Wednesday, November 19, 2003
Yuck Yuck Icky Icky Ewww Gross
Remember the 1992 Republican convention--the one where Pat Buchanan declared a cultural war on liberals and thereby contributed to Bush the Elder getting capped that fall? The stars are aligning for another one. The wingnuts have gone apeshit over the Massachusetts court decision on gay marriage. Polls show that Americans are deeply divided on the issue, even younger Americans who have grown up with homosexuality--which is not really surprising, as "gay" is one of the worst insults school-aged kids can think of to throw at one another. Howard Dean signed the civil unions bill in Vermont--not strictly the same as gay marriage but close enough for endless campaign soundbites. Voila--the magic wedge issue, the Willie Horton of 2004, the horse the Republicans can ride to victory.
Well, maybe. Mark Morford observes, optimistically, that wingnuts of the 1950s and 60s went similarly apeshit over school desegregation, and wingnuts of the early 20th century had kittens over the right of women to vote, and now both of those concepts are mainstream. And I'd like to think that someday, common sense will triumph over the twin towers of religious dogma and fear based on ignorance. But I have my doubts that it will happen before the Constitution can be vandalized with a gay-marriage ban, particularly if Bush is reelected.
Of course, a culture war might be good for the Democrats. If they are successful at unmasking the extremism of the Republicans--an extremism Bush and Karl Rove will make Job One to hide--the all-important swing voters might turn away. Homophobic Republicans rallying in the streets just might help.
Remember the 1992 Republican convention--the one where Pat Buchanan declared a cultural war on liberals and thereby contributed to Bush the Elder getting capped that fall? The stars are aligning for another one. The wingnuts have gone apeshit over the Massachusetts court decision on gay marriage. Polls show that Americans are deeply divided on the issue, even younger Americans who have grown up with homosexuality--which is not really surprising, as "gay" is one of the worst insults school-aged kids can think of to throw at one another. Howard Dean signed the civil unions bill in Vermont--not strictly the same as gay marriage but close enough for endless campaign soundbites. Voila--the magic wedge issue, the Willie Horton of 2004, the horse the Republicans can ride to victory.
Well, maybe. Mark Morford observes, optimistically, that wingnuts of the 1950s and 60s went similarly apeshit over school desegregation, and wingnuts of the early 20th century had kittens over the right of women to vote, and now both of those concepts are mainstream. And I'd like to think that someday, common sense will triumph over the twin towers of religious dogma and fear based on ignorance. But I have my doubts that it will happen before the Constitution can be vandalized with a gay-marriage ban, particularly if Bush is reelected.
Of course, a culture war might be good for the Democrats. If they are successful at unmasking the extremism of the Republicans--an extremism Bush and Karl Rove will make Job One to hide--the all-important swing voters might turn away. Homophobic Republicans rallying in the streets just might help.
