Gay marriage

[unixronin]

So I understand when all the votes are tallied, initiatives banning gay marriage (and in some cases even civil unions) passed in every single one of the 11 states in which they were on the ballot, even Oregon (where it was expected to fail).

I guess what this says is that to Middle America, hatred, prejudice and homophobia ARE family values.  I don't think I'm the only one who does not find that a cheering thought.

"They first came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up -- because I wasn't a Communist.
  Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up -- because I wasn't a Jew.
  Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up -- because I wasn't a trade unionist.
  Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up -- because I was a Protestant.
  Then they came for me -- and by that time no one was left to speak up."

-- Pastor Martin Niemoeller, speaking at Nuremberg

Comments

[juuro.livejournal.com]

I'm not quite up to speed in American civics; it was in high school and that's twenty years in the past. Although using this parallel has been forbidden on many forums, I still would like to hear your take.

Civil rights in the 1960s were not won on state level, either. National legislation, national effort was needed. Now a different civil rights issue has been relegated to the states, with similar result.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Um, I'm not sure I follow the question. (Or, to be more specific, if there was a question in there, I think I failed to identify it.)