Barack Obama is against same-sex marriage as are most mainstream politcians, regardless of party.
This issue is much bigger than what happened in California. When you have mainstream politicians saying that civil unions are "enough" for gay people, you are going to have a hard time convincing the public.
I think it is difficult for most politicians to support same-sex marriage (regardless of their true feelings) because it instantly polarizes so much of the conservative base. Many can take scape out stances (supporting civil-unions or stating that it is a state's decision) without completely losing their liberal supporters.
I sometimes wonder what would have happened if the country would have decided that slavery or inter-race marriage was to be decided on a state level as opposed to at the constitutional level. Just thinking aloud there for a minute.
Most liberal politicians are pro-choice. They have no problem standing up for this issue. And some, like Barack, have made extremely controversial decisions in regards to abortion. No one ever questions a pol who is in favor of upholding Roe V. Wade. Abortion is just as polarizing as gay marriage.
Not really sure to be honest. But i think one reason may be due to the fact that the abortion issue has been around for so long and has began to become a normal part of life. It is still highly controversial, but it seems that the majority of people are pro-choice. Perhaps pols feel as though by supporting a woman's right to choice, they don't feel as though they are sticking their neck too far out of the majority's shell. Yet with same-sex marriage, they feel they would be a forerunner if they fully endorsed it. It is easier to be a sheep and go where the crowd leads than to step out on your own and point out that everyone else is lost. I dunno. Its a tough one.
And while Barack has stated that he is in favor of civil-unions, he also said that he would be against Prop 8 as it restricted rights, and amendments should expand rights, not vice-versa.
Because I think where the rub is that a lot of people who are religious are ok with civil marriages, maybe not church marriages but definitely civil union and civil marriages.
I go to a Jesuit university in San Francisco, and a lot of our priests were against Prop. 8. They believed that the church doesn't speak to everyone. The grounds of Prop. 8 is basically religion.
With abortion, I think it's a little different because religion aside, there is also a the issue of a right to privacy, a woman's right to choose,health safety standards, and etc. Some religious people can feel that abortion is morally wrong (and not choose to get one), but also feel that if it is outlawed it might be more dangerous. Gay marriage is just solely based on a moral issue not a privacy or health issue.
baseless opinions ahead!nicole_anellNovember 11 2008, 01:48:35 UTC
My guess is it's because no matter how loud and passionate the pro-life extreme is, they're met with equally powerful opposition.
I believe more and more people will support same-sex marriage (isn't there a huge generation gap on this issue?) but Roe v. Wade *already* has the majority on its side. Every state's gay marriage ban passed, but every attempt to curtail abortions this year failed, even the innocent-sounding ones like parental notification
( ... )
Most Americans are pro-abortion. In almost all major polls conducted as recently as August, more than 50% of Americans believe that abortion (with restrictions for some respondents; without restrictions whatsoever for others) should be legal.
The same cannot be said for same-sex marriage. 58% of Americans, according to a Time survey, oppose a (US) constitutional amendment that will allow same sex marriage. It's a much "hotter" topic than abortion, and even if a Democratic candidate really honestly thinks that gay marriage should be legal, they WILL NOT say it out loud.
Well, I'm sure a factor with some men, for instance, is that they'll never wake up and say "OMG, I'm prednant, what do I do?" However, they may be wondering if they'll wake up one day and say "OMG, I'm gay, what do I do?" It's denial- if the Icky Gay can't be a real part of their world, then it won't get them.
Most politicians also numb the pro-choice blow by being against later-term abortions and/or they'll throw in the whole "only in case of rape or the mother's life" thing.
Yes, but what about supporting so-called "partial-birth abortions" (or, as they're known medically) late-term abortions? What about making parental consent laws for minors illegal? What about Medicaid paying for abortions? What about Medicaid paying for multiple abortions
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This issue is much bigger than what happened in California. When you have mainstream politicians saying that civil unions are "enough" for gay people, you are going to have a hard time convincing the public.
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Which is why Newsom is so rare. He and Kucinich are really the only Democrats/liberals I can think of that are so adamantly for gay marraige.
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Feingold, motherfuckers
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I sometimes wonder what would have happened if the country would have decided that slavery or inter-race marriage was to be decided on a state level as opposed to at the constitutional level. Just thinking aloud there for a minute.
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Most liberal politicians are pro-choice. They have no problem standing up for this issue. And some, like Barack, have made extremely controversial decisions in regards to abortion. No one ever questions a pol who is in favor of upholding Roe V. Wade. Abortion is just as polarizing as gay marriage.
Why is it OK to support one but not the other?
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And while Barack has stated that he is in favor of civil-unions, he also said that he would be against Prop 8 as it restricted rights, and amendments should expand rights, not vice-versa.
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I go to a Jesuit university in San Francisco, and a lot of our priests were against Prop. 8. They believed that the church doesn't speak to everyone. The grounds of Prop. 8 is basically religion.
With abortion, I think it's a little different because religion aside, there is also a the issue of a right to privacy, a woman's right to choose,health safety standards, and etc. Some religious people can feel that abortion is morally wrong (and not choose to get one), but also feel that if it is outlawed it might be more dangerous. Gay marriage is just solely based on a moral issue not a privacy or health issue.
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I believe more and more people will support same-sex marriage (isn't there a huge generation gap on this issue?) but Roe v. Wade *already* has the majority on its side. Every state's gay marriage ban passed, but every attempt to curtail abortions this year failed, even the innocent-sounding ones like parental notification ( ... )
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The same cannot be said for same-sex marriage. 58% of Americans, according to a Time survey, oppose a (US) constitutional amendment that will allow same sex marriage. It's a much "hotter" topic than abortion, and even if a Democratic candidate really honestly thinks that gay marriage should be legal, they WILL NOT say it out loud.
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