After The Virginia Marriage Amendment – What New Amendment?
Here is a suggestion for an amendment for the next session of the Virginia legislature:
"That only right-handedness may be handedness valid in or recognized by this Commonwealth and its political subdivisions.
This Commonwealth and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for left-handedness that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance, or effects of right-handedness. Nor shall this Commonwealth or its political subdivisions create or recognize another handedness to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations, qualities, or effects of right-handedness."
Arguments are that being left-handed is immoral. That it will somehow threaten right-handedness. That children raised by left-handed persons may grow up to be left-handed. That society should not have to provide accommodation to those who are left handed.
Sound ridiculous? Well it wasn’t too long ago in our history that being left-handed was considered immoral. People who were left-handed were often intimidated to appear right-handed. There were prescriptions that implied that through discipline left-handed people could be converted to right-handedness.
Until the latter part of the twentieth century, Roman Catholic nuns in American elementary schools (and possibly elsewhere, for example Dutch and German primary schools) would punish children for using their left hand to write, typically by slapping their left hand with a ruler if they attempted to pick up a pen with it. Left-handedness was often interpreted as a sign of Satanic influence, and thus prohibited. Many examples can be found in the Christian-Greek scriptures in which the wicked or evil sit at the left hand of God, while the righteous sit at the right hand of God, during Judgment. (LINK)
However, today it is recognized by science and medicine that being left-handed is a normal variation in the characteristics of the human species. And to discriminate against left-handed people would be considered immoral.
Similarly, science and medicine today have concluded that homosexuality is a normal variation of the human species. Enlightened countries, states, religions, and peoples have begun to realize this. And for Virginia to discriminate against its gay and lesbian population is also immoral.
"That only right-handedness may be handedness valid in or recognized by this Commonwealth and its political subdivisions.
This Commonwealth and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for left-handedness that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance, or effects of right-handedness. Nor shall this Commonwealth or its political subdivisions create or recognize another handedness to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations, qualities, or effects of right-handedness."
Arguments are that being left-handed is immoral. That it will somehow threaten right-handedness. That children raised by left-handed persons may grow up to be left-handed. That society should not have to provide accommodation to those who are left handed.
Sound ridiculous? Well it wasn’t too long ago in our history that being left-handed was considered immoral. People who were left-handed were often intimidated to appear right-handed. There were prescriptions that implied that through discipline left-handed people could be converted to right-handedness.
Until the latter part of the twentieth century, Roman Catholic nuns in American elementary schools (and possibly elsewhere, for example Dutch and German primary schools) would punish children for using their left hand to write, typically by slapping their left hand with a ruler if they attempted to pick up a pen with it. Left-handedness was often interpreted as a sign of Satanic influence, and thus prohibited. Many examples can be found in the Christian-Greek scriptures in which the wicked or evil sit at the left hand of God, while the righteous sit at the right hand of God, during Judgment. (LINK)
However, today it is recognized by science and medicine that being left-handed is a normal variation in the characteristics of the human species. And to discriminate against left-handed people would be considered immoral.
Similarly, science and medicine today have concluded that homosexuality is a normal variation of the human species. Enlightened countries, states, religions, and peoples have begun to realize this. And for Virginia to discriminate against its gay and lesbian population is also immoral.
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