Gavin, you seem all too willing to say that since everything is influenced by personal belief, if they pass laws based on nothing BUT personal belief, well, such is life. But while of course we can never remove bias and moral crusading and social trends from influencing our laws, I believe that we still need to hold our politicians to some kind of standard -- not just moral, but one rooted in the principles and spirit our nation and our Constitution were founded on.
In fact, this isn't just a nice idea, it is critical to limit abuse of power and to protect our own rights.
Just as Christians can never be perfect as Christ, that doesn't make them throw up their hands and say that we're all sinners so why bother trying.
Likewise, while politicians can never be perfectly objective, above human error and limits, we can expect them to do their jobs in a manner fitting an elected official and not, say, a pastor or that annoying uncle who thinks he knows everything about everything, facts and fancy schoolin' be darned.
If they want to pass a law banning abortion, they can certainly try. And with our current Supreme Court, they might even be able to get away with it. But again I say that just because they can does not mean that they should.
While of course it is their job to do what they feel is "right," and what each person thinks is right differs, there are certain basic questions that should guide whether they turn their personal opinion into a law we must all live under, enforced by our police and judges, punishable if broken.
And one of the first questions should be, is there anything OTHER than personal belief to support their decision? Because if not, then our federated republic becomes a thinly veiled oligarchy, and at times even a theocracy.
And while that might suit the people who hold the same personal beliefs as our rulers fine, it sucks for everyone who would like to retain the freedom to choose their own beliefs, thank you very much.
So whether they believe abortion "is" murder, or they believe it "might" be murder, in the end they believe, they don't know, and that should not be sufficient reason to impose their will on me. Even if that doesn't always stop them.
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