Reply #34: Can't get tired of something you don't do. [View All]

[TheWraith]

"This is a serious question. Human rights are one of those good guys/bad guys dichotomies that seldom come along in such stark terms. With human rights, you're really on the good side or the bad side."

And has been explained repeatedly, you're not going to find anybody on DU who disagrees. But the fact remains that being ready to burn the place down doesn't gain us any ground. Nor does acting like herded cats, running for the doors. And what definitely doesn't do any good is insulting and attacking anybody who doesn't meet your purity test. Not to put too fine a point on it, if the people who agree with you already aren't good enough, what's your attitude towards people who may need to be educated? How are you going to bring them on board? Being on the right side of an issue doesn't grant you the mandate of heaven, nor does it mean that everything gets done instantly. Black people suffered for 400 years on this continent before even reaching this point. Gay people have been living openly for about 40, and we're already seeing real equality developing in the current generation. Relative to any other struggle for rights, this is moving like a bat out of hell.

Looking at this article rationally, I would think we'd all find a great deal of encouragement that Obama's closer to our position than either he lets on or most people here would assume. Frankly I've thought that for awhile, which is why I expect Obama will likely appoint SCOTUS judges who take the Equal Protection Clause seriously. I've said here before, I suspect we'll see a SCOTUS decision legalizing gay marriage within 5 years.

Yes, I think that there's a good chance that Obama's shading the truth on his opinion about gay marriage. Speaking only for myself, I've only ever heard him refer to "his beliefs," i.e. his religion, defining marriage as being between a man and a woman ... which doesn't speak to what he thinks the US constitution demands with regard to equal rights. And let's face it, even if he was covering his ass about his own true opinion, politicians have done the same for much worse reasons.