Constitutional Amendment

            Ben Franklin,Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison must be turning over in their graves with the recent Congressional debate over a proposed Constitutional Amendment banning gay marriage.

           The current Amendment battle being waged in Congress is an attempt to define marriage as between a man and a woman. The gay marriage question should be decided by the States, not by the federal government. The Constitution was designed to form a government and give individuals rights, not to regulate morality. The last time the government decided to try to regulate morality, it resulted in the Volsted Act and the banning of alcohol. That Amendment resulted in many people getting rich and the rise of organized crime. It was a miserable failure and was quickly revoked.

          It is not the government's right to choose whom we can marry or have a relationship with. It should be in the hands of the people. The United States was formed because of governments trying to regulate religious beliefs. Is this any different?

          Some will say this is not the same thing. They cite Bible passages as evidence against gay marriage. Everyone must decide what he or she believes. It is not the governments role to decide.

          The current administration has decided that they know what is best for us as individuals. They say that gay marriage is destroying marriage on the whole. In fact, the economy, the war and many other factors are destroying marriages (although that is a subject for another time).

          Mr. Bush and his people have decided that since his opponent in the upcoming election, Mr. Kerry, and his state have allowed gay marriage, that the time is right for a Constitutional Amendment banning these marriages. If that is not playing politics with the Constitution, I do not know what is.

          The Constitution is the foundation of our way of life and the most important document in our history. It is not to be trifled with to win re-election.

          This Amendment does not have a very good chance of passage. Some members of Congress have seen through the politics of it all and predicted it will not pass.

          The cost of this debate comes out of your pocket as a taxpayer- not only in the time wasted but also in the wasted efforts of our politicians, who could be spending time on more warranted legislation. Mr. Bush has also said that he does not want the government interfering in our lives. Well, Mr. Bush, which is it?

         The framers of our Constitution are truly turning in their graves.