about homosexuality [and what James Dobson says], ignore what he says about stem cell research, ignore what he says about the Ten Commandments.  This strategy is based on getting people to make public statements, march in the streets, express outrage in one way or another. That allows architect Rove to unite the faithful Christian Soldiers against us. We’ve been down the path so many times, it should now occur to us that it’s just a trap. What matters is his running up the national debt, his neoNazi foreign policy, his undermining the Constitutional division of power, his undermining the Bill of Rights, and his politicization of society and government. What doesn’t matter is anything he says about legislating morality.

We’re better off saying, "I’m not talking about that anymore. It’s just Karl Rove’s diversion of the week. It’s their way of getting away from their starting a foolish War, their N.S.A. Domestic Spying, the C.I.A. Leak case, and their global incompetence."…