NYT: The Normality of Gay Marriage
A New York Times editorial (registration required) says ..There's nothing like a touch of real-world experience to inject some reason into the inflammatory national debate over gay marriages. Take Massachusetts, where the state's highest court held in late 2003 that under the State Constitution, same-sex couples have a right to marry. The State Legislature moved to undo that decision last year by approving a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages and create civil unions as an alternative. But this year, when precisely the same measure came up for a required second vote, it was defeated by a thumping margin of 157 to 39.The main reason for the flip-flop is that some 6,600 same-sex couples have married over the past year with nary a sign of adverse effects. The sanctity of heterosexual marriages has not been destroyed. Public morals have not gone into a tailspin. Legislators who supported gay marriage in last year's vote have been re-elected. Gay couples, many of whom had been living together monogamously for years, have rejoiced at official recognition of their commitment. ...
posted by Paul Wilczynski @ 9:19 AM
3 Comments:
I really think this is the key which will eventually normalize gay marriage in the USA. People can imagine all sorts of scenarios for virtually any hypothetical situation. But when they directly see a situation, they get a much better grasp on it. Anyone who comes in contact with my mothers'-in-law marriage can readily see that is very stable, normal, and loving, and that their kids are growing up in a wonderful family environment. I think that most of the widespread acceptance of gay people in America today (including much more grudging tolerance even in places far removed from liberal, urban areas) is due to gays coming out of the closet over the past few decades, and folks gradually seeing that their neighbor or co-worker or brother (or at the least, the nice guy on TV) were regular human beings. Likewise, as gay marriages/unions become more common or at least more visible in our society, there will be a natural move towards acceptance.
Thanks Paul for the link!
You find the best news.
The only negative effect I can see is that even MORE charming, good-looking men are wearing wedding rings, which means less fantasy material for single girls.
Just kidding.
It is a joy, and I said so in public in a letter to the Patriot- Ledger last week.
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