A Socio-Political Rant

Here is the deal: I am fairly liberal in my political views BUT belong to a conservative religious church. It is sometimes hard when it comes to making election decisions; but since I have a testimony of a living prophet it is easy for me to pray and have confirmation if the church's direction conflicts with my social political views. That being said I have to rant a moment about, what I view, as a skewed one-sided social love for freedom of speech.

I recently have found that the media seem to favor a more liberal view, which usually does not bother me. However, that is until I see people being punished for their conservative views. While I might not agree with conservative views all of the time, and may even passionately disagree with it, I truly believe in the freedom to express it.

Yesterday morning I saw on the Today Show that Miss California USA had her crown taken away from her for failure to comply with her contract. The reasoning given by the committee makes sense, but she is claiming that the true reason was her views on gay marriage and her audacity of expressing her views publicly. The committee member who was being interviewed claimed that this was not true, in any way, but then he and the (newly crowned) winner made comments that lead me to believe that she was right. She might have ultimately been fired because of her breach of contract, however they sure made it sound like if she had not vocally opposed gay marriage that they might have given her another chance. How funny that the committee can forgive her breaking the rules about topless photos, but when it comes to her views on gay marriage, they cut and run.

Why is it that if a person is against gay marriage that he or she is a "hater"? Why is it that if a person is against gay marriage that he or she is close-minded? At least this is how it is presented in the media. I am not a fan of this skewed view. Many churches teach that marriage is defined as being "between a man and a woman" by God's word; mine does. While I do believe in equal rights for all, I do not believe that any political law can force religious institutions into performing marriages. If I wanted to be married in the Greek Orthodox Church, I need to belong to the Greek Orthodox Church regardless of who I am marrying, for example. There is another standard that is so very important to the fabric of our country: a separation of Church and State.

I tend to agree with Utah's Governor Jon Huntsman when he is pushing to heal the social hurt feelings in regard to gay marriage; that there is a social solution in civil unions, etc. I would love nothing more than those who are in a loving, committed relationship should have the same rights no matter of sexual orientation. However, when laws are drafted that would force religious organizations into performing marriages that would not be sanctioned by their leaders, I have a problem with that. When people who are in favor of gay marriages are allowed to vehemently express their views but those who are opposed to gay marriage are not, I have a problem with that. When a public vote is taken and laws are defeated that would give States of the Union the right to perform gay marriage is defeated and people are violently not happy with the outcome, I have a problem with that. I would have the same problem if a State in the Union held a public vote and passed a law in favor of gay marriage and those opposed to it became violently not happy with the outcome. The reason we hold public votes is so the majority in the voice of the people can be heard. When the conservative voice is the winner, it is the winner and we need to move on. When the liberal voice is the winner, it is the winner and we need to move on.

Governor Huntsman is right, it is time to stop the fight and heal all of the hurt and the hate. But from where I sit on my conservatively liberal throne, there is hate on both sides, not just the people who are opposed to gay marriage. Those in favor of gay marriage seem to be doing a fair share of hating and have been close-minded toward those who have strong conservative religious views. It is just that some are talking more loudly than others.

Rant over…