I firmly support Rick Santorum's right to his personal belief system. I don't agree with it, and I find people who use their religious beliefs to harm the lives of others sad and hypocritical, but I support his right to believe it.
A bigot is defined as someone who is utterly intolerant of a different creed, belief, or opinion. So yes, Rick Santorum is a bigot. He is intolerant of gay people, and their lifestyles. He has chosen to base his bigoted statements on his religious beliefs, which I suspect we will see more and more of as the elections draw nearer. The far right-tea party to which he must ingratiate himself eats that stuff up!
Well, here's the thing. By definition, I'm a bigot as well. I am utterly intolerant of people who insist on legislating their personal religious beliefs. I respect their right to believe what they want, and to worship in the way they please. But when they start trying to place restrictions on my own life, and to limit the expression of love between me and my partner based on those beliefs through LEGISLATION then I become as intolerant a person as anyone walking the earth.
Government should protect the weak and the minority from the demands of a religious majority who seeks to keep a privilege unto themselves by making laws that recognize them as a "special" group, deserving of something while others are not.
I regret that they make this a religious issue over and over. As a person of faith, I recognize that each of us has the right to choose how we worship and what we believe. Until, that is, you cross the line and start targeting those who believe differently and trying to harm them either physically, emotionally, or financially. This religious right is trying to do all three of these things to us, and they do it pridefully, as if it were something to brag about.
I am a fiscal conservative, but I vote exclusively democratic because of the hard right turn that the republican party has taken. I want a smaller government, one that respects EVERY individuals rights, not just the lucky ones that were born 'privileged'. I want aggressive changes to social entitlement programs that encourage people not to work, to be irresponsible, and to live like parasites on those of us who work so hard to take care of our families.
I'm a nurse. My partner is a police officer. We both work hard in careers that involve taking care of the people in our communities. We've been together for almost 10 years, share a mortgage and make car payments just like everyone else. I love her, and want the right to protect her financially in the future just like any heterosexual couple out there. So when Rick Santorum says that we have no 'right' to marriage because we don't deserve the same 'privilege' that he enjoys, I have to say you call a spade a spade. He's a bigot. Just like me.
