The Supreme Court on Stage: The Fate of the American Family Waits in the Wings

IT MAKES SENSE TO ME

By Larry Peterson

G. K. Chesterton said, "This triangle of truisms, of father, mother and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it."

June is upon us and so is the decision by the United States Supreme Court as to whether or not "same-sex marriage" is  allowed under the U.S Constitution. Proponents have argued that "same-sex marriage" is guaranteed under the 14th Amendment. How the subject of  marriage came to be a topic for the SCOTUS is beyond me. There is NOT one word in the Constitution about 'marriage'.

A word not being used in the case before the SCOTUS or in the entire conversation is matrimony. The civil and  religious connections between marriage and matrimony are obviously in great disharmony within the secular world. Secular-World wants it all, including validation and approval by the Catholic Church. That will never happen. Now what?

How about the 10th Amendment which was added to assure the people that the Federal Government would not  step outside the boundaries as set forth in the Constitution. This amendment states that if some power or authority is not specifically given to the Feds it is left up to either the state(s) or the people. When did marriage become a federal issue? What does marriage have to do with the equality and freedoms afforded the slaves by the 14th Amendment?

Can two men or two women EVER be equal to a man and a woman? The answer is NO! There are those who  (using the "equality card") call banning same-sex marriage, racism. How are two men or two women the same as a bi-racial man and woman? That is preposterous. But I am not an ivy-league academician puffed up with an all consuming sense of self (forgive me for being a tad sarcastic but, right now, I do not care). Bottom line--I believe this subject should have been left to the states and the people. (The links have been inserted above so you can read the two amendments yourself.)

With the proliferation of the "gay agenda" or "LGBT agenda" it seems that the nation has as many gay people as straight people. But if you take a look at the numbers they tell a different story. The total LGBT population in the USA is 3.8% with the gay population at 1.6%. I took these numbers from the link inserted in the previous sentence. If those numbers are accurate why in heaven's name does the print and broadcast media and the Hollywood elite and so many politicians make it sound as if the world has transformed? Why are we watching the destruction of the traditional family? Why are people who simply DISAGREE with this lifestyle called intolerant, racist, or homophobes?  

Marriage between a man and a woman is a beautiful thing--if it is entered into for the right reason. I did not say reasons but rather REASON. For there is one primary reason to enter into this sacrament. The reason is to GIVE--give of yourself to your spouse. Marriage is the ultimate commitment to GIVING. Within that paradigm a family flourishes, thrives and grows.

Children are the result of the love shared between the husband and wife, shared willingly and joyfully, never under duress or out of a sense of obligation. In  a family built on self-sacrifice to each other these children can grow up to be productive worthwhile citizens continuing the human race as God intended. I may sound like a "pollyanna" and, if I do, so be it.

Ah, but the human equation brings self gratification into the mix. Many times that does not matter because the truly committed manage to overcome their self wants for each other. But oftentimes, the outside world gets into the lives of a couple and manages to create doubts and anxiety and suggest to one or the other that they are not being "treated fair". Sadly, today's divorce rate is at 50%. These people never entered into a marriage intending for it to end in divorce. At least I hope not.

So, what happened? The outside world got into their world and they fell into the trap of "meism". And today, that outside world, overwhelmingly secular in nature, is everywhere. Armed  with its electronic friends and fueling the fires of secularism, our society is crumbling before our very eyes.

In less than 30 days the future of our society may well be determined by nine people. The words of Chesterton should become ingrained in our psyche: "This triangle of truisms, of father, mother and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it."

                              ©Larry Peterson 2015 All Rights Reserved

Will Legalizing "Same-Sex Marriage" Legalize the "Three-Parent Family?

IT MAKES SENSE TO ME

by Larry Peterson

The Republic of Ireland, once a bastion of Catholicism, now has embraced the distinction of being the first country in the world to approve a constitutional amendment approving of  "same-sex marriage". I wrap the phrase in quotation marks because this whole concept is still an illusion. No matter how you spin, present, defend, and embrace the doctrine of  "same-sex marriage" there is always going to be this tiny, little problem. It is called procreation. That is simply because within a "same-sex marriage" procreation  can never happen without the involvement of a third person, that person being of the opposite sex. "Same-sex marriage" spawns the "three-parent family".

Already the Irish Prime Minister, Enda Kenny, has already said that Catholic Schools will be required to teach "same-sex marriage" as part of the curriculum. How can they do that? That violates Church teaching. Have we arrived at an international secular tipping point where Church teachings are subject to the whims and mores of the present culture? Apparently we have. What about the children?

Even the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuld Martin, simply voted "no" because of his OWN belief  and did not defend the church he represents.The Archbishop said  that "those days are gone" referring to a time when the Church hierarchy would  instruct Catholics how they should vote. How courageously pathetic is that? And what about the children?

Apparently this new law confers an automatic right on "same-sex couple" to procreate. But they CANNOT DO IT. You need a person of the OPPOSITE SEX to do it. So are we now to have a whole new industry arise whose purpose will be to provide wombs and sperm depending on the "same-sex" gender of the wannabe parents? And what about the children?

The Supreme Court of The United States of America will pronounce their ruling on the constitutionality of "same-sex marriage" toward the end of June. I believe that decision has already been reached and is in the "can" ready to be read. I also believe that the Court will go 5 to 4 in favor of "same-sex marriage". I hope I am wrong because the ramifications of such a decision will be (in my opinion) catastrophic for the nation.

The law will require Catholic/Christian schools to teach the secular dogma of this law. If they do not  abide by this law will they have to forfeit any tax credits or exemptions, ie: their 501(c)3? Will hefty fines be imposed? Can they be closed down by federal mandate? Catholic hospitals will be told to violate their faith bound principles and they will not be able to. Will they then be forced to close because of the sudden absence of Medicare and Medicaid funds? What about the children?

Bottom line--this is a disaster. No one is trying to deprive "same-sex couples" of any civil or legal rights.  What we are watching here is the attempted destruction of the First Amendment to our Constitution. Once the law of the land can tell the religions of the land what they must think and do--it is the end of our Republic as we know it. And when the children of these three parent families grow up and want to find out who their REAL mom or dad was, how does that work? Do you call Ancestry.com?
                                 
                               ©Larry Peterson 2015 All Rights Reserved

"Free-Range Parenting"---Another Ingredient in the Crock-Pot of Progressive Balderdash

IT MAKES SENSE TO ME

By Larry Peterson

I grew up in the south Bronx of the 1950s and 60s. We kids in the neighborhood (and there were many kids in the neighborhood) would get home from school sometime around 3 p.m. Most of us went to St. Angela Merici Catholic School which was also the local parish. We all wore uniforms and within five minutes of getting home had shed those uniforms, dressed into our "play clothes" and were back out on the street. It was PLAY time. Most everyone had an important directive from their mom. In fact, it was the only directive. "Make sure you are home on time for supper."

We roamed the streets, the alleyways, and we played stick-ball as traffic went by. We played curb-ball, punch-ball, zipped around moving traffic with roller skates on metal wheels that were held on by straps and clamps, and, of course, we played  Johnny-on-the Pony. Some of my friends still think that this was the greatest game ever. Others will agree with me. I still think it was Ringolevio.

Ringolevio was a game  developed on the streets of New York City and could be played anywhere. You formed two teams, set up a "prison" (usually a section of sidewalk marked in chalk), then the one team counted to a certain number while the other team ran and hid. The object was to track down and capture the opposing team members and bring them back to the "prison". It was not easy tracking everyone down. Kids would hide in cellars, on rooftops, under stairwells while others stood there and dared you to catch them. You caught them by holding on to them and saying. "Ringolevio-123---three times. It was GREAT!

The bloody noses and black eyes and bruises that were incurred as the kid about to be caught fought to get away were a regular event and part of the fun. If you could hold onto your prisoner he had to surrender. But they could be freed if one of their team could break into the prison and yell, "FREE!". They did this by busting through the "guards" put in place by the other team. The game was won by capturing all the opposing team and having them in prison at the same time. Rarely did we finish a game by supper time. It was easy to know when that was because Charlie Murray's mom would yell out the window, "Charlie--time to eat." That meant it was 5:30. It was amazing how quick the streets quieted down when suppertime arrived.

Today I have grandchildren. Today, my ten-year old grandson is not allowed to play "feeze-tag" in his schoolyard which consists of a flat, grass field. All the playground equipment that was there is gone. We cannot take chances that are kids might get hurt. If  parents decide to let their children (say age 10 and 8) walk a few blocks to a playground the children can be picked up by the police and taken into custody. The parents will be branded  "free-range parents" and can be accused of unsubstantiated child neglect.  Apparently, the litigiously paranoid world of the early 21st century has gone mad.

I guess if my parents lived today they would have lost their children to the state and be in prison. So would all of my friends' parents. It also follows that since I was guilty of ongoing and numerous violations of this "free-range" phenomenon, I would be in the big-house too. I "parented" the way I was brought up. I never progressed and read one of those fancy parenting books written by an "expert" who never had any kids to begin with.

Today I hear reports that talk about "children" who are 26 years old being on their parents medical insurance. People 30 and 40 years old are still living with their parents. What have we done to the independent, self-sufficient responsible adult. Whoever started calling 26 year olds,"children"? They are NOT children.  When did society decide to add to its crock-pot of progressive balderdash, permanent childhood? I say "Free-Range Parenting" ROCKS! 

                             ©Larry Peterson 2015 All Rights Reserved

My Mother's Day Paradox: I Cannot Wait for it to End

IT MAKES SENSE TO ME

By Larry Peterson      
           
 Mother's Day is here again and, I have to tell you, it is not my favorite day. Please do not misunderstand,  I certainly have nothing against Moms. Heck, my wife was a mom, my sister is a mom, my daughter is a mom and I have nieces who are moms and so on.  I know thousands of Moms and, for the most part, I love and respect them all. After all, Motherhood is the very linchpin of the family and the family is the linchpin of a society.  (That is a topic for another time)

But, here is my dilemma.  I have only the most obscure memories of my Mom. That is because she died 54 years ago. (She had leukemia and if you had leukemia 54 years ago you were "toast".)  Anyway, for the first time in my life I am  admitting that  her death left me empty, very empty and that emptiness explodes inside me during the Mother's Day celebration.
                               
 We were kids when she died and  I was the oldest of the five.  For some reason, I have just fleeting memories of her. My sister remembers her and my brothers remember her, not much mind you, but a lot more than I do. They even remember little things, those special nuances that made her unique to each of them. Well, maybe not Johnny, he was only two years old,  but the others for sure.

I have been told that I was traumatized by her death and involuntarily blocked her out of my mind. Could that be true? Could that still be going on inside me?  Could I have been so stunned that my brain, in an attempt to protect me, covered up the memories with a thick, opaque veil? I do not know. What I do know is what is NOT there. "Mom memories" are missing from inside my head. That veil has never lifted in over 54 years.

I have some pictures of her and I also have her high school yearbook. I have no recordings of her voice or moving pictures of her or anything like that.  It is strange to me but I try my best NOT to think of her.  But the slightest thing triggers "mommy" thoughts in me, especially when I see a child (small or grown) being hugged by their mom. I always think how wonderful that must feel. I can't even imagine it. How pathetic is that. I guess I am just a senior citizen stuck at age 15 when it comes to my mother.  (Damn--I cannot believe I am even writing this stuff.)

Okay now, all year long I manage to stuff this "mom" stuff deep inside myself. But then, right after Easter, the Mother's Day cards hit the stores.  Avoidance of the big day becomes next to impossible. The attacks on my sub-conscious increase unmercifully as the weeks go by and then the onslaught ensues. The two weeks before Mother's Day are brutal. The print ads came out, television commercials pound the "Mom" message, cut flowers appear everywhere, the cakes are advertised and the restaurants offer deals that will only cost about a week's salary to sit and enjoy.  It  wears me out.  I want it to be over.

Sunday morning at Mass the priest will probably give a homily on motherhood. He will probably use the Blessed Virgin Mary as a focal point. Then he will ask all of the women who are moms to please stand or raise their hands.  Most women in the church will do so.  He will bestow a blessing on them remembering all the deceased moms too. Everyone will applaud the moms, living and dead. I will applaud also and my best wishes and prayers will go out to all Moms everywhere. I just won't remember anything about my own mom. For me, the one day of the year we honor Moms is nothing but a paradox. Before the happy day even starts I cannot wait for it  to end.

For those who might be able to relate to this, on Mother's Day I will be praying for all of you and your Moms. Maybe you can do the same for me. And, may God bless all moms, living and deceased.

    ©2015 Larry Peterson All Rights Reserved