Marriage Equality (again I know): Convincing the Convincables (How?)

[harry_pothead]

I was flipping around between CNN and MSNBC tonight watching the election results, and I saw a CNN panel talking about gay rights and the ballot initiatives in WA and ME. One of the guys on the panel, who looked about mid-50s, started glowing about how far we've come in gay rights. He talked about how he remembered in the early 1980s a Democratic candidate for some office got into some major political hot water merely because a gay group donated to him - and that we have come far. He then said on gay marriage that "for me, it's just not what I believe" then talked some more about the progress then repeated his "just not what I believe, but that's just me" line.

I think this guy is indicative of a decent-sized chunk of people out there. Happy about the advance of gay rights, not a fundie, not really a bigot, but still opposed to marriage equality.

I don't think that "wait for the old fucks to die" should be an acceptable strategy for marriage equality. I think that there are quite a bit of people like this guy who can be convinced. They certainly make up more than the margin on the Prop 8 and Question 1 ballots.

I also don't think that calling a guy like this a bigot is productive. Don't get me wrong, a big portion of the anti marriage equality people are huge bigots, including pretty much all of the leaders in the movement.

But people like the CNN panel guy can be moved to support marriage equality. Look at Gov. Baldacci himself. The panel guy is basically Baldacci from a year ago. How would he and those like him be moved? How was Baldacci moved?

Thoughts DU?

[VMI Dem]

1. For starters..not having our President saying "just not what I believe" too.