I agree with most of what you write Tom, however I believe some ideas over-rule others. For instance, I do not agree with homosexuality. I think it is wrong in the eyes of God and against nature. I do not want my daughter growing up seeing it everywhere and assuming it to be 'natural' because it is common.

Having said that, I agree with Thomas Jefferson that our fundamental rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I believe this to be one of the founding principles of our country and a goal of our forefathers. I believe this right to belong to all in this country no matter the race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, or sexual preference. That means that every man or woman has the right to marry whomever they wish as long as the intended is of adult age. I believe that right overrides my personal beliefs. I believe strongly that giving additional rights to a group should not take away from the rights of the individual.

>>Absolutely! The older you are, whether you have kids or not, whether you take on a career, etc. I think it brings most people towards a more coservative outlook. Safety and comfort become higher priorities than idealism.
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>>>It's funny you should say that Evan. I see the opposite ocurring. I know quite a few people that were hard core liberals (Democrats who were very liberal in their thinking) in college, 20s, and 30s but in their 40s became almost right-wing conservatives. The reason could be argued from both sides.
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>Evan, Tracy, and Jay;
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>I think that the three of you are correct. I would add the following.
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>Those views that society considers liberal today will seem conservative at some point in the future.
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>Example: Civil Rights
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>As Jay pointed out, “Safety and comfort become higher priorities than idealism”.
>A person becomes more conservative with age. It does not mean that an older person does not have liberal ideals such as civil rights. It does mean that you become disenchanted with the same old story – political garbage, rising taxes, incompetent leaders at all levels, and the ever looming thought that you will not live to enjoy your retirement, and if you do you will not be able to afford retirement!
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>The last 15 years has seen our countries major political parties change in many ways. If you go back to the creation of the Republican Party, you will see that the Republicans were the champions of civil rights. Then at some point that changed. The democrats became the champions of civil rights.
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>Now here is a thought: The generation I grew up within was concerned with civil rights, and a number of other issues. The nation has changed greatly considering how it thought previous to the 1960’s as an example. With so many people attaining the age of say 60 or older expressed as a percentage of population, and fewer young folks at the same time, what is going to happen to our national attitude?
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>Could it be that our nation will become more conservative because of the above? Could it be that we are already experiencing a more conservative environment because of the number of persons over 60?
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>The problem I see with the Democratic Party is that it wants to be all things to all people while forgetting the values of the nation or its people. Protecting the rights of the individual are one thing but taking away the rights of others is something that disturbs me.
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>As a Catholic I cannot agree with marriage between two people of the same sex. I have been raised that way. It is an abomination to society and those of us who believe in a religious order. Gays and lesbians can be given legal rights without referring to “marriage”. Seeing a guy with a mustache in a wedding gown with veil in the arms of his tuxedo-adorned lover kissing on the steps of city hall does not give me a positive feeling. Yet that is what I have seen in my native San Francisco.
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>Society needs a system of values to live by. Yes, values do change with time but there is no reason I have to like those changes.
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>People that pass away leave his/her estate to a pet they owned. The same can be done with existing laws though our legal system between humans - of any sex. In fact the sex of individuals in a will is not an issue. A marriage license is not needed. Same sex marriage is an insult to those men and women who are married.
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>Same sex marriage will benefit divorce lawyers! :)
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>Tom