Moral drift

Mike, annoyed at my cynicism, this is for you. I've been trying to write this for a while [Nov 3rd or thereabout], but--uh--it's hard. Had to get distance from my rage. After November 2nd, I have a lot of rage.

The things most on voters' minds this election, according to those magic exit polls, were "moral issues." Given the direction of moral discourse in the months leading up to the election, that ambiguous catchall really just boils down to one issue: gay marriage.

There were other concerns raised as well of course. Some Carolinians worry that cancer-causing demons are spoiling profits from their smooth, flavorful cash crop. Further north and west, there is a growing debate over just how many so-called thunder lizard remains Satan has artificially tucked into the Black Hills strata.

For most though, in the words of John Stewart, "[n]othing trumped dudes kissing."

That 20+ percent of Americans--those more afraid of having gay neighbors than Arab neighbors, unemployed neighbors, or undereducated neighbors--overwhelmingly voted for Bush. 80%-18%.

It wasn't the only factor that lead to Bush's victory (see also, perceived liberal arrogance, party platform ignorance), of course, but 80% of 20% of 120 million approaches significance.

That's social conservatism. They came out, these conservatives, and rallied the troops. They went a long way toward re-electing the president and making this next half-decade a faggotless haven of heterosexual tax breaks. Nice work.

They had a good plan: exploit a centuries-old misinformation campaign, then just play on prejudices. You see, the sodomites choose their perversion. God said so. Look, it's right there, in the bible--the Christian handbook--everywhere except in Christ's actual teachings.

If homophobia was good enough for Christ's disciples 2000 years ago, then it's all right by them. Also often overheard, "Worst thing they ever did was take prayer out of schools." Social conservatism.

Sodomites. Perversion. Choice.

A vote for Kerry became, for many, a vote for legitimizing perversion. Well played. 80% of 20% and a majority in 11 states.

Fortunately (here's where the optimism comes in Mike), I think the war is already pretty much over. We've won, they've lost. Beg to differ? Let's think long term.

Regardless the mandate, be it divine, economic, whatever, social conservatives are in the business of maintaining the status quo. Slavers were social conservatives. Once the abolitionists really mobilized, how long did it take before slavery ostensibly ended? 40 years or so. How long had slavery been around in the Americas prior to that? 400ish years.

Same with the suffragettes and the civil rights movement. Once their numbers were great enough to be seen as a nation-wide movement, the hardest part--the grassroots work--was pretty much over. From there, recognition and unity brought further momentum toward change.

My point: Acceptance is only a matter of time.

They're here, they're queer, and people are getting used to it.

I've wracked my brain and this trend seems uniform. So I ask, in all honesty, can you think of any issue in which our country has become more socially conservative over the years? I really can't.

It seems that, in general, and though it may take 2000 years, the conservative, exclusionist ideology fails without . . . fail. The gradual move, in the Judeo-Christian West at large and our country specifically, has been one of gradual inclusion of humans and their lifestyles into the fully-bonded brotherhood of equals.

We're definitely not there yet, but the path seems clear. How quickly it happens is up us.

This is based, of course, upon my vague recollection of 8th grade Social Studies. I should say that my report card that year was a little light on academic achievement. So I'll leave details and fact checking to others.

***

Really, it would have been better for conservatives, in the long run, if gay marriage were legitimized at a federal level. That way tons of men-seeking-men and women-seeking-women who would normally mind their own business--live their lives, participate in their communities--might decide to go down to the courthouse and expose themselves for what they are. Sodomites.

Then we wouldn't have this tricky and covert queerfiltration into our neighborhoods and school boards.

That's the problem with them. You usually can't even tell they're gay until it's too late. They seem just like us.

Then, once we get to know a gay person or two, we begin to empathize with the sinner. We begin to see them not as a moral blight, but as a person.

And when we really know people as friends, neighbors and fellow humans, it's harder to hate them. Not impossible, but harder. It's even harder when you recognize that those friends, neighbors, fellow humans are being systematically oppressed because of some homophobic apostles.

So: 40% of Americans, 1 state, 1 openly gay, elected Episcopalian bishop and counting.