Comments on: AFF College Blogger Competition

By: Sydney Carton

Sydney Carton — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:38:06 +0000

“Generally, yes, forcing people to have babies that they don’t want because Jesus told you that was the right thing to do is limiting freedom.”

Apparently, the fact that being pro-life can be legitimately defended on purely rational grounds escapes you. Sad.

“But based on his devotion to the principles of federalism, he believes that their regulation is best left to the states.”

Who said anything about states vs. the feds? Government is government, at one level or another. I doubt that a state-level pro-life effort would find your support either. So don’t pretend that it’s an issue for you. It isn’t.

By: mike

mike — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:50:15 +0000

I’m not exactly sure what you mean by that. That kind of open-ended “don’t codify your religion to limit my freedom” view is a nice sound-byte, but doesn’t convey much meaning. Does that mean, for instance, pro-life conservative Christians are limiting freedom or not? I can’t tell.

Generally, yes, forcing people to have babies that they don’t want because Jesus told you that was the right thing to do is limiting freedom. Also, denying marriage rights (and the associated tax breaks and other rights) to gays is limiting freedom. Limiting people’s choice of cancer-treating drugs to those that are produced by big pharma, banning vibrating plastic in Alabama, and limiting gambling to state-sponsored lotteries is limiting freedom.

Contrast all this with another republican candidate who believes, presumably because of his devotion to the principles of christianity, that prostitution and drug use are bad. But based on his devotion to the principles of federalism, he believes that their regulation is best left to the states.

Romney doesn’t seem to be able to separate the two (or more probably, has no devotion to the principles of federalism). That’s the concern.

By: Sydney Carton

Sydney Carton — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 04:00:11 +0000

Good luck with the judging.

By: Radley Balko

Radley Balko — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 03:24:40 +0000

I know lots of libertarian Christians. So yes, I could vote for one.

My problem is with people–of any religion–who try to codify their religion into law in a way that limits personal freedom for the rest of us.

By: Sydney Carton

Sydney Carton — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 03:10:11 +0000

That’s quite interesting, but you didn’t answer my question, Mr. Balko.

By: Radley Balko

Radley Balko — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 21:11:46 +0000

Romney has said in the past that he doesn’t think a non-believer should ever be president. He said last week that there is no freedom without religion.. He has made it pretty clear, then, what he thinks of people who don’t believe in God. All I’m saying is that it’s a little ironic that the same guy who has made a big deal about people discriminating him because of the God he believes in has no problem drawing broad conclusions about people who don’t believe in God.

By: Sydney Carton

Sydney Carton — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 20:05:56 +0000

I wonder if all people who though Mitt Romney’s speech was good are de-facto excluded, because you might think they hate athiests? Does any traditional Christian have a fair shot with you?