(The following quote has been circulating on the Internet, attributed to a "recent column" by Craig Carter in the Sunday Oregonian. I wasn't able to verify its authenticity on the Oregonian's web site, but the quote itself is worth repeating even if the attribution is unconfirmed.)
Other than telling us how to live, think, marry, pray, vote, invest, educate our children and, now, die, I think the Republicans have done a fine job of getting government out of our personal lives.Yes, indeed, I remember when the Party of Lincoln (a name in which I took great pride) stood for individual liberty, for the principle that the government should stay out of our personal lives, except where a "compelling state interest" is involved. For instance, the government cannot interfere in my freedom to practice my religion unless there is a compelling state interest. If my religious beliefs require me to sacrifice the lives of unwilling victims upon my altar, there is a compelling state interest in preventing me from exercising that particular part of my religious beliefs, unless of course I'm a Republican President.
Where is the compelling state interest in telling me how to conduct my private sexual affairs with other consenting adults? Where is the compelling state interest in telling me that I can't marry another man? We as a nation belatedly recognized the lack of CSI in prohibiting me from marrying a woman of a different race. Where is the compelling state interest in telling me what I can or can't watch on cable television? Where is the compelling state interest in interfering in Terri Schiavo's wishes not to have her life artificially prolonged by a feeding tube? Where is the compelling state interest in being able to check my library records without even bothering a judge beforehand? For that matter, where is the compelling state interest in telling me that I can't use marijuana, whether on the advice of a qualified doctor or as a part of my religious practice or just for grins?
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