I had a conversation this weekend with two people I know who were upset about the gay marriage stuff going on in SF. They basically were opposed to the idea that the mayor was "breaking the law." A majority of people in the state had voted for a law restricting marriage to only men and women, and their wishes, in a democratic society, had to be followed by public servants. I pointed out that in 1971 a majority of people in Alabama would be opposed to inter-racial marriage. Should their feelings, I pointed out, mean that should be the law? He admitted this wasn't a good idea and conceded the point.
I followed up by pointing out that he believed that the government shouldn't tell people what to think and believe, that the market should decide things, and that everyone should be entitled to live their own lives and do whatever they wanted as long as it didn't harm anyone else. In addition, I said that he believed we were all basically equal, and that no one had the right to impose their religious views - no matter how strongly felt - on people who didn't share them. Given that was the case, wasn't his own beliefs and positions leading to gay marriage? What was stopping it? He didn't have an answer.
This gay marriage issue is like school integration in 1953. The only people who are opposed to it are the people on the wrong side of history.
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Interesting
Date: 2004-03-03 04:16 pm (UTC)I followed up by pointing out that he believed that the government shouldn't tell people what to think and believe, that the market should decide things, and that everyone should be entitled to live their own lives and do whatever they wanted as long as it didn't harm anyone else. In addition, I said that he believed we were all basically equal, and that no one had the right to impose their religious views - no matter how strongly felt - on people who didn't share them. Given that was the case, wasn't his own beliefs and positions leading to gay marriage? What was stopping it? He didn't have an answer.
This gay marriage issue is like school integration in 1953. The only people who are opposed to it are the people on the wrong side of history.