If a state legalizes gay marriage and nobody notices, can gay people still get married? What if four states do it in six weeks?
As more states legalize same-sex marriage, the lack of outrage is striking. Forget the Armageddon we were promised. There's hardly even been a press conference. It would appear that gay marriage is just not that big a deal anymore and that the Christian right -- long the main source of opposition -- isn't either. Both are scenarios I find encouraging, but I question whether the nation's collective shrug can be fully explained by the natural ebb and flow of politics and social mores. What if neither the Christian right nor the issue of gay marriage was ever as central in American politics as the media or the far right would have had us believe?
There was a time when an inflammatory remark from one of the leaders of the religious right would spark a media feeding frenzy. (Remember when Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson blamed 9/11 on gay people? That was leadership.) If you count New Hampshire, where a bill is awaiting the governor's signature, since the beginning of April four states (the other three are Iowa, Maine, and Vermont) have legalized gay marriage. Predictably, speaking on the Christian Broadcasting Network, Robertson reacted to Maine's legalization of gay marriage with an old chestnut: "What about bestiality and ultimately what about child molestation and pedophilia? How can we criminalize these things and at the same time have constitutional amendments allowing same-sex marriage among homosexuals? Mark my words, this is just the beginning of a long downward slide in relation to all the things that we consider to be abhorrent."
Yet nobody seemed to notice Robertson's comments.
Just last year, the press made it seem as if the entire Republican presidential primary consisted of a competition for the endorsement of James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family. Now where is he? Four years ago he said same-sex marriage would likely lead to "marriage between daddies and little girls" and "marriage between a man and his donkey." Yet lately he has been more concerned about President Obama's decision to skip a National Day of Prayer event than about gay marriage. And Fox News, which not long ago would have been forced to add an extra hour to the day to fit in all the gay-marriage outrage, has decided to focus on tea bags and torture instead.
Of course, the growing acceptance of gay marriage hasn't prompted much celebration, either, at least outside those states where it is now legal. So how do we explain the nation's nonreaction to the legalization of same-sex marriage?
Attitudes do change over time, and that's no doubt happening here. But those kinds of generational shifts take place slowly. They can't explain how an issue that was supposedly so incendiary so recently could turn into an afterthought so quickly. It's also likely that the recession has played a role in diminishing the focus on social issues, as some pollsters point out. But while the economy remains a concern, the acute fear that gripped the nation over the winter has somewhat receded. And thanks to a bit of mildly encouraging news and our collective ennui, the recession is no longer the all-consuming headline of several months ago. There now appears to be room in the national consciousness for issues besides the economy. Why not same-sex marriage?
In 2004, the pundit class latched on to the story line that evangelicals were responsible for the re-election of President Bush, ignoring polls that showed that voters considered Iraq, terrorism, and the economy -- not gay marriage or abortion -- the top issues. Voters also just found Bush more likable than John Kerry. In spite of these facts, the media chose the juicier headline ("Evangelical Christians Taking Over America") over the more accurate one ("Americans Still Trust Friendly Cowboys Over Patrician Phonies").
And in 2008, evangelicals were about the same percentage of the electorate as they were in 2004. But the Democrat won handily. How? Well, middle-of-the-road, independent Americans decided the election, just as they did in 2004. Evangelicals may be crucial to Republicans in the primaries, but they have never been kingmakers in the general election. General elections are decided by moderates, the same people whose changing attitudes are largely responsible for the quiet acceptance of these gay-marriage victories. (Two recent polls put national support for same-sex marriage at 42 percent and 49 percent, respectively, and rising.) And while those moderates may be more open to gay marriage now than they were a few years ago, it was never a touchstone issue for them -- as evidenced by the fact that it was not a top concern in the 2004 election.
Of course, there remains substantial opposition to same-sex marriage in America. But as people start to see that New England hasn't turned into Sodom and Gomorrah -- and as they start to find out that the nice "single" woman in their office isn't so single -- they'll likely get more comfortable with the whole notion. Clearly, that's already happening. How else to explain the lack of outrage?
No doubt the religious right will return. But when it does, let's not forget this era of bland acceptance of same-sex marriage. It raises serious questions about the religious right's power. Perhaps it has always been better at projecting influence than exercising it.
This piece was originally published on Slate.com.
During good times, people tend to get involved in other people's matters. During times of economic crisis, the need to focus on their own situation affords them neither the time or patience to devote to the interference in the lives of others.
Millions of gay people are already married, to people of the opposite sex. Same sex marriage affords the same variety of reasons to marry that opposite sex couples have from convenience, business, politics, to passion.
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If you think that the Christian right was never a big deal in American politics, talk to John Kerry and Bob Shrum - because they cost him the presidency in '04.
It's not that they were never consequetial - they really were. And the Christian right's get out the vote efforts were very effective, starting in the Reagan years.
But Bushco so farked the party, and the country, that a whole lot of formerly convinced folks decided that maybe this Bible toting isn't the answer to our problems after all.
Thanks GWB. We couldn't have done it without you.
So gay Democrats if you want gay rights now is the right time. Don't let them throw you under the bus.
Last time I checked there were 50 States in the Union not 5.
Many states now have a legal definition of marriage not including same sex and many of them constitutionally say marriage is between a man and woman.
And then there is DOMA.
Well, they say ROE won't ever go.
I say DOMA is probably here to stay and just as much as folks fight to keep ROE, folks will also fight to keep DOMA.
DOMA won't survive a Full Faith and Credit Clause challenge . . . especially now that same-sex marriage actually exists legally in the country.
Fighting to defend DOMA would be a waste of precious time and money.
Like Hitler and his Nazis...
Or the phrase "We will bury you" coming from Kruschev of the defunct USSR.
But I can relate my absolute disgust on how the law gives the right to refuse treatment to folks who are seriously mentally ill...
And "Stare Decisis".
That's why I don't listen to lawyers anymore.
Nothing personal, I'm sure you are good at what you do and are a nice guy.
I just don't listen to lawyers anymore.
Not every person gets married. And just because they don't doesn't mean that they are gay either.
And the Republicans wouldn't have this talking point.
See Day of Decision for demonstration/Celebration information in your city.
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/11107/day-of-decision-confirmed-tuesday-may-26th
http://www.dayofdecision.com/
Here's an easily visible symbol all demonstrators could duplicate. Paint H8 on the back of your fist.
Imagine the visibility of MILLIONS of fist raised in Unison.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-8/1210139/fistH8.jpg
Denial. I see lots of denial.
But equality almost always wins out.
Also, living in NYC, I certainly see the HUGE fight against gay marriage in this state, as it is pending in the NY capitol as well.
It is simply a non-issue when it isnt an issue near to them....but it is certainly, by NO MEANS, a non-issue.