Thursday, February 17, 2011

The New Hampshire and House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt get it wrong

The editorial staff of The New Hampshire, an independent student newspaper at the University of New Hampshire, are upset over two bills currently before the New Hampshire House: HB 437 and HB 443.  Both would ban same-sex "marriage" in the Granite State.

In an editorial which may be found here, the bright lights of The New Hampshire, suddenly concerned with the economy (a concern which was noticeably absent when legislators were pusing for same-sex "marriage" in a floundering economy), assert that, "...the larger issue behind this debate is that the House's insistence to focus on social issues is doing little to benefit the state at this time."  They go on to quote from House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt, who told the Nashua Telegraph that it is his belief that "the same sex marriage repeal must be retained in the Judiciary Committee this year so that our full and undivided attention is focused on New Hampshire's outstanding financial issues."

Issues of morality are merely a distraction from financial issues?  Our nation's first president would have disagreed.  In his Farewell Address given on September 19, 1796, George Washington specifically warned that, "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labour to subvert these great Pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

Any attack on the Common Good will have ramifications across the political and economic spectrum.  There is a direct connection between a nation's moral health and its economic health.  Which is why the United States is now in crisis.  Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it.

Now where did I read that?

Related reading: The rot in values that is causing America's decline.

4 comments:

Michelle said...

The staff over at TNH are clearly supportive of the radical homosexual agenda and want to stifle debate using the poor economy as an excuse to do so. I dispute that 62 percent of New Hampshire citizens are supportive of same-sex "marriage." But a majority consensus alone is not enough to justify something. As you have so correctly noted in the past, a lynch mob is a majority.

Paul Anthony Melanson said...

Until recently, legislators understood that marriage is something more than a civil contract. They understood the teaching of Pope Pius XI, in his Encyclical On Christian Marriage that, "Matrimony was neither established nor restored by man but by God. It has been protected, strengthened, and elevated not by the laws of men, but by those of God, the Author of human nature, and of Christ who restored that same nature. Consequently, these laws cannot be changed according to men's pleasure."

Alzina said...

I live in New Hampshire and I do not accept so-called same-sex marriage. And I never will. NH is going down a bad road. I believe God has given us a blueprint as it were in the Scriptures as to how to live our life abundantly (John 10:10).

We have deviated from His blueprint. And now we are paying the heavy price.

Jacob said...

The November elections were a repudiation of the failed liberal policies of Barack Obama and his out-of-control, fiscally irresponsible, socialist-dominated party. Now IS the time to address homosexual "marriage." Now is the time to throw it out.

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