Mike Natale – 6/22/06

This page was last updated on June 25, 2006.

Retire Santorum; Mike Natale; Beaver County Times; June 22, 2006.

An editor’s note alleges, “The writer was parade chairman of Pittsburgh Three Rivers PrideFest.”

For those of you not familiar with PrideFest, it’s a celebration for homosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals, et cetera consisting of a parade and other activities.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“First let me say that it was a pleasure to meet one of your photographers at Pittsburgh Three Rivers PrideFest on Saturday.

“I looked on-line today to see if you posted any pictures, and I happened to read an article that started with the question, ‘Was anybody busier than U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum last week?’

“I hope that you’ll ask that question again in November, after the voters of Pennsylvania have handed him his membership in the AARP.”

[RWC] I’m probably nitpicking, but I believe you need to be at least 50 years old for AARP, at least that’s when I began to be inundated with mailings trying to convince me to join. I believe Mr. Santorum is only 48.

“People like Santorum are trying to turn back the clock to the so-called good old days, which members of racial and sexual minorities remember as a time of hatred, repression and discrimination.”

[RWC] What a crock! This is just the same old crap of trying to dehumanize your opponent by claiming he’s a bigot, hatemonger, homophobe, racist, et cetera. You’ll note Mr. Natale didn’t provide any examples.

I kind of get a kick out of folks like Mr. Natale trying to equate homosexual activism with the civil rights movement.

“While some are fighting to bring freedom to Iraq, many are still fighting to gain their own freedoms here in America. People like Santorum seem to forget the promise made in the Declaration of Independence that all are created equal and have an inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness, and the promise made in the Constitution that the rights the government offers must apply equally to everyone.”

[RWC] Actually, the Declaration of Independence doesn’t say, “all are created equal.” It says, “all men are created equal.” It also reads “unalienable,” not inalienable. Finally, there is no “promise made in the Declaration of Independence.” The Declaration is a statement of fact as agreed to by its signers.

“The rights the government offers?” “We the People” grant the government powers. The 10^th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved for the States respectively, or to the people.” I’m not surprised Mr. Natale would get this backwards.

Regarding the comment that laws “must apply equally to everyone,” that’s true. Homosexuals aren’t being discriminated against when they are not allowed to marry a member of the same sex. The law applies equally to heterosexuals and homosexuals. Two heterosexuals aren’t allowed to marry if both are the same sex.

“Fortunately, the voters seem to be either smarter than Santorum, or less blinded by hate or the dollars that his rich buddies provide him.”

[RWC] Again, what hate, and which voters?

During May 2004, various polls indicated 70-75% of Americans believed marriage should include only a man and a woman, and 38 states - 76% - already had “defense of marriage” acts. Further, during the 2004 general elections, 11 states had defense of marriage amendments on the ballot. All 11 amendments passed with significant majorities (maximum of 86%, minimum of 57%, 8 passed with 66% or greater).

This week, the PA Senate voted 38 – 12 (76%) in favor of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex “marriages.” A couple of weeks ago, the House passed a similar amendment 136 – 61 (69%).

“I wish him all the best with his upcoming retirement. Time to look towards the future!”

[RWC] Though he says it’s “Time to look towards the future,” note Mr. Natale doesn’t tell us what he wants for the future, other than for Mr. Santorum to lose. I wonder why?