6th August 2010, 5:43 PM
Amendment 14 - Citizenship Rights. Ratified 7/9/1868.
1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
These are the two important articles.
Let me put the important sentence in bold.
<b>No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.</b>
Outlawing gay marriage is, self evidently, abridging the privileges of citizens of the United States, without any sort of due process of law (they've broken no laws). Further, yes the power to enforce this IS given to the congress by provision 5.
Now explain to me, what is your basis for depriving them of their rights? Elections and popular vote are an important part of this country, but that's not the entirety of it. There is a massive buffer between elections and acts taking place, and this buffer is meant to prevent "tyranny of the majority". That's no proper basis. If you are going to have a system legally allowing two people to marry, to be legally recognized, this should be extended to everyone. Either that, or make marriage completely unrecognized by the government and only a private matter completely.
You're wrong on this one.
1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
These are the two important articles.
Let me put the important sentence in bold.
<b>No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.</b>
Outlawing gay marriage is, self evidently, abridging the privileges of citizens of the United States, without any sort of due process of law (they've broken no laws). Further, yes the power to enforce this IS given to the congress by provision 5.
Now explain to me, what is your basis for depriving them of their rights? Elections and popular vote are an important part of this country, but that's not the entirety of it. There is a massive buffer between elections and acts taking place, and this buffer is meant to prevent "tyranny of the majority". That's no proper basis. If you are going to have a system legally allowing two people to marry, to be legally recognized, this should be extended to everyone. Either that, or make marriage completely unrecognized by the government and only a private matter completely.
You're wrong on this one.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)