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Health & Fitness

CRAIG'S COMMENTS: Freedom of Speech Under Attack

Political Sign vandalism is an Attack on Freedom of Speech. Woodbury sign is stolen overnight. Should we see the wrong in this?

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution says:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

It is a sad day in our city when one person believes that another person does not deserve to be heard. 

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A yard sign in my yard was stolen overnight. Maybe the person disagreed with the sentiment of the sign, but does that give that person a right to deny my voice to be heard?  

The sign said, "VOTE NO" and beneath it, "Don't Limit the Freedom to Marry."  

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If you also have had a sign stolen, please contact, 
police@ci.woodbury.mn.us  Lee Vague  Public Safety Director/Police Chief

This kind of vandalism, although not painful, is harmful to our community.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, here is my opinion on this. The right to marry for gay people is a civil rights issue, just as the right for people to marry someone of a different race was a civil rights issue.

Before 1967, 41 states had laws that forbid the marriage of a white person to a person of color. The 1967 Supreme Court ruling (Loving v. Virginia) overturned all of these laws. That case was of a couple from Virginia who went to Washington DC and were married, one of them white, one of them black. The Supreme Court negated all of those laws.  [See more at: http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_mar14.htm or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loving_v._Virginia.]

The United States is in that kind of transition period now. The younger generation cannot understand why many of their parents and grandparents think that the marriage of two men, or of two women, is such a big deal. In the next decade that will be resolved.

The issues keep coming:

Having minorities serving next to white soldiers is bad for moral and the cohesiveness of the unit. [WRONG!]

Having women in combat positions will lead to a loss of military combat integrity.   [WRONG!]

Having women in positions of leadership will be cause for the US economy to crumble. [Really?]

Having a person of a non-Christian faith working on staff, will cause a loss of security to US Secrets. [Are you serious?]

Once again, we are being "slippery-sloped" into believing that having a gay couple living down the street will affect our own relationships. How does that work? Do you need the support, encouragement or approval of your neighbors for your marriage to 'work?' Get real! or get marriage counseling.

—Craig Thorsen, Woodbury resident

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