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2008

October

The End of Journalism
Well done young man, well done.
Gay men have more sex then me
Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand
Tax the Rich - ramblings
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2008 (11:49 AM)

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Well done young man, well done.

(I'm feeling impressed)

The Stanford Review

Gay Marriage as a Conservative Institution
By Yishai Kabaker Volumn XLI, Issue 3

Tensions have escalated as gay rights and family values groups compete to out-fund one another before the November referendum on gay marriage. The proposed California constitutional amendment (Proposition 8) seeks to reinforce marriage as an institution between a man and a woman, thereby reversing a May decision by the California Supreme Court that extended marriage to gay couples.

As a gay conservative I find myself caught between the two camps. I am strongly in favor of gay marriage yet I understand the concern of conservatives at the perceived attack on marriage.

The gay rights movement arose in the late ‘60s early ‘70s as part of the greater Civil Rights Movement. The early gay movement forged a unique culture emblemized by gay pride parades, drag queens and the sexual revolution. Since mainstream institutions were vehemently opposed to homosexuality, gays and lesbians felt little desire to conform or emulate those institutions. However, as mainstream society grew more tolerant of homosexuals, the need for the extreme in-your-face advocates diminished. While issues of homophobia and hatred still challenge mainstream American, society is moving toward greater acceptance of homosexuality.

Gay marriage is a relatively recent phenomenon and reflects a shift in the LGBT community away from sexual revolution toward the American mainstream. One of the earliest and most prolific advocates of gay marriage is gay conservative Andrew Sullivan. In a 1997 debate with David Frum, he summed up the desire for gay marriage by explaining “We do not want any change in the obligations that marriage entails. We want the same limits as now apply--but applied to people regardless of their sexual orientation.” In this sense the desire for gay marriage is not merely a fight for the legal and social benefits, but also a desire for the serious commitments that marriage entails.
Getting married requires an act of devotion. However, marriage has become all too casual, often being abused for monetary benefits or convenience. On the other hand, marriage is not a static custom and has changed drastically over the past few hundred years. The Western conception of marriage no longer entails dowries, parental matchmaking or underage engagements.

Opponents of gay marriage often lump homosexual unions with socially unacceptable acts like polygamy, bestiality and pedophilia. But those sexual acts are either inherently unequal or do not have the consent of both parties. Others note that gay marriage does not naturally produce children. But marriage is not a biological institution; it’s a uniquely human social construction. If we were to do things purely because of biology, polygamy would be ideal for breeding.

Much of hysteria surrounding the extension of marriage to homosexuals is based on fears of gay promiscuity. However, promiscuity is not confined to homosexuals.
The gay marriage movement is not a desire to slap a marriage sticker on the promiscuous bar scene, but rather a desire to live by the rules and mutual obligations of marriage.

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Posted Oct 27, 08 by NatureJunkie (

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I'm afraid I don't understand Yishai Kabaker's understanding of the "concern" that some conservatives feel that gay marriage will constitute an attack on traditional marriage. None of those "concerns" hold logic for me. I knew the tide was turning our way when Barry Goldwater, who deeply loved his gay grandson, saw the light and became a gay rights advocate himself. If Barry Goldwater could mesh his conservative philosophies with gay rights, then I don't understand what's holding back the rest of his fellow conservatives.

Posted Oct 27, 08 by SillyLeslie (

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Well done, indeed. Thanks for reposting this article. Good on ya!