Schools emerge as new tactic in gay marriage votes

[WillParkinson]

Source: The Associated Press

Schools emerge as new tactic in gay marriage votes
By The Associated Press
11.06.2009 3:30pm EST

(San Francisco) In one ad after another, voters in California and Maine were besieged with images of what would supposedly happen if same-sex marriage were legal: Students on a field trip to a lesbian wedding, elementary kids gobbling up books featuring gay couples, kindergartners learning about homosexuality from their teachers.

The strategy worked. Overruling the courts and lawmakers, voters defeated gay marriage ballot measures in California last year and in Maine this week after conservatives convinced residents that same-sex unions would become common classroom fodder without any say from parents.

The punch-to-the gut claim has emerged as the latest tool in the ever-evolving playbook of same-sex marriage opponents, and the Achilles’ heel of the gay-marriage movement. Voters seem to be swayed by the notion that gay marriage will be a corrupting force among children, even though critics blasted the message as a blatantly misleading case of fear-mongering.

Read more: http://www.365gay.com/news/schools-emerge-as-new-tactic... /

[NMMNG]

1. If our existence is such a threat to their precious children

how about they stop taking our gay tax dollars to support them? I mean, if little Biff and Ashleigh are going to have the vapors by merely hearing that gay people exist, perhaps they should attend schools that aren't built or in any other way funded by filthy gay tax dollars.

[WillParkinson]

2. Because they want the best for Biff and Ashleigh...

And you need to help pay for it.

Just keep your gay cooties to yourself.

[NMMNG]

3. Just think

If they took all that money they currently use to oppress us, and they instead used it for the schools, we'd have the best edumacated kids in the entire world.


If they used it for something like, say, the poor, we could end homelessness and hunger. But far be it from me to suggest they do something noble with their money. :sarcasm:

[donco6]

4. But really, those are just conveniences.

They just hate gay people, period. Those ads don't convince them of anything - they just give them a plausible excuse they can hide behind. "Think of the CHILDREN!" (but I'm voting against those faggots no matter what.)

[ShadowLiberal]

5. Agreed, I think the real problem isn't that they convince anyone, it's that they motivate the haters

I'd bet that those kinds of ads backfired more then they helped for the few swing voters on the gay marriage issue, but they offset that effect by causing higher turnout from the haters and bigots.

And there's two main problems for us to try this exact same strategy back on them.

1) The fact is gay marriage just seems scary to some people before it comes, but then they see it's not such a big deal after it comes and stays for a few years, because of a fear of the unknown. It's much more difficult to make people fear the known, and not the unknown.

2) We probably would have more to lose in the long run by adopting such a strategy, because we'd stop looking rationale, you need to be persuasive and rationale to convince people to change their minds on an issue, and not try to evoke emotions like fear like the anti gay marriage bigots do. The reason why the national trend is growing support for gay marriage (we've passed the 40% mark recently) is because we're convincing others on the other side or on the fence to change their minds, if we stop trying to do that and go for a fear campaign nationally then it could slow down or even stop the national trend entirely.

[donco6]

6. I agree.

As much as we might want to launch into a campaign like this out of retribution for the vile accusations they've made - I don't think it would help. Best to keep that portion of the campaign between individuals and just keep plugging along somehow.

It doesn't help with the discouragement, tho. Sigh.