Intolerance Shows Bigotry at Its Worst

As of Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Have you noticed how often words reflect the opposite of a person’s actions?

For example, the platitude “This isn’t personal, it’s just business” supposedly softens the fact that something intensely personal is about to ruin your day. Similarly, when you hear “I’m not prejudiced,” you can bet somebody is moments away from jaw-dropping bigotry.

County Commissioners Nick Picerno and Larry Caddell have voiced their support for the ill-conceived “Amendment One,” which states marriage is a condition only between a man and a woman. This thoughtless grandstanding has no chance of improving the state of matrimony in North Carolina; same-sex marriage already is banned here.

However, this unnecessary, overreaching exercise of state power guarantees additional injury to thousands of people who happen to be in love with a person of the same gender. Our commissioners would serve us better by espousing tolerance rather than intransigence.

Marriage already is an intensely personal decision, filled with stress and heartache. To truly defend marriage, proponents should worry less about who is getting married and more about the fact that 50 percent of marriages end in divorce.

The intolerance voiced by Mr. Picerno is at the heart of every extremist movement. Justifying persecutions of those who are different is an old tactic, unworthy of the 21st century. Fear-mongering chauvinism lends itself to simple thinking and simple captions.

Tolerance is trusting and gentle and requires good will. But freedom and liberty require tolerance and trust of all citizens.

Here’s a suggestion for our commissioners: Become more conservative. A true conservative would keep government out of our homes, out of our businesses, out of our personal affairs. A true conservative sticks to the proper job of government and would never support this intrusion into our bedrooms.

“Amendment One” is unworthy of a true conservative.

Mike Jones

Southern Pines

More like this story

NocOwl 1 year, 2 months ago

The problem is that these folks are pushing their conservative religious agendas instead of practicing conservative politics. I don't think they are in touch with what the people want as they claim to be, they are only in touch with their own ignorance and fear. If they really want to preserve the sanctity of marriage, they would go after people who make a mockery of marriage between a man and a woman, like the Kardashians and other b-list celebs who are just looking for shock value publicity and profit.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 2 months ago

Well said.

Conservatives are now complaining that it's religious discrimination, or outright tyranny, if they're not free to force you to live according to their religion. That turns the whole concept on its head.

Bflat 1 year, 2 months ago

Those two, Caddell & Picerno, along with Melton are the same 3 that voted in the Federal sized JAIL project without allowing the citizens of Moore County the right to vote on it. They, in effect, forced their own agenda on people that were begging them not to. Next they said no federal inmates would be housed there unless required by law to do so. Really? If space is available it has always been that inmates would be housed, in transit or whatever. How much more will people of Moore County put up with that is being handed down by those commissioners? And now, in an election year, they are wrapping themselves around God and Church while at the same time they are going to force their viewpoints (and vote) on the marriage amendment.

JimHeim 1 year, 2 months ago

wd40 - We can't control who runs under our party name any more than Republicans can. This racist jerkwad will not be getting elected - at least not by Democrats.

As for the late Sen Byrd, he apologized for his errors for decades. It was proof to me that this is in no way a Christian country when he wasn't forgiven. Apparently the idea of forgiveness for our weaknesses belongs in someone else's religion. The one thing you can count on with American Christian is that they don't forgive and they don't forget. And they don't have much use for the poor except to kick them around for entertainment.

nothingspecial 1 year, 2 months ago

Please, this is a sound bite trick to try to label persons who have judeo-christian and muslim values as bigots and to equate homosexual rights with the prejudice against persons for things beyond their control such as race and color. The two are not comparable.

Don't erroneously accuse me of prejudice for holding to my values.

Don't erroneously accuse me of ignorance or fear for opposing a definition of marriage that not only goes against the values of the majority of muslims and christians the world over but perpetuates factors disintegrating a basic blueprint for society - the family - which is at the heart of the problems we are experiencing with American society today.

If you think that is wrong, please study the issues we are experiencing with prison populations, crime, health problems, drug use, deteriorating character and drive of the younger generation compared with earlier generations.