Why do some people think that just because something has always been it must be right?

Question

For example, one con said giving gays the right to marry is not about equal rights but "special rights." He said gays never had that right to begin with since this nation was founded.

Well I can think of a few rights people did not have when this nation was founded too:
- the right not to be owned
- the right to marry of a different race
- the right for women to own property, vote, and hold office
- the same rights for minorities, etc,etc

You know who else are big "traditionalists"?

TERRORISTS! They're as backward as they come.

Chi guy,

Interracial marriage is an insult to biggots. They don't like it. Too bad. It's none of their business.

john,

Why would saying islamic fundamentalists being backward mean I'm backward also?

I'm the exact opposite of a fundamentalists. I'm a secular liberal.

Answer 1

Homophobes are stupid and disgusting people.

You are absolutely right: just because something existed for a long time does not mean it's right. For example, slavery existed for a long time but it is not right. Another example: The caste system in India existed for more than 2000 years! But because it is unfair and unjust, it is gradually being dismantled. The same will happen to the discriminatory marriage laws in the US.
...

Answer 2

The KKK was also protecting the American way of life and traditional American values according to their thinking. It's those same kind of people who think gays are asking for special treatment while all they really want is to be treated as an equal with equal rights just like everyone else has. It's another case of religion and state working together to discriminate against a certain group of people they view as challenging the American way of life and values. Truly sad that in the year 2007 we still have so many backward people in this country unable to see past race or gender or sexual preference. It's not any of their business and government and church should have no say at all. How can we use words like all men are created equal and then try to discriminate against them?

Answer 3

Just think about those mean old liberals who advocated the right not to be owned. And those commie liberals who wanted people to be able to marry someone of a different color or religion if they wanted to. Don't forget those leftie, liberal, commie scumbags that dared even think of giving women such things as an equal chance at an education, the right to own property, to vote, and to hold office. How dare those libs dare allow rights to minorities such as the voting rights act of 1964 and equal housing laws. If it weren't for the conservatives to stop all this madness we would still be lighting our homes with candles or even living in caves. Progressives just should not be allowed to get their way because we don't want an 8 hour work day. What is wrong with working 12 hours a day 6 days a week and 1/2 day on Sunday? Those darn liberals want people earning a living wage. Darn liberals made it possible for us to have a couple of weeks a year off for vacation and get paid for it. That's outrageous. Of course that Progressive Teddy Roosevelt was a disgrace to the GOP by fignting child labor and monopolies. (Notice how I am sounding like a con?) They are the ones who think things should not change. Traditionalists or obstructionists?

Answer 4

Some people found thier ethical outlook in tradition. That's not entirely invalid since ethics can be pretty arbitrary, anyway.

Similarly, one could found his moral outlook on tradition (common conservative choice) or take some other dogmatic aproach (like the ever popular liberal cop-out: moral relativism). IMHO that's less valid. I think morality - and something that's as much of a technicallity as whether a gay marriage is legally recognized or not doesn't strike me as a moral issue - is more universeal. That is, we can all tell right from wrong if we're willing and able to step away from our preconcieved notions.

Answer 5

Tradition in itself is not inherently wrong. I think you make a poor case simply by listing "bad" traditions. There are many good ones, too: freedom of speech, to peacably assemble, to worship as we see fit, etc.

The question is not whether traditionalism is bad or good. The question is whether certain traditions have outlived their relevance. I think the ones you mentioned above clearly fall into that category and indeed, in general, we find such traditions not only wrong but morally repugnant.

The question of gays and gay marriage still falls into a gray zone. There are still large numbers of people who not only object to gay marriage, but to gays in general. I personally see nothing wrong with either--as one comic put it, gay people have just as much right to be miserable as the rest of us.

So I think instead of railing against tradition, it would be more useful to change people's attitudes about gays first and marriage after.

Just my two cents.

Cheers/

Answer 6

if you want to marry a man go ahead. it's OK. it will never be a real marriage though and you will probably leave and divorce him for another man anyway.

Answer 7

Bad analogy...

Gay "marriage" is an insult to my "religious" life style. Civil Unions gives the same legal protection.

Answer 8

given all the church sex abuse scandals and coverups, perhaps it would be also worth changing
"freedom OF religion" to "freedom FROM religion"

Answer 9

"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."

Answer 10

Along those lines terrorists have rights to so what would you do about that??