Phil - let me see what I can do without fine distinctions and parsing.
If California is against gay marriage, then we can assume most of the country is as well. That means that getting things changed is a HUGE, huge battle - larger, perhaps, than we realized. It shouldn't be - but it is. But it is primarily a battle against religious and cultural tradition. It's not about race; that's a detour, and a damaging one.
The remarks about black voters are expensive (whether they're right or wrong.) I support gay marriage, and I find such comments off-putting and unnecessary. The gay community needs all the support it can get. It shouldn't risk alienating supporters with snarky remarks, and it shouldn't get distracted from the real problem, which is religion.
If the fight for gay marriage is to be seen as a civil right, it needs to be projected that way. For better or worse, the image most Americans have of gay people in large numbers has to do with chaps and parties. That image needs to be replaced with a sobriety and respect.
How about a massive and peaceful march on Salt Lake City - in suits and work clothes, clothes that say "we are serious people making a serious point." The American people badly need new images of the gay community. For God's sake - Californians should understand image.
I'm not saying the gay community needs to "act straight" - I would never say that. But I am saying there needs to be a middle ground. The gay community is a minority, and not a very big one. The majority is not going to walk across a bridge to meet minority needs. it should happen that way, but it won't.
The gay community needs a plan, it needs leadership, and it needs communication, and it needs a serious image change. California citizens sent a strong message of disapproval. It's time for positive countermoves.
The truth is that there shouldn't even be an issue labeled "gay rights. Unfortunately, there is. The gay community should be strong enough now to be able to work with the straight community without losing its identity, and to focus its energy on the real source of the block.
Last edited by Mellowicious; 01/22/09 12:27 PM.
