I see that the Wyoming Republican Party, under the leadership of Oral Eathorne, has its thong in a twist over Sen. Cynthia Lummis’ support for bringing the “Respect for Marriage Act,” which would provide legal protection for same-sex marriages, to a vote.
The GOP has painted a target on Lummis’ back, despite her impeccable conservative street cred, simply because she won’t toe their party line regarding the institution of marriage. And the party line defines marriage as the union between one man and one woman, as stated in the Wyoming GOP platform.
Eathorne et al go on to preach about the Judeo-Christian principles of the Founders and how “the practice of faith under this tradition encourages good moral behavior and the development of character.”
Its almost as if the Neanderthal Wing of the Wyoming GOP pines for those bygone days when there was no separation of church and state.
These folks probably would have felt more comfy in Europe of the Middle Ages when the Pope in Rome or the Archbishop of Canterbury decided what was good or bad for citizens in both the religious and civil spheres of life.
Or perhaps they’d prefer a modern Middle Eastern state under strict Sharia law, complete with honor killings and beheadings to correct moral shortcomings among the citizens. Under a system like that, the GOP could have Lummis stoned instead of writing a whiny email about her.
Oral Eathorne and his firebreathers need to catch up with history. Since the Age of Enlightenment centuries ago, the western world has decided that religious institutions do a poor job of running countries. Bitter and bloody experience taught us that lesson.
Instead of fetishizing the GOP platform, they should read Thomas Paines “The Rights of Man.” And they should read (maybe for the first time) the Wyoming Constitution which grants political rights including marriage to EVERYONE.
I’m pretty sure Sen. Lummis has read it. She probably has that page in the Constitution dog-eared and Article 1, Sections 2 & 3 highlighted.
The current evangelistic fervor within the Wyoming GOP is growing tiresome, and it detracts from the work that the state needs them to do.
Barry Goldwater, bulwark of the modern conservative movement, felt the same way when he said, “The great decisions of government cannot be dictated by the concerns of religious factions. This was true in the days of Madison, and it is just as true today. We have succeeded for 205 years in keeping the affairs of state separate from the uncompromising idealism of religious groups and we mustn’t stop now.”
“To retreat from that separation would violate the principles of conservatism and the values upon which the framers built this democratic republic.”
And, by the way, where does Frank “Briefly Oral” Eathorne get the gall to lecture us on the sanctity of marriage? He just went through a messy divorce because of his serial infidelities.
He has scant room to cast stones. After all, he acquired his nickname by engaging in an extramarital blowjob in the back of his squad car that, according to him, didn’t last very long.
As for me, I’ll continue to rely upon the Wyoming Constitution to govern how we live our lives outside the church doors. If this upsets the Wyoming GOP’s Grand Inquisitor and his sycophantic clerics, so be it. Let them go pray.
They have every right to practice their religion on their side of the wall. The Constitution guarantees it.
