Christopher Taylor points out that while examples can be cited that Conservatives have legislated morality in the past, the Left cannot consider themselves immune from such behavior...
"One of the most repeated complaints against social conservatism is that you "cannot legislate morality." What is meant by this is that you cannot make people better through law, and people who try are not simply mistaken, but actually tyrannical by trying to force their ethical ideology down everyone else's throats. We're told this is what social conservatives want to do; ram Judeo-Christian ethics through the system and force everyone to live like a 1950's sitcom family. No drinking, no dancing, no fun.
The interesting thing, though, is that if you look at the actual record of what has been done in the past, it is actually the left which has tried to legislate morality, not the right. Consider.
In the 1970s, the left insisted that it was immoral to expect women to carry a child to birth when she didn't want to. So Roe v Wade forced legalized abortion on every state in the union. And that's just one example of what the left has done to enforce their moral vision on the rest of the nation.
Homosexual "marriage" is another such example, with left-leaning judges requiring that this be the law of various states over the will of the actual voters in most cases. In Oregon and California, leftist city and county official simply declared these unions legal without legal authority or popular support. Why? Because it was considered immoral to not allow homosexuals to marry by these people, so they used their positions of power to implement policy.
The examples go on. Leftist moral making has resulted in scores of laws and policies forced on the entire nation, such as low flow shower heads, the banning of incandescent bulbs, low capacity washing machines, nutritional information required at all restaurants (including the minimum size of the font!), bans on smoking in public places, and more.
These are all presented as moral imperatives, requirements we all must follow because it would be wrong not to do so. You're killing the planet, its a civil right, think of the children! All kids must wear bicycle helmets because its wrong to let children be hurt. All drives must wear seat belts because it is wrong for us to be hurt in accidents. All cars must have a certain mileage per gallon because it is wrong to use that much fuel."
The interesting thing, though, is that if you look at the actual record of what has been done in the past, it is actually the left which has tried to legislate morality, not the right. Consider.
In the 1970s, the left insisted that it was immoral to expect women to carry a child to birth when she didn't want to. So Roe v Wade forced legalized abortion on every state in the union. And that's just one example of what the left has done to enforce their moral vision on the rest of the nation.
Homosexual "marriage" is another such example, with left-leaning judges requiring that this be the law of various states over the will of the actual voters in most cases. In Oregon and California, leftist city and county official simply declared these unions legal without legal authority or popular support. Why? Because it was considered immoral to not allow homosexuals to marry by these people, so they used their positions of power to implement policy.
The examples go on. Leftist moral making has resulted in scores of laws and policies forced on the entire nation, such as low flow shower heads, the banning of incandescent bulbs, low capacity washing machines, nutritional information required at all restaurants (including the minimum size of the font!), bans on smoking in public places, and more.
These are all presented as moral imperatives, requirements we all must follow because it would be wrong not to do so. You're killing the planet, its a civil right, think of the children! All kids must wear bicycle helmets because its wrong to let children be hurt. All drives must wear seat belts because it is wrong for us to be hurt in accidents. All cars must have a certain mileage per gallon because it is wrong to use that much fuel."
Just remember the above cited examples by Taylor the next time that your favorite Leftist is carping about "legislating morality".
9 comments:
"In the 1970s, the left insisted that it was immoral to expect women to carry a child to birth when she didn't want to."
"Homosexual "marriage" is another such example, with left-leaning judges requiring that this be the law of various states over the will of the actual voters in most cases."
These laws do not legislate morals. They legislate personal freedom as prescribed and guaranteed by the constitution.
This is mere right wing fracturing of logic and projecting. They want to legislate against these personal freedoms- to deny them.
I never thought it that way before JC.
As always, your logic is impeccable. I can't wait to see how some of your left leaning bloggers are going to try to get around this.
Right wingers who want to legislate morality write articles that accuse left wingers who oppose the right wingers legislating morality as legislating morality when they are merely protecting their personal rights as guaranteed by the constitution.
Can you be more absurd, TCA? I think not.
If you spin hard enough EVERY law is "legislating morality". Even an "anti-legislating morality" law would be legistlating morality by implying it is wrong to legislate morality.
I'm for personal freedom. That's why I dispair at how authoritian the right is now days.
Oh, they'll SAY they're for personal freedom but as soon as a subject offends them personal freedom goes out the window. Homosexuals getting married! Oh no! Forget personal freedom! What about society?
And I don't like this cmment approval stuff because I feel it's going to be used for censorship.
Just saying. Your blog and all.
"These laws do not legislate morals. They legislate personal freedom as prescribed and guaranteed by the constitution."
Well no. There's no enumerated Right to kill your fetus nor to have State and/or Federal recognized tax credits for fudge packing. And cuts against a different competitor here.
Taxation is the easier of the two: At a Federal level tax credits for Federally sanctioned do not satisfy any of the enumerated powers under Art I, Sec 8. So yes, tax credits for Breeders are unconstitutional. And tax credits for the Rainbow brigade would also be unconstitutional. States have to answer for their own Constitutions otherwise.
Abortion is not an enumerated Right. So for abortion to be an unenumerated Right it must have been historically placed outside regulation amongst the American people. And there are no shortage of regulations regarding this going all the way back to the Puritans. (Who, did allow abortions prior the quickening, but held criminal penalties for it thereafter.)
But even the notion that men ought have personal freedoms is, itself, a moral judgement. As codified in the supreme law of the land.
Froggie, you are cordially invited to go back to the circle-jerk of an echo chamber that you hold in such high esteem and attempt to impress your friends there.
Come back when you learn to be a little more civilized.
Oh, they'll SAY they're for personal freedom but as soon as a subject offends them personal freedom goes out the window. Homosexuals getting married! Oh no! Forget personal freedom! What about society?
This subject has come up before. A sometime commenter here, Coco Loco (a/k/a R.O. Lopez) has written extensively how the Right is much better for the gay community than the Left. This is is explanation of why he personally is against gay marriage. I basically opposed it for the same reason but he's more articulate about it. Link
I don't like this cmment approval stuff because I feel it's going to be used for censorship.
Just saying. Your blog and all.
I only started to moderate last month after a certain man-child kept commenting here after being told repeatedly to take his act elsewhere.
Sure enough, the day I changed to moderation, the very first person to comment, suprise suprise, was a clown who created a throw-away blogger profile called "Crap Usher". Link
Shortly afterward, a certain homo (or perhaps, bi?) sexual man decided he had to express his man-love for me in the form of creating a throwaway blogger profile under the screen name, "I Love You, Gary" Link
Now it seems that they are one in the same.
Never a dull moment Andy.
Abortion is not an enumerated Right
I don't like any of it and I am personally opposed to abortion.
I'm especially troubled when viability comes into play and people try to rationalize it as anything other than the cold-blooded homocide that it is.
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