FAMILY VALUES AND MARRIAGE

What are family values? To me family values are love and commitment to your family no matter if your family is same gender or opposite gender. Also there are many more single family units now and interracial families. The family unit has changed and continues to change from the 1950's and 1960's. The family value definition should no longer be looped in with the bigoted religious social and political conservative right leaning groups definition. The world is changing and if the political parties don't change with it then they should be left behind. This is part of the reason that our country is divided and it will remain divided unless we grow with our people and with our diverse families.

It is all about ethics {system of moral principals} and moral truths {of or concerned with right conduct}. If someone does their job and pays their taxes and pays their bills and doesn't go against any man made laws to me that is a family value and being a good and decent person.Why is it that  people of the extreme religious right always puts homosexuals in a category of indecent/immoral people? I am sure if you look hard enough you can find many other people in that category as well including some members of the religious conservative right. The time is NOW to STOP grouping people by their sexual orientation and begin to see everyone as human beings doing the best they can with what they have.

In his nomination acceptance speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, John Kerry said "We've heard a lot of talk about values. But values spoken without actions taken are just slogans. Values are not just words. They're what we live by. They're about the causes we champion and the people we fight for. And it is time for those who talk about family values to start valuing families. Let's build unity in the American family, not angry division.  Let's honor this nation's  diversity, let's respect one another and let's never misuse for political purposes the most precious document in American history, the Constitution of the United  States."

*http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2004/demconvention/speech/kerry.html.


Here are the two major party's platforms for comparison where marriage is concerned:

The following is the Republican Platform. Preserving and Protecting Traditional Marriage: The institution of marriage is the foundation of civil society. Its success as an institution will determine our success as a nation. It has been proven by both experience and endless social science studies that traditional marriage is best for children. Children raised in intact married families are more likely to attend college, are physically and emotionally healthier, are less likely to use drugs or alcohol, engage in crime, or get pregnant outside of marriage. The success of marriage directly impacts the economic well-being of individuals. Furthermore  the future of marriage affects freedom. The lack of family formation not only leads to more government costs, but also to more government control over  the lives of its citizens in all aspects. We recognize and honor the courageous efforts of those who bear the many burdens of parenting alone even as we believe that the union of one man and one woman must be upheld as the national standard, a goal to stand for, encourage, and promote through laws governing marriage. We embrace the principle that all Americans should be treated with respect and dignity.

*http://www.gop.com/2012-republican-platform_Renewing/

The following is the Democratic Platform. Freedom to Marry. We support the right of all families to have equal respect, responsibilities, and protections under the law. We support marriage equality and support the movement to secure equal treatment under law for same-sex couples. We also support the freedom of churches and religious entities to decide how to administer marriage as a religious sacrament without government interference. We oppose discrimination federal and state constitutional amendments and other attempts to deny equal protection of the laws to committed same-sex couples who seek the same respect and responsibilities as other married couples. We support full repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act. 

*http://www.democrats.org/democratic-national-platform.

This is the fundamental differences in the majority of the religious conservative right and the Democratic party. We MUST work with our diversity instead of trying to destroy our diversity. Live and Let Live. Our diversity can and will make us stronger as a country and nation. Kathy and I got married in Nova Scotia Canada and it was a beautiful setting and a beautiful ceremony and we met some good friends while we were there.  Why can't it be legal here in the states just as it is for heterosexual couples who got married in Canada? This is just one example of family values and marriage that simple aren't equal for all.

These are my thoughts and feelings from Jillsville.

In this photo Kathy and I are showing our Marriage License in Nova Scotia