This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2004, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I find it interesting how the conservative right is always able to craft every discussion into an argument about what is or is not the behavior of a “good American.” Every issue seems to be debated in terms of what a good American should do, think, or say.
Doris Jeppersen (Forum, July 28) encourages every good American to encourage their representatives in Washington to define marriage as being between a man and a woman. It
is as though one cannot be opposed to amending the Constitution without being a bad American.
The well-intended patriotism that immediately followed the attacks of 9-11 has turned into a jingoistic witch hunt to label anyone who disagrees with the ultra-conservative agenda of the current administration as anti-American. Good Americans apparently do not speak out against the war, the president, or tax cuts for the wealthy, nor do they oppose amending the Constitution to ban gay marriage or flag-burning.
By holding the attitude that we can simply change the Constitution whenever a social trend is not to our liking, we ultimately degenerate its ability to continue to protect each of us and our individual rights. I believe it should be simple for any of us to see the danger in changing the Constitution to further any given moral agenda, no matter where we stand on the issue. If this makes me a bad American, so be it.
Matt Palmer
Bountiful