What Rules Your Heart?

"The constitutions of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves;
that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed; that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property and freedom
of the press." Thomas Jefferson

“...this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Abraham Lincoln, from: The Gettysburg Address


I shared the quote from Jefferson on a Facebook post a few days ago, because it symbolized something to me that we often forget. We are ultimately responsible for the nature and bearing of our own laws. We tend to blame the ‘government’ for the things that happen that we aren’t happy about but we forget that that ‘government’ is made up of representatives that we’ve chosen, who represent our beliefs.

What rules your heart? When you stop for a few minutes and consider this question, you may be surprised what you find. Some of us might say that what rules our heart is our family. Our biggest decisions always weigh the needs of our children and our spouse, or our siblings and parents. Some may feel that faith is the leading criteria for important decisions, making choices thoughtfully with prayer and mediation. Some might find that it is solely personal desires, with no consideration for anyone else’s needs that drive them.
Regardless of these variations or the many other possible issues and causes that may guide us in our decisions, we can all stand to ask ourselves this question: “What rules my heart?”
I would not be able to stand very long for a society or a legal system that did not provide the rights and freedoms of my children as guaranteed. My children’s rights and freedoms are the same as every other law abiding citizen, aren’t they?
What if your spouse, or your brother or sister were suddenly not protected under the same laws as the rest of your family? Consider for just a moment how disillusioned you would be.
The coming North Carolina vote regarding Amendment 1, will do just that.
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/North_Carolina_Same-Sex_Marriage,_Amendment_1_(May_2012)
Forget the arguments about whether you think that same-sex marriage is right or wrong, good or evil. That is not at issue, though some would try to cloud the facts with this approach.
I agree that we should always abide by our convictions. But we should never allow our convictions to threaten the rights and freedoms of others. If this amendment is passed, rights and freedoms as they are guaranteed by our constitution, will no longer be afforded to certain people, who just like you and I, are peace-loving and law-abiding. The motivation behind the amendment doesn’t matter. Only the end result.
If we can remove or change the rights of one group because of certain societal pressures, at what point does it end? It is, as my philosophy professors would say, a slippery slope.

It doesn’t matter what you do, where you live, how you worship, who you marry or why, or what rules your heart on a daily basis. I don’t mind, just as long as those things do not affect my family's right to do the same, peacefully, without interference from the government or any other group that would seek to limit our freedoms.

For the sake of peace, tolerance and an attempt to retain our heritage as a country proud of those rights and freedoms as they are provided and protected for us in our constitution, please think about it.
I won’t tell you how to vote. I will only ask that you consider the motivation behind your vote. Are your rights protected? Shouldn’t everyone’s rights be protected? What rules your heart?