Steven Morrison, Grand Forks, column: Measure 3 makes some more equal than others
May 26, 2012 at 7:05 pm in Grand Forks Herald
Must the state permit the polygamous marriage of those few Mormons and Muslims who believe in the practice?
Under Measure 3, the answer to this and other complex questions would be decided by the North Dakota courts. Continue Reading
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Religious liberty is already well protected by the constitution. The authors of this measure have not explained at all how it is not, but they and their apologists have been highly deceptive.
It’s clear that Measure 3 is intended to go well beyond the religious liberty that reasonable Americans already take for granted. It appears to be an attempt to exempt religious zealots from any constraints to imposing their ideology on unwilling others.
It’s not so much about religious freedom — it’s about authoritarian theocrats wanting to undermine church-state separation to satisfy their lust for power and control over others.
It’s about as unAmerican as it gets. Vote “No!”
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There you go again — nothing but vague assertions!
Give us some specifics — tell us which religious liberties have been “interfered with.”
My guess is that you can’t come up with anything substantive that isn’t already protected by the 1st amendment.
The sponsors of this measure are hoping that the vague banner of “religious freedom” will carry the day — just as it fooled Lloyd Omdahl recently. I won’t be holding my breath waiting for charles to come up with specifics.
Vote “No!” on this unAmerican measure!
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Well, the measure got Aquila a promotion.
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At least he’ll be out of the state of North Dakota. He’ll neve make pope; too arrogant.
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Too American.
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Sorry, meant to leave out the copy of the previous author’s post. I was using that as a reference in the comment box so that I wouldn’t have scroll up to review it multiple times.
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I think you need to talk to Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin.
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First off reading both your comments is about as confusing as that deep dark place your religion worries so much about. Your first comment would seem to indicate that by passing the measure all the things your worried about would happen if passed…Your second comment is reverse…That by not passing the measure everything you worry about will happen. I think it’s pretty much a prime example that this is all a bunch of smoke blowing up the American arse for no real reason than a few people worried about having to allow insurance to pay for birth control even to employees who may not follow that particular religion. But yet that religion insists on those enterprises as non profit for tax exemption.
There’s already huge gives to religions that are protected under the law. One thing that the religious right never seems to quite grasp is that the whole idea of a seperation of church and state is a two way seperation. It’s not just holding church from controlling state, but also from state controlling church.
I don’t profess to know a lot about this measure because it really does just seem like nonsense from those on the severe religious right who feel that like the old Stones sang “You can’t always get what you want”….Well to continue…..”But if you try sometime you’ll find….You get what you need” Maybe it’s long past time for the religious right to do an inventory to find the difference between wants and needs and go out to actually be of help rather than acting like victims when there’s no reason for it..
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Not true, solon. The ND measure is much more vague and will be a nightmare of litigation.
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I would be shocked if the people for the passage of measure 3 ever thought that they are paving the way for religous groups other than Christians to be able to, let’s say, run their businesses according to Sharia, the system of law that is used by Muslims. It seems to me that those advocating for measure 3 would be the first ones to object to anybody instituting Sharia provisions in their business place, like not hiring women.
This measure is not needed because there is no reason for it. We can practice our various religions right now as long as we follow employment laws. Measure 3 would say that our religous beliefs trump the law. Even Supreme Court justice Scalia said that was unacceptable in a recent court ruling. We have communal religous groups basically living their religion 24/7 right here in North Dakota and nobody bothers them because religous freedom is already assured. I mean, if the Mennonites have no quarrel with our religous freedom laws, then nobody should.
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Look at how they’re already making laws to keep Sharia laws out of the courts (In places with a very low Muslim population to boot….actually that part makes it extremely funny as hell because it uncovers just how foolish they’re being). But you’re absolutely right. The people so gung ho about all this are only thinking in terms of their own particular religious beliefs and not how it would open doors to religious beliefs they reject. I don’t know if it’s general custom or religious belief that allows some to take childern as young as ten as brides. If it’s considered religious then is that something they’re willing to over look?
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I wonder what’s going to happen when the Satanist get ahold of this great protection that will be afforded to them with this bill. You keep forgetting there are religions that you don’t want their type of freedom that you want to enjoy!
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Why would anyone in the USA think satinists have less protection under the law than Muslims or Christians? Why would anybody like your comment? GF Herald readers continue to impress me. No wonder we look like such hillbillies so often. Yes, let’s refer this issue to people like you.
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As a Satanist myself, I can’t wait for this mature to pass! Hail Satan!
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“mature”? damn swype.
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First off it’s far less scary if called by it’s right term…..Health Care Reform Bill…..See…You don’t even notice the black man is president when said that way……
Second…..The religions do have that exemption within the religions. Where they don’t have that exemption is in other business ventures they run that are not a direct religious entity. Those often employ people who aren’t even members of those religions. In those cases the business is treated the same as any other business, and that’s the part that’s driving the zealots up a wall. They literally want their cake and eat it too….
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This is an indictment on the initiated measure process. Most North Dakotans love their right to introduce measures. It only takes 3% of the voters on a petition (might be the lowest percentage required in the USA). Good and bad questions have been brought to the voters (mostly bad). Year in and year out, most of North Dakota’s election troubles have come from poorly thought- out measures. Measure #3 is just such an example of why the system should be retired.
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