OPINION: Christie’s “Gay Conversion Therapy” Ban is a Government Overreach
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville — mighty Casey has struck out.
By Dale Glading | The Save Jersey Blog
All right, I am willing to give Gov. Chris Christie the benefit of the doubt and say that his recent signing of a liberal piece of legislation has nothing to do with his presidential prospects in 2016.
And in the interest of full disclosure, I have no ax to grind with the man. After all, he did endorse me in 2010 when I ran for the U.S. House of Representatives.
That being said, Gov. Christie couldn’t have been more wrong when he signed a bill outlawing attempts to change the sexual orientation of children demonstrating homosexual behavior.
And here is why…
First, the logic he used was faulty. For a sitting governor to say that “I think some people are born gay” is a personal opinion. It is not based on scientific fact. Therefore, it should not have been used as a rationale for signing a bill into law.
Second, government has no right to tell parents how they should raise their children as long as they are providing for their general welfare and not abusing them. Gov. Christie admitted as much when he said that “Government should tread carefully into this area.”
Finally – and most importantly – making it illegal for parents, psychiatrists or others to try to change someone’s behavior sends government tumbling down a very slippery slope.
If you follow Gov. Christie’s rationale to its logical conclusion, children should be left to raise themselves. Parents who seek to shape their children’s development or to discipline them for behaviors that they find offensive will be subject to prosecution.
If Johnny doesn’t want to brush his teeth or to eat his vegetables, who are his parents to tell him otherwise? And if Sally’s parents insist that she go to school – or church – but she doesn’t feel like it, are they causing permanent and irreparable damage to her psyche by forcing her to go?
Likewise, will it someday be a crime for a citizen of one religious faith to try to convert someone of another faith? In other words, will an evangelical Christian be arrested for trying to fulfill the Great Commission, Christ’s command to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations?”
Personally, I cringe when a Mormon or a Jehovah’s Witness knocks on my door trying to convert me to their religion. But I admire their boldness and tenacity as well as the way that they put feet to their faith. And I will defend to the death their right to do so.
As I see it, the bill that Gov. Christie signed into law is simply one more attempt to legislate political correctness. It has very little to do with protecting children and everything to do with advancing a liberal social agenda.
For homosexuality to become fully established as an acceptable lifestyle, its proponents know that they must make it illegal to oppose it. That goes for parents and eventually, for priests and pastors.
Hello, Big Brother, and welcome to our pulpits.
The crux of the matter is that this new law infringes on free speech and the free exercise of religion, both of which are guaranteed by the First Amendment. Which means that when Gov. Christie signed it, he violated the very Constitution that he swore to uphold and defend.
Yes indeed, the Mighty Christie has struck out.
While I don´t agree with conversion therapy, I am appalled by this. Is this ok with you? This man is now legislating how you parent your children. He is putting a muzzle on therapists. How is he going to enforce this? Will therapists be required to report the parent? Who goes to jail for breaking this law? The parent? The therapist? This is a very slippery slope. Things are very bad in America. This is who you want for POTUS? How will he be different than the man who is in the White House today?
It is an overreach. And given that an NBC Camera Operator that underwent a sex change now wants to change back, perhaps there is something to some kind of therapy for transsexuals.
A very slippery slope as they say. Whats next? The thought police will be watching.
I gues "Choice" only applies when you are a liberal.